Blaze Raycers

Building a Solar-powered Race Car

A new student organization is leading the charge in energy innovation by building a solar-battery hybrid race car.

The Blaze Raycers plan to compete in the 2026 Formula Sun Grand Prix, a race held on a closed course, and in the American Solar Challenge, a competition to design, build, and drive solar-powered cars over a 1,500- to 2,000-mile course across multiple cities. The cars can reach a speed of up to 55 mph.

“Anyone can read a textbook and memorize formulas, but applying those concepts in a practical setting is a whole different skill,” says William Bourgeois, a resource and energy engineering major and the team's president and project manager. “Through this experience, we're not just building a car; we're building a team legacy.” ₪