JU Solar Team gears up for new challenges

22 students from Jönköping University (JU) have embarked on the journey of designing, building, and ultimately competing with their own solar car in the world’s largest solar car competition, the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge in Australia 2027.

“It is incredibly exciting,” says Martin Nord, a member of the new JU Solar Team.

Work on the new solar car begins on computers and continues in the workshop. JU Solar Team was the best Swedish team in the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge in both 2025 and 2023. The next competition will be held in 2027. Martin Nord is studying industrial product development at the School of Engineering (JTH), JU, and wants to work in the bodywork team, an area in which he already has some experience.

"I have built surfboards, and it's pretty much the same principle as building a solar car, just on a smaller scale. Who knows, maybe I'll have time to surf a little while we're in Australia," he says.

Martin Nord likes many aspects of the previous team's solar car, but also sees things that could be improved – such as reducing air intake in the driver's compartment to reduce air resistance and increase performance.

"It's just right"

Beda Floridan, who also studies Industrial Product Development at JTH, describes the solar car project as a unique opportunity to be part of something big together with other students.

"I wanted something alongside my studies and feel that I've come to the right place. It will be great fun to be involved in developing the solar car and getting to know the others in the team. What's more, it's an achievement that I think many employers appreciate, that you can work well in a team and under pressure on large-scale projects," she says.

"Opportunities like this don't come along very often"

The many hours spent in front of computers, in the workshop, and out on the test tracks create a special bond within the team, whose ultimate goal is to compete in Australia.

" Opportunities like this don't come along very often in life, where you get to participate in a major international competition with such a large budget. The registration fee for the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge alone is SEK 100,000. It's a bit like the Olympics for solar cars, and these cars aren't something you can just knock together yourself in your garage at home," says Magnus Andersson, course leader for the solar car project.

Friends for life

JU Solar Team provides friends for life and sometimes even life partners. Magnus knows four or five couples who have met in the teams over the years.

"You spend so much time together in the team and get to know each other so well that they know what they're getting into," he says with a smile.

He emphasizes that the students' experiences from JU Solar Team really enhance their CVs.

“There are at least five students in each team who say that their employers see it as a big advantage that they have been part of JU Solar Team. It shows that they can work long-term, take responsibility, and collaborate on complex projects,” says Magnus.