About Us

The University of Minnesota Solar Vehicle Project (UMNSVP) was founded by a group of ambitious undergraduate students in 1990. By 1993, our first solar car, Aurora I, was built. The team has built 14 vehicles in total. We are one of the most decorated teams in America, having raced in over 30 different solar challenges on 3 different continents. Our 14th car, Freya, is the winner of the 2022 American Solar Challenge