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Innoptus Solar Team
The Innoptus Solar Team consists of Belgian engineering students from KU Leuven who aim to build the most innovative and efficient solar car possible. Since 2023, Innoptus has proudly supported the team as its main sponsor.
August 28, 2025: Innoptus Solar Team finishes on the podium after a thrilling race
After 3,021 kilometers through the Australian Outback, the Belgian solar team crossed the finish line in Adelaide, securing 3rd place at the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge 2025.
Starting from 16th position after a challenging qualification, the KU Leuven students fought their way back into the top of the leaderboard. Along the route, they climbed as high as 2nd place, before a flat tire and difficult weather conditions forced them to adjust their strategy. A final charging stop on the last day allowed the Twente team to overtake.
Despite these setbacks, the Infinite Apollo showcased outstanding performance, and the team once again proved that they belong to the world’s solar racing elite. The podium battle was exceptionally close: less than 30 minutes separated the top three after five days of racing, unprecedented in the history of the championship.
With this 3rd place, the Innoptus Solar Team confirms its status among the best in the world, achieving another remarkable collective success that Belgium can be proud of.
August 26th, 2025: Belgian Solar Team drops to third place after pit stop for flat tire
The Leuven students started today in second place, just a few seconds behind the race leader: the team from Delft. However, things went wrong during the day when the Belgians suffered a blowout. Because of the puncture, the students had to stop at the side of the road. While they were changing the tire, their competitors from Twente managed to overtake them, causing the KU Leuven students to drop back to third place. By the end of the day, however, the students were able to catch up with their rivals and remain close behind.
The teams still have nearly 900 km to go until Adelaide. The top three in the standings are incredibly close, within less than 8 minutes of each other, showing how evenly matched the teams are. The coming days will reveal who ultimately takes the title.
August 25th, 2025: Belgians Within Reach of First Place After Day 2 of World Solar Car Championship
Clash of Titans
The Belgians started today in third place and repeatedly leapfrogged with Twente. They eventually finished the day in second place, just a few seconds behind Delft. After nearly 1,500 kilometers covered, that gap is remarkably small. With the race now halfway through, a neck-and-neck battle is shaping up.
Technical Check
The solar car, Infinite Apollo, ran a flawless course, with just one brief stop. In the afternoon, the team paused briefly along the road to inspect an electronic component to ensure safety. Within three minutes, they were back on track. During that time, the team from Twente briefly overtook them, but the KU Leuven students quickly regained their position. By the end of the day, they had closed the gap to the race leader to just a few seconds.
Outlook
Tomorrow brings a challenging stage toward Coober Pedy, known for its strong crosswinds and rapidly changing weather conditions. In the past, teams have run into trouble here. The Infinite Apollo is equipped with a double fin, which reduces energy consumption through a sail effect and also provides extra stability. The students hope to stick to their strategy.
August 24th, 2025: Strong Start. Belgian Solar Team Climbs to Top 3 in World Solar Car Championship
Catch-Up Race
The team began today in 16th place at the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge. After a disappointing qualification round yesterday, the Belgians were determined to make up ground. Thanks to an impressive catch-up race, the KU Leuven students ended the day in third place, having covered more than 700 km through the Australian Outback. The team is very pleased with this performance.
Dream Scenario
To secure third place, the Belgians had to overtake many teams today. They had extensively practiced with their entire convoy to be able to do this even under the hectic conditions of the race start. Their solar car, the Infinite Apollo, performed fantastically today. Thanks to the good weather, they were able to store a lot of solar energy for the coming days and will try to get as close as possible to their competitors.
August 23rd, 2025: Qualification round
The team completed their qualification round today at the Hidden Valley race circuit in Darwin. They recorded a time of 2m19.62s, which means they will start 16th tomorrow on their journey through the Australian Outback. The team had practiced extensively beforehand, aiming to set a competitive time without taking unnecessary risks. However, the students completed the qualification round slower than hoped. Starting tomorrow, the Belgians will begin their catch-up race.
We practiced a lot for this so we could safely set a good lap time. Unfortunately, we drove a bit slower than expected, but we’re ready to start the race and we’re really looking forward to it.
