Hungarians in the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge

Students and lecturers from John von Neumann University in Kecskemét are participating in one of the world's most renowned sustainability and engineering challenges, the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge in Australia, with their own solar-powered vehicle, which they designed and built themselves. The university team is the only Hungarian participant in the competition.

At the car's presentation in Kecskemét on Thursday, Tamás Fülöp, the university's rector, emphasized that this project is about the future, engineering excellence, and a belief in sustainability. He added that they are proud that the university is engaged in workshop work that can lead to world-class results and that, although this is a technical sport, the secret lies in team spirit.

It was stated at the presentation that the aim of the race is not only to cross the Australian continent covering more than 3,000 kilometers, but also for the world's leading technical universities and innovation teams to create vehicles that can cover this distance using only solar energy, based on efficiency, aerodynamics, engineering creativity, and knowledge. From the university's perspective, the event also represents industry partnerships in the energy, automotive, engineering, finance, materials science, and IT sectors.

This is not the first time that Neumann János University in Kecskemét has competed in this event: in 2015, the vehicle named Megalux successfully completed the challenge, becoming the first Hungarian team in history to complete the entire race.

The team from the University of Kecskemét, the Neumann Solar Team, worked on developing the vehicle for more than a year. The renewed solar panel system, the ultra-light composite structure, and the control system designed with artificial intelligence to support energy management all reinforce the uniqueness of the vehicle. Team captain Krisztián Kun said that he feels they have “created the top product of Hungarian technical higher education.”

The race car, which weighs about 150 kilograms and is powered by a 2,000-watt motor, does not contain a single commercially available, ready-made part. The four-and-a-half-meter-long and two-meter-wide, completely unique car has six square meters of solar panels and can travel at an average speed of 80 kilometers per hour with the driver sitting about 8 centimeters above the ground, he explained.

He emphasized that more than 80% of the 3,000 kilometers is barren desert, where even the Australian aborigines set out prepared. Incidentally, the race takes place among 100-ton trucks and kangaroos in traffic. In the evenings, the team pitches their tents in the desert, the team captain added.

The official start of the five-day race will be on August 24, 2025, in the Australian city of Darwin, with the finish line more than 3,000 kilometers south in Adelaide.