Members of the Belgian student team called the Innoptus Solar Team can add another successful year to their more than 20-year history. The young engineers not only competed in prestigious events but also continued to develop innovative solutions.
Inspiring and Encouraging
For over two decades, students at the KU Leuven have been designing solar-powered vehicles, achieving successive milestones on the international stage. Last year, the team unveiled the 11th vehicle in its history — Infinite Apollo. As a team member noted: “The efficiency of our solar panel reaches limits higher than 27%, which is high compared to commercial solar panels that reach only 15% - 22%”. The vehicle is equipped with a 3 kWh battery and a 6 m² solar panel. As the engineers emphasize, the project would not have been possible without access to the extensive product portfolio of Transfer Multisort Elektronik, the team’s long-standing partner.
Before presenting their latest design, the Belgian team welcomed 562 high-school students in February as part of a bootcamp day organized during the Solar Olympiade — three times more participants than in 2024. The students introduced their younger peers to real engineering challenges and gave them the opportunity to design and build their own solar-powered vehicles. “Through this, we hope to spark their interest in STEM and show them that technology is the driving force behind sustainable transformation,” said Britt Dewalleff of the Innoptus Solar Team.
A Fierce Battle for the World Championship
Shortly after the car’s premiere, in August, the team traveled to Australia to compete in the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge 2025. Their goal was to defend the World Champion title they had secured in 2023, and in the previous edition back in 2019.
Just days before technical inspection, the 20-member team unveiled a new addition to Infinite Apollo — “The Bounce.” This adaptive suspension ride-height control system was the first solution of its kind ever implemented in a Belgian solar car participating in the World Championship.
Despite fierce competition, challenging weather conditions and obstacles encountered during the race led the Innoptus Solar Team to finish in third place. Notably, the team started the race from 16th position, further underscoring its place among the world’s elite solar racing teams.
After Australia, the focus now shifts to the United States. The team has announced its participation in the American Solar Challenge, scheduled for July this year. This event will pose a new challenge for the Belgian engineers: the race route is longer, terrain variations are greater, and traffic conditions are more demanding. As a result, the vehicle must be adapted to entirely new operating conditions and regulatory requirements. “We are carefully analyzing historical weathe





