— Lander Deprez (21, Tienen), Driver at the Innoptus Solar Team
August 19th, 2025: Scrutineering
Today, the technical inspection, also known as scrutineering, was on the agenda for the team. During this check, it is verified whether the solar cars comply with all the competition regulations, with special attention to the safety of the driver. The Infinite Apollo passed the inspection smoothly. The engineering students are now fully ready to begin their qualification round on Saturday. The result of that round will determine the starting order for the race on Sunday.
August 11th, 2025: Belgian Solar Team unveils new innovation as they aim for third world title
The Innoptus Solar Team has revealed the second major innovation in their newest solar car, the Infinite Apollo. Their latest addition, called The Bounce, introduces an adaptive ride height system - a first in the history of Belgian solar cars. With the Infinite Apollo they aim to secure their third world title at the 2025 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, starting on August 24th.
The Bounce
Powered by a hydraulic mechanism, the Bounce gives the Infinite Apollo an adaptive ride height system, allowing the car to adjust its chassis's height in real time based on speed and road conditions. This improves both stability and aerodynamics, two key factors in the 3,000 km Bridgestone World Solar Challenge across the Australian Outback.
With a solar panel surface area increased to 6 m², maintaining a low and stable chassis helps to increase stability. The Bounce allows the car to lower itself for more stability during, for example, challenging wind conditions, and to raise the ride height when navigating rough and uneven terrain.
The system is carefully designed to react rapidly, ensuring the car can always drive over bumps and road irregularities, complying with the competition's regulations.
By controlling the car’s centre of gravity with precision, the Bounce gives the team greater handling, adaptability, and reliability throughout the race.
July 22nd, 2025: The first meters on Australian soil
Today, the Infinite Apollo made its first meters on Australian soil. The solar car arrived a few days ago in Darwin, located in the far north of Australia, where the team is preparing for the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge. In exactly one month, the 3,000-kilometer race through the Australian Outback will begin. During the event, 37 student teams from around the world will compete against each other.
June 30th, 2025: From Leuven to Australia: Belgian solar car sets course for world title
After a year of intensive development and testing, the Infinite Apollo, the eleventh Belgian solar car, has officially departed for Australia. There, the Innoptus Solar Team will participate in the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge: a 3,000-kilometer journey through the Australian Outback, which for the first time will take place during the Australian winter. The car underwent rigorous testing and preparation phases, and now both the team and the vehicle are ready for the final preparations on site — with one goal in mind: to compete for the world title.
May 8th, 2025:
Solar Car Built for Glory Unveiled - The Infinite Apollo
We are proud to support the Innoptus Solar Team as they unveil Infinite Apollo, a groundbreaking solar car designed for the 2025 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge. Featuring the world-first double aerodynamic fins, an ultra-efficient 27% solar panel co-developed with LONGi, and a lightweight 170 kg design, the car is built for performance in the challenging Australian winter. With innovation at its core, Infinite Apollo is both a race contender and a real-world testbed for future clean technologies.
September 25, 2024: Successful year for the Innoptus Solar Team shines even brighter with the extension of the main sponsorship by the 4ITEGO Group
4ITEGO Group, which includes the companies Innoptus and Infinite Simulation Systems, is pleased to announce that it will continue as the main sponsor of the Innoptus Solar Team for another two years. Following the successes of the past year, the 4ITEGO Group will also support the new Solar Team in their pursuit score a hattrick by becoming world champions again in Australia. To achieve this goal, a brand-new solar car will be developed entirely from scratch. The team looks forward to once again pushing the boundaries of what is possible and competing with the best teams in the world.
September 22, 2024: Historic Double Victory for the Innoptus Solar Team and the BluePoint Atlas on the F1 Circuit at Zolder!
This weekend, the Innoptus Solar Team achieved an incredible feat, winning two gold medals in just 48 hours. After their victory at the Sasol Solar Challenge in South Africa with the Infinite solar car, the team claimed the European title at the iLumen European Solar Challenge on the Formula 1 Circuit at Zolder, Belgium.
With flawless strategy, the team dominated the 24-hour race. This double victory, all in one weekend, demonstrates the team's drive and perfectly sets them up for their next major challenge: the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge in 2025, in Australia.
September 20, 2024: Resounding victory for the Innoptus Solar Team at the Sasol Solar Challenge 2024!
The Innoptus Solar Team shone by taking first place in the Sasol Solar Challenge 2024, their historic first victory in South Africa! During the race, the team took on all the challenges, covered more than 4,000 km through varied terrain and broke the day-long record twice, a remarkable achievement.
This triumph is the result of months of hard work, strategy, and innovation. We are incredibly proud to support these students who have been able to surpass themselves every step of the way. Congratulations on this incredible achievement and thank you to everyone who believed in them and accompanied them on this exceptional adventure!
September 11, 2024: Team passes scrutineering and qualifies 2nd for Sasol Solar Challeng
The solar car Infinite underwent rigorous technical inspections, passing tests for safety and fairness to ensure it was ready for the competition. Afterward, the qualifying lap took place at the Red Star Raceway, where the Innoptus Solar team finished with a fantastic result of 3 minutes and 28 seconds. This achievement secured them a strong second-place starting position for the Sasol Solar Challenge, which will begin in two days!
August 26, 2024: Arrival in South Africa marks the final countdown
After 13 months of hard work with 13 engineering students, the Innoptus Solar Team has finally arrived in Cape Town, South Africa. Here, they will be taking part in the Sasol Solar Challenge, where student teams from all over the world drive more than 4000km from Johannesburg to Cape Town in 8 days. They are ready for the final preparations, including extensive testing of the innovations added to their high-performance solar car, the Infinite.
June 28, 2024: Unveiling the upgraded Infinite Solar Car
After 12 months of hard work, the Innoptus Solar Team presented the Infinite - the most efficient solar car ever built, which became the world champion in October 2023. In September 2024, the students will participate in the most extreme Solar Challenge in the world in South Africa, where they will have to deal with large differences in altitude, busy cities, and exceptional weather conditions. Therefore, it was important that Infinite, which gave the team the world title in October 2023, was provided with the necessary adjustments and innovations.
June 3, 2024: Testing the Infinite on Flemish roads to prepare for extreme South African terrain
The Innoptus Solar Team tested their solar car on the roads of Leuven to prepare for the Solar Challenge in South Africa where they will face challenging conditions such as steep slopes and high temperatures. The students were able to conduct their tests safely, and after some adjustments to the motor, the solar car successfully drove up the steep Wijnpersstraat in Leuven. The Belgian team will leave for abroad with the car Infinite at the beginning of August!
Summer 2024: From Flemish roads to South Africa – Belgian Solar Team’s final preparations
Their high-performance solar car, the Infinite, will go through extensive testing and upgrades to prepare for the challenging race from Johannesburg to Cape Town. The team is getting ready to take on the challenge and showcase their innovations in the upcoming competition.
April 19, 2024: 200 young innovators compete in Solar Olympiad finals
Following the Belgian Solar Team's world title, 200 Belgian students also competed at the Headquarters of Colruyt Group Technics, showcasing their solar-powered cars and gadgets. Out of 200 initial teams, 40 advanced to the final round. The Solar Olympiad aims to promote STEM education and sustainability, providing students with hands-on experience and encouraging them to contribute to sustainable innovations in the future. Prizes were awarded based on speed, innovation, technology, and presentation.
Spring 2024: Solar Olympiad brings together 200 Belgian students for final showdown
The engineering students of the KU Leuven organized their 20th Solar Olympiad today. The Solar Olympiad is an 8-month competition in which Belgian youngsters go through a Solar Challenge.
January 10, 2024: Gearing up for the world's most extreme Solar Challenge
The Innoptus Solar Team from KU Leuven, world champions in 2023, is preparing to compete in the SASOL Solar Challenge 2024 in South Africa, considered to be the most extreme solar challenge. The 4000-kilometer race will run from Johannesburg to Cape Town over eight days. The team is refining their champion car, the Infinite, for the demanding competition. They must adapt the car for steeper gradients and more frequent acceleration and braking. The race requires strategic planning to cover the most distance within the given time. After finishing second in their debut in 2022, the team aims to win this year with strong competition expected.
New year, new challenges: Belgian Solar Team aims for victory in 2024 SASOL Solar Challenge
In September 2024, the engineering students will participate in the Sasol Solar Challenge for the second time, where they achieved 2nd place last edition. With the innovated Infinite, they hope to take the win to Belgium this year.
October 26th 2023: world champions!
Today, Oct. 26, the Belgians secured the coveted title, fulfilling their ultimate goal. After 15 months of work on their solar car, the Infinite, they crossed the finish line in Adelaide as the first to do so. The students thus take home the world title for the second time in a row.
October 22nd, 2023 - October 26th,2023: On your marks? Set. Go!
On October 22, the race began. 3021 km through the Australian Outback, solely powered by solar energy. Who can complete these kilometers as quickly as possible? The Innoptus Solar Team has a title to defend. During the previous edition in 2019, they became world champions. This year, there is increased competition because the 2021 race was canceled.
Race updates:
- Day 1: Darwin – Dunmarra: 776/3021 km: average 97 km/h
After a smooth start, the team quickly secured first place by overtaking the Aachen Solar Team. - Day 2: Dunmarra – Alice Springs: 1494/3021 km: average 95 km/h
During the hottest day of the championship, the Infinite increased its lead over the Dutch teams. They drove past several forest fires, which required a strategy adjustment. - Day 3: Alice Springs – Coober Pedy: 2137/3021 km: average 89 km/h
The Twente Solar Team made up some of their lag, resulting in the Innoptus Solar Team having only a 24-kilometer lead. In this part of the race, teams face strong crosswinds, making the Infinite's secret weapon, the fin, very useful. - Day 4: Coober Pedy – Port Augusta: /3021 km: average 89.5 km/h
The Innoptus Solar Team expanded their lead over the pursuers, again thanks to the fin providing additional stability and energy savings. The team ended the day 213 km from the finish. - Day 5: Port Augusta – Adelaide: 3021/3021 km
WORLD CHAMPION! The Infinite crossed the finish line first in Adelaide. After a flawless race with exciting pursuit by Solar Team Twente, the Innoptus Solar Team takes home the world title again.
Read more about the Solar Team
Stay up to date on our journey with the Solar Team on our LinkedIn-page
September, 2023: On the Road
Time to leave! We’re sending of INFINITE at the end of August. The Solar Car will be transported to Australia by airplane.
Two weeks after, the team leaves as well. Giving them a month in Australia to test the car, to do some final adjustments and acclimate to the warmer climate. This way they are ready to race!
August, 2023: Racing simulations
Time to test! In August the students are taking their car to the test track to test it thoroughly. How does it drive? How does it react on certain circumstances? Are all systems functioning as designed? Everything to be prepared for the World Championships!
July, 2023: Into the wind tunnel
The new Solar Car must be streamlined to the max! For this, the team did a lot of CFD simulations.
In July, the team is testing their new vehicle in the wind tunnel to examine whether the simulations correspond to reality.
It is also a great way to find out if there are some minor adjustments necessary before the Solar Car leaves for Australia. Because of these wind tests, the designers can also see how the car performs under certain types of wind and how to use this to their advantage.
July 14th, 2023: New car, new name!
Meet INFINITE, the 10th Belgian Solar Car!
Every two year, the Innoptus Solar Team design a completely new Solar Car bases on new ideas, simulations and experiments. The other year, they innovate and improve the currently existing car.
This year the students designed a completely new car, which is called INFINITE. A fitting name, considering that the Ansys solutions from Infinite have had a big impact on the design of the vehicle. After lots of simulations, the Solar Team was able to design a super aerodynamic car with which they are going to defend their World Title this October.
Innoptus?
As a company, Innoptus wants to take social corporate responsibility and bridge the gap between education and industry. It provides high-end technology and expertise, which allows the Innoptus Solar Team engineers to work with the best technology and best practices. Innoptus can and wants to play an active, supporting role, and the best way to do so is through intense collaboration.
Innoptus is part of the 4ITEGO Group together with Infinite. Both Innoptus and Infinite are sponsors of the Solar Team. The Solar Team can use Ansys software and expertise through Infinite for its simulations. In terms of design and data management, Innoptus supports the team with PTC software and know-how to optimise their product development process. The rebranding of CadCorner and the GPO Solutions made it crucial for us that Innoptus gained more visibility in the market. Infinite is already well established, which is why we choose to link the Innoptus name to the Solar Team.
