The countdown is on for another exciting week of solar car racing! Over 30 teams from the US, Canada, and worldwide have registered their hand-designed and built solar cars to compete in the 2025 Electrek Formula Sun Grand Prix (FSGP). What makes this year’s FSGP especially notable, aside from the impressive number of teams we expect to see, is that it marks the 25th anniversary of the track event, first held in 2000.
A brief history
The roots of American solar car racing can be traced back to 1987, when GM’s Sunraycer solar car won the first World Solar Challenge in Australia. The Sunraycer featured a more rounded, UFO-looking design made of Kevlar for a great strength-to-weight ratio. It was covered in 8800 solar cells capable of generating about 1500 watts of power. It was an impressive feat of engineering at the time and proved to the world that electric drivetrains could be efficient and competitive.
Instead of continuing to compete with Sunraycer, GM used its experience in Australia to start an organized state-side collegiate solar car event. Sunrayce USA events were held in 1990, 1993, 1997, and 1999. Around the 2000s, General Motors began to shutter its electric vehicle efforts, partly due to the commercial failure of its first production EV, dubbed EV1. This shift in priorities saw an end to Sunrayce events.
In 2001, the cross-country event rebranded to the American Solar Challenge (ASC) following the creation of the Formula Sun Grand Prix (FSGP), all under the leadership of the Innovators Educational Foundation (IEF). Since then, FSGP has acted both as a qualifier for the biannual ASC and as a standalone event in years when the ASC isn’t held. This event setup helps ensure solar cars are roadworthy for long-distance travel across the US, while also giving newer teams a chance to gain racing experience.
The Electrek American Solar Challenge (ASC) was last held in 2024, so this year’s Electrek Formula Sun Grand Prix (FSGP) will not serve as a qualifier. Nonetheless, 35 teams are registered to attend!
In 2023, Electrek announced the signing of a five-year title sponsorship agreement with the IEF, which will guarantee funds to host the yearly races through 2028.
Other 2025 Electrek FSGP sponsors include Altair, Blue Origin, MathWorks, Generac, and in previous years Tesla, which have used the event as prime recruiting grounds. In fact, in past years, one recruiter even told Electrek that “getting great employees at the Formula Sun Grand Prix was like shooting fish in a barrel” and added “students at these events are orders of magnitude more likely to yield successful hires than typical campus recruiting events.”
2025 Electrek FSGP schedule
The 2025 Electrek FSGP will again be held at the National Corvette Museum Motorsports Park in Bowling Green, Kentucky, which, interestingly enough, General Motors occasionally uses for Corvette testing and development. A bit of a full-circle moment being so close to the company that started it all.
The event is open to the public and FREE to attend. Come see the solar car race up close! You just might have to sign a waiver at the entrance.
Racing starts on July 3 from 10am to 6pm CT and continues through July 5 from 9am to 5pm CT.
June 30 (Monday)
- 10am–7pm: Scrutineering
July 1 (Tuesday)
- 9am–7pm: Scrutineering
- 10am–8pm: Altair Challenge
July 2 (Wednesday)
- 9am–7pm: Scrutineering
- 10am–8pm: Altair Challenge
July 3 (Thursday)
- 10am–12pm: Altair Challenge
- 10am–6pm: Hot Track
- 6pm–8pm: Evening Charging
July 4 (Friday)
- 7am–9am: Morning Charging
- 9am–5pm: Hot Track
- 5pm–8pm: Evening Charging
July 5 (Saturday)
- 7am–9am: Morning Charging
- 9am–5pm: Hot Track
- 7pm: Awards Ceremony
2025 Electrek FSGP teams
We’ll continue to post more updates as we get closer to the event!
If you’re interested in joining us in sponsoring these events, please get in touch here!
Featured image via Cora Kennedy for Electrek FSGP/ASC.
Note: The Formula Sun Grand Prix is not in any way associated or affiliated with the Formula 1 companies, FORMULA 1 racing, or the FIA Formula One World Championship.
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