Cruiser Class
PRODUCTION CARS POWERED BY THE SUN
DRIVING GREEN TO THE MAINSTREAM
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. A proving ground for real-world outcomes, the Cruiser Class was first introduced in 2013 to offer teams the option to commit to a car built for more than speed. Teams in this class employ practical designs, advanced technology, and materials to power cars more sustainably on renewable energy. Four-time winners of the Cruiser Cup, Solar Team Eindhoven took the ambitious journey to deliver the world’s first production solar car before moving their focus to vehicle-Integrated Photovoltaics (VIPV). As the technology continues to evolve, several manufacturers have integrated solar panels to cars and other vehicle types to help extend range or battery charge.
Cars must carry 1 driver and at least 1 passenger. Overnight recharging will be allowed and 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 2025 design parameters for Cruiser Class solar cars:
Max. Length: 5.8m
Max. Width: 2.3m
Max. Solar Array: Unrestricted, limited only by the size limits for the car
Wheels: At least 3
Driver: 1 driver and at least 1 passenger
Stages: Single stage, Darwin to Adelaide
What do we observe from Cruiser Class entries?
With determinants of success including payload, energy consumption and a subjective element of design, entrants are faced with the real-world challenge faced by designers around the world: what will the end user find attractive, and give the design a desirable point of difference?
In 2025, Cruiser Class design judging will include incentives for sustainable, marketable, smart design features. There is no ‘one size fits all’ solution on the drive to decarbonisation – we expect teams to fully explore all green energy sources.