Imagine twenty-one students with one common goal: building the most efficient solar vehicle of the world. The students of Solar Team Twente develop a new solar car from scratch within only one year. This car is designed to drive more than 3.000 kilometers by only using solar energy. Sounds crazy? It is, but student team Solar Team Twente makes the impossible possible. By competing in several solar races around the world, the team challenges the limits of existing technology every year. In october 2023 the team will participate in the unique and extremely challenging Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, driving from Darwin to Adelaide through the outback in Australia.
Solar Team Twente entails passion for innovation, passion for efficient mobility, and passion to inspire others. With over 15 years of experience and a strong network of companies and former team members, they prepare for the races like others would for the Olympics. A new team starts every 2 years in September, participates in the iLumen European Solar Challenge in Belgium in the same month and then works hard for one year to build the most efficient solar car of the world. The car is able to drive across the Australian continent only powered by solar energy, which means that efficiency is key. Several aspects of the car are affecting the efficiency, so they must be designed well. Examples are the aerodynamic shape, the performance of the battery and of course the efficiency of the solar panel. Within this interdisciplinary team, the three sub-teams must work closely to realize a reliable and efficient solar car.
The solar team is located in Enschede, the Netherlands. It is part of the University of Twente, Saxion University of Applied Sciences and ROC van Twente. Solar Team Twente is one of the biggest student teams of the Netherlands. It unites more than 150 companies in and outside the country to build the most efficient solar car of the world together with the team. Team members pause their studies for one and a half years to show what one can achieve in a short period of time. Their goal is to inspire others to contribute to a more sustainable society themselves. Together, we make a difference!
Management Team

Kirsten Bouwman
Team Manager

Tim Woertman
Technical Manager
Marketing & Communications Team

Hjalmar Lemmers
Accountmanager

Marten van den Brink
Content Marketeer

Daan van Haren
Event Coordinator
Technical Team

Jessica Bos
Lead Engineer

Sven Termaat
Mechanical Engineer

Melle Vriesema
Aerodynamics Engineer

Jelle de Haan
Electrical Engineer

Tom Roossink
Research & Development Engineer

Niels Buiskool
Mechanical Engineer

Coen Hackmann
Aerodynamics Engineer

Jorian Zwerver
Electrical Engineer

Mark Boulogne
Strategist

Danique Kottier
Structural Engineer

Bart Mol
Aerodynamics Engineer

Yvar van der Bijl
Electrical Engineer

Jurre van der Schaaf
Data Acquisition

Lars Onland
Structural Engineer
How fast can the solar car go?
Why do the solar cars look different?
For 2021, the main changes are the following:
- 3 wheels are allowed again (instead of only 4 wheels)
- The solar array may not be bigger than 4.00 square metres
- The car may not be longer than 5.00 metres, which is roughly the length of a normal car
- The car may not be wider than 2.20 metres
- A mannequin with a height of 2.00 metres has to fit in the car
Do you have to be a student to participate?
How long do the members participate in the project?
Do you have to be doing a technical study program to participate?
- Technical team
- Marketing & Communications team
- Management team
For the last two sub-teams, you do not need a technical study background. More important is enthusiasm and passion for this project. Ideally, you have experience with project management, but that can also be learned on the job.
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