Innoptus Solar Team: Powered by the sun

Introduction

The Innoptus Solar Team is a group of 20 engineering students from KU Leuven working to build the most efficient solar car possible. We’ve won the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge twice in a row, but every new race brings fresh challenges. This year, new rules mean we must rethink everything—our car’s size, solar panel, battery, and even our schedule. With less time to prepare, we’re focused on working smarter, testing rigorously, and making every detail count. But for us, this project is about more than just racing. It’s about pushing technology forward and showing what’s possible with solar power. As we gear up for the next big race, we’re excited to keep learning, innovating, and proving what a team of determined students can achieve.

Rethinking Low Voltage: Smarter, Smaller, More Efficient

In the low voltage team, our job is to design and build the brain of the car. Everything from sensor management to power distribution runs through the PCBs we develop, ensuring the car operates as efficiently as possible. With this year’s rule changes cutting our battery size by 60%, reducing low voltage power draw has become even more critical. That’s why we’ve focused on making our Battery Management System (BMS) more compact and efficient than ever. A smaller battery means we have less margin for energy loss, so every milliwatt counts. Our modular design approach allows us to iterate quickly and adapt as new challenges arise. With PCBs produced by Eurocircuits, we’re making sure every part of our system is optimized for performance, reliability, and flexibility on race day.

Soldering Workshop

To promote STEM and showcase the capabilities of our low voltage department, we organize hands-on workshops during our team events. One of the simplest yet most effective projects was an LED chaser circuit—designed in-house and easily ordered through the Eurocircuits website. It’s a small example of how electronics can be both accessible and powerful, giving participants a way to engage with engineering. Inspiring next-gen problem solvers is core to the Innoptus Solar Team. By letting enthusiasts experiment with circuit design, we’re not just teaching skills, we’re sparking curiosity. Whether it’s through a basic PCB or the complex systems in our solar car, the goal is the same: to push innovation forward and show that engineering is about creating solutions that make a difference.

For more information please visit the Innoptus Solar Team website.