HEY ILLINI!

Interested in joining a First Place team?


Recruitment for Fall 2026 is now closed. Fill out the Interest form below to be notified when recruitment for Spring 2027 starts.




Please contact us at hello@illinisolarcar.com if you have any questions!



Thank you for your interest in joining Illini Solar Car!

INTEREST FORM

Click the button to fill out our interest form for Spring of 2027!

WHO IS ILLINI SOLAR CAR?

Illini Solar Car was founded in 2014 by an ambitious team of about 25 University of Illinois Engineering students. Now, with over 350 members, we design, build, and race solar cars at competitions around the world. Our cars are custom designed and manufactured to spec - from the carbon fiber composite outer shells to the circuit boards that make up the electrical system. We have 4 primary subgroups: mechanical, electrical, strategy & telemetry, and business & marketing. No experience is required, and all majors are welcome!

Joining Illini Solar Car is an opportunity like none other at Illinois. You will get unmatched real-world experience working on a hands-on project. The scope of the project is more than you may think. Illini Solar Car is like a small company - there are opportunities for experience and learning in not just engineering design and manufacturing, but also in nonprofit management, business relations, accounting & finance, machine learning, data analytics, content creation and management, and much more. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Don't see your question here? Reach out to us at hello@illinisolarcar.com!

  • Do I need to know things before I join the team?

    Not at all! We'll teach you everything you need to know to work with us - from how solar cells work to basic addition.


  • I'm majoring in ____. Can I still join the team?

    Any and all majors are accepted on our team! We believe that any input can help our team grow. We've had over 20 different majors on this team, including Nuclear Engineering, Materials Engineering, Business, Undecided/Undeclared (DGS), Systems Engineering, Psychology, Computer Science, Advertising and many more.

  • What kind of time commitment is there?

    We like to say what you put in is what you get out. The more things you work on and the more time you spend with our team, the more you’ll have fun and learn, and the more opportunities you'll have to succeed and grow.


  • Do you guys have any dues?

    The only dues we have are for optional team t-shirts!

  • Can I do other clubs along with this one?

    Yes! More than half of our team members are involved in other clubs. Solar Car is, however, a serious team that will require you to put in effort to benefit.

  • Where is your shop?

    Our main workspace is the ESPL! This is the Engineering Student Projects Building behind Loomis Laboratory.We also use the OpenLab in ECEB . 


    Meetings will also be held in different campus buildings, such as SCD for Business & Marketing, Engineering Hall for Mechanical, and ECEB for Electrical and Strategy & Telemetry.


  • How many people are on the team?

    Our team is made up of a large group of over 350 students from all around campus. 

  • What is your team doing right now?

    This year we will be focusing on upgrading our fourth-generation car, Delos, in preparation for the 2027 Formula Sun Grand Prix or potentially the 2027 World Solar Challenge. We will also start designing and building our fifth car, nicknamed Project E.

  • What happens when it's cloudy?

    Luckily, the thought has crossed our minds! We use a 5kWH lithium ion battery pack so the car can run when the solar array can't meet the power needs of the car.

  • How does it run?

    The solar panels provide energy to the batteries and/or the motors, depending on which one is consuming more power. Usually when we drive, the solar array's energy goes completely to the motors and the batteries supply extra energy. The car has a brushless DC motor that propels it.

  • How far have you driven it?

    Delos, our latest car, has driven approximately 650 miles in competition so far, including one long-distance competition.


    Calypso, our third car, has driven over 2,000 miles, including one long-disntance competition.


    Our second car, Brizo, has completed two long-distance competitions and has around 4,000 miles under its belt.


    Between testing and two long-distance competitions, Argo (our first car) has driven over 5,000 miles.

  • Is it street legal?

    Yes! Our first three cars, Argo, Brizo, and Calypso have their own license plates and we are in the process of getting one for Delos (our fourth car). Delos has also driven on highways and road like any other vehicle during the 2026 American Solar Challenge.

  • What's the car made of?

    The majority of the car is made of carbon fiber composites. This makes the car extremely lightweight and efficient.

  • What kind of suspension do you have?

    A custom-designed double wishbone suspension for the front wheels and a trailing arm for the back two wheels.

  • How fast does it go?

    Argo has driven up to 68mph, but it can theoretically go up to around 75mph. Brizo, Calypso, and Delos have a similar top speed.

  • How much does it weigh?

    Argo weighs 490 lbs, or 224 kg, without a driver. Brizo weighs even less at 423 lbs, or 192 kg. Calypso and Delos weigh in at around 550 pounds or 250 kilograms.

  • Where do you go with the car?

    In addition to driving our cars locally for events, we bring them to various international competitions across the United States and in Australia. These competitions include the Formula Sun Grand Prix (FSGP), American Solar Challenge (ASC), and Bridgestone World Solar Challenge (BWSC).