UBC Solar: Race for the Sun 2025
We’re gearing up to compete in the Formula Sun Grand Prix this July, and we need your help to get there! Our team is working hard to showcase the power of solar energy by racing our solar-powered vehicle. But to make this possible, we need help with building supplies, travel costs, competition fees and supplies while at competition.
Project Description
UBC Solar is a passionate, student-driven team on a mission to design and build cutting-edge solar-powered race cars. We believe in the power of hands-on learning to inspire the next generation of engineers and innovators, guiding them toward a sustainable future. This July, we’re heading to the Formula Sun Grand Prix (FSGP) in Kentucky to compete against some of the best solar racing teams in the world. We need your support to cover supply costs, travel costs, competition fees and accommodations as we strive to improve on our previous best finish of 6th place in our class.
With your help, we can take our performance to the next level and show the world what sustainable technology can achieve. Join us on our journey to push the limits of clean energy and make a lasting impact!
Challenges and Impact of Your Support
As a team, we face two major challenges: time and money. While we can solve the time challenge through the hard work, dedication and organization of our members, money is something we can’t solve alone. Despite being full-time students, we push ourselves to meet deadlines and get projects done, but when it comes to the costs of competing, we need your help.
We are incredibly grateful for our generous sponsors who helped get us here, but to race at the Formula Sun Grand Prix this summer, we need additional support to help us get over the finish line. Here’s how your contribution can make a difference:
- $30 covers a Printed Circuit Board for our rearview camera or sensors that monitor battery temperature or helps us stock sandpaper for manufacturing the car
- $100 restocks our Lab Coats and Safety Glasses used in the shop or covers the cost of the carbon fiber needed to make our race seat
- $150 pays for the epoxy used to make our new race seat or the MDF wood needed for its construction.
- $750 helps cover the cost of the track fees to race our car for one day at the competition
Every donation, big or small, brings us closer to the starting line. With your help, we can push forward and continue working toward our goal of improving on our previous best finish of 6th place in our class. Join us in making this dream a reality!
Are you an organization or business and want to support us? Corporate sponsorship opportunities are available. Give through our Corporate Giving and Sponsorship page or contact us by emailing boileau@student.ubc.ca to discuss further.
About UBC Solar
UBC Solar is an interdisciplinary, student-led team with a mission to design, manufacture, and race cutting-edge solar-powered vehicles. Our team is a vibrant community of UBC students, professors, alumni and industry professionals, all bringing diverse expertise to the table. We operate across three divisions: Electrical, Mechanical and Business, working together to create innovative solutions for a sustainable future.
Our ultimate goal is to cultivate a new generation of industry leaders who are passionate about driving the advancement of clean energy and sustainable transportation. Over the past year, we’ve made tremendous progress: we completed the construction of our third-generation car, Brightside, competed for the second time at the FSGP and achieved a team record of sixth place—all while qualifying for the American Solar Challenge, a prestigious bi-annual race on public American highways.
With your support, we aim to race an improved version of Brightside at the FSGP 2025, pushing the boundaries of solar technology and furthering our mission of a sustainable future.
