Event Classes

The Bridgestone World Solar Challenge is the world’s greatest innovation and engineering challenge playing a key role in exploring green technology, energy efficiency, and mobility possibilities. 

Primarily a design competition, this biennial event seeks to inspire some of the brightest young people on the planet to address the imperatives of sustainable transport and the development of energy efficient vehicles as part of the global challenge to decarbonise mobility. 

The event features three classes that represent the diversity of energy efficient vehicles and their differing design philosophies.  

The Challenger Class is the classic solar car born of original concept: Build a car capable of driving from Darwin to Adelaide on the silent power of nature.   They are required to travel from Darwin to Adelaide (c.3000km) in a single stage, with teams stippling and making camp in the desert wherever they are at 5pm (NT time). It is an extreme endurance challenge where the secrets of success will include efficiency, reliability and attention to detail.   

The Cruiser competition was created to encourage ‘green to the mainstream’ concept cars kitted out with innovative, sustainable, and potentially practical features that could find their way into real-world design. Cruisers will compete in a single stage, with the winner taking line honours in Adelaide. Cars will carry two occupants and overnight recharging will form a key part of team strategy. Focusing on energy efficiency, maximising the direct use of green energy with less reliance on energy storage. 

The challenging road to decarbonisation involves a range of integrated pathways and solutions including battery electrification, solar, wind, synthetic fuels, and green hydrogen. The newly renamed Adventure Class, now called the Explorer Class will give the BWSC an even broader platform to showcase prospective ideas, technology, and renewables as well as for cars designed for previous events (perhaps being run by a new team). Explorer Class cars will meet all current safety standards.