Innoptus Solar Team
The Infinite is one of the most innovative and efficient solar cars that the Innoptus Solar Team has built. This team of Belgian engineering students from KU Leuven can count on Innoptus & Infinite as the main sponsor for the coming years!
In 2024, the team continued to achieve outstanding success on the global stage. We are immensely proud to be part of this incredible journey and to witness the team's world-class accomplishments.
September 25, 2024: Successful year for the Innoptus Solar Team shines even brighter with the extension of the main sponsorship by the 4ITEGO Group
4ITEGO Group, which includes the companies Innoptus and Infinite Simulation Systems, is pleased to announce that it will continue as the main sponsor of the Innoptus Solar Team for another two years. Following the successes of the past year, the 4ITEGO Group will also support the new Solar Team in their pursuit score a hattrick by becoming world champions again in Australia. To achieve this goal, a brand-new solar car will be developed entirely from scratch. The team looks forward to once again pushing the boundaries of what is possible and competing with the best teams in the world.
September 22, 2024: Historic Double Victory for the Innoptus Solar Team and the BluePoint Atlas on the F1 Circuit at Zolder!
This weekend, the Innoptus Solar Team achieved an incredible feat, winning two gold medals in just 48 hours. After their victory at the Sasol Solar Challenge in South Africa with the Infinite solar car, the team claimed the European title at the iLumen European Solar Challenge on the Formula 1 Circuit at Zolder, Belgium.
With flawless strategy, the team dominated the 24-hour race. This double victory, all in one weekend, demonstrates the team's drive and perfectly sets them up for their next major challenge: the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge in 2025, in Australia.
September 20, 2024: Resounding victory for the Innoptus Solar Team at the Sasol Solar Challenge 2024!
Innoptus Solar Team won first place in the Sasol Solar Challenge 2024 thanks to their solar car, Infinite! This marks the team’s first-ever victory in South Africa, an incredible milestone after several years of participation.
Infinite’s advanced engineering helped the team break the daily distance record twice during the race, covering over 4,000 km across South Africa’s challenging landscapes. This win culminates months of hard work, strategy, and innovation. We are immensely proud to support these talented students and their remarkable journey. Congratulations to the entire team on this extraordinary achievement and a huge thanks to everyone who has supported them along the way!
September 11, 2024: Team passes scrutineering and qualifies 2nd for Sasol Solar Challenge
The solar car Infinite underwent rigorous technical inspections, passing tests for safety and fairness to ensure it was ready for the competition. Afterward, the qualifying lap took place at the Red Star Raceway, where the Innoptus Solar team finished with a fantastic result of 3 minutes and 28 seconds. This achievement secured them a strong second-place starting position for the Sasol Solar Challenge, which will begin in two days!
August 26, 2024: Arrival in South Africa Marks the Final Countdown
After 13 months of hard work with 13 engineering students, the Innoptus Solar Team has finally arrived in Cape Town, South Africa. Here, they will be taking part in the Sasol Solar Challenge, where student teams from all over the world drive more than 4000km from Johannesburg to Cape Town in 8 days. They are ready for the final preparations, including extensive testing of the innovations added to their high-performance solar car, the Infinite.
June 28, 2024: Unveiling the upgraded Infinite Solar Car
After 12 months of hard work, the Innoptus Solar Team presented the Infinite - the most efficient solar car ever built, which became the world champion in October 2023. In September 2024, the students will participate in the most extreme Solar Challenge in the world in South Africa, where they will have to deal with large differences in altitude, busy cities, and exceptional weather conditions. Therefore, it was important that Infinite, which gave the team the world title in October 2023, was provided with the necessary adjustments and innovations.
June 3, 2024: Testing the Infinite on Flemish Roads to Prepare for Extreme South African Terrain
The Innoptus Solar Team tested their solar car on the roads of Leuven to prepare for the Solar Challenge in South Africa where they will face challenging conditions such as steep slopes and high temperatures. The students were able to conduct their tests safely, and after some adjustments to the motor, the solar car successfully drove up the steep Wijnpersstraat in Leuven. The Belgian team will leave for abroad with the car Infinite at the beginning of August!
Summer 2024: From Flemish Roads to South Africa – Belgian Solar Team’s Final Preparations
Their high-performance solar car, the Infinite, will go through extensive testing and upgrades to prepare for the challenging race from Johannesburg to Cape Town. The team is getting ready to take on the challenge and showcase their innovations in the upcoming competition.
April 19, 2024: 200 Young Innovators Compete in Solar Olympiad Finals
Following the Belgian Solar Team's world title, 200 Belgian students also competed at the Headquarters of Colruyt Group Technics, showcasing their solar-powered cars and gadgets. Out of 200 initial teams, 40 advanced to the final round. The Solar Olympiad aims to promote STEM education and sustainability, providing students with hands-on experience and encouraging them to contribute to sustainable innovations in the future. Prizes were awarded based on speed, innovation, technology, and presentation.
Spring 2024: Solar Olympiad Brings Together 200 Belgian Students for Final Showdown
The engineering students of the KU Leuven organized their 20th Solar Olympiad today. The Solar Olympiad is an 8-month competition in which Belgian youngsters go through a Solar Challenge.
January 10, 2024: Gearing Up for the World's Most Extreme Solar Challenge
The Innoptus Solar Team from KU Leuven, world champions in 2023, is preparing to compete in the SASOL Solar Challenge 2024 in South Africa, considered to be the most extreme solar challenge. The 4000-kilometer race will run from Johannesburg to Cape Town over eight days. The team is refining their champion car, the Infinite, for the demanding competition. They must adapt the car for steeper gradients and more frequent acceleration and braking. The race requires strategic planning to cover the most distance within the given time. After finishing second in their debut in 2022, the team aims to win this year with strong competition expected.
New Year, New Challenges: Belgian Solar Team Aims for Victory in 2024 SASOL Solar Challenge
In September 2024, the engineering students will participate in the Sasol Solar Challenge for the second time, where they achieved 2nd place last edition. With the innovated Infinite, they hope to take the win to Belgium this year.
October 26, 2023: World champion!
The Infinite is the first to cross the finish line! Making the Belgian team World champions once again! Their ultimate goal. After 15 months of work on their solar car, they are the first the arrive in Adelaide. It is the second time that the Innoptus Solar Team becomes World Champion.
October 22nd – October 26th 2023: On your marks? Set. Go!
On October 22nd the race started. 3021 kilometres through the Australian Outback, from Darwin to Adelaide. Solely powered by solar energy. Who brings home the title? We’ll know in a few days.
September 2023: On the road
Time to fly! We waved the Infinite goodbye at the end of August, when she left for Australia by plain.
Two weeks later, the team leaves as well. Giving them a month to test the car, do final adjustments and acclimate to the weather. This way they are fit to compete!
August 2023: Race simulations
Time to test! The students are bringing the car to the test track to test it thoroughly. How does it drive? How does it react in certain circumstances? Are all systems functioning as designed? Everything is to be as prepared as possible.
July 2023: Into the tunnel
To make sure the Infinite is streamlined to the max, the team did a lot of CFD simulations. Now the team takes it to the wind tunnel to examine whether the simulations correspond to reality.
Based on these results, some last-minute minor adjustments will be made before the solar car flies off to Australia.
July 14, 2023: New car, new name!
Meet the Infinite, the 10th Belgian Solar Car!
A fitting name for the newest car of the Innoptus Solar Team, since Ansys solutions from Infinite had a big impact on the design. Thanks to many simulations, the team was able to design a super aerodynamic vehicle to compete with during the World Solar Challenge in October.
Every two years, the students design a completely new car, based on ideas, simulations and experiments. The other year, they innovate and improve the current vehicle.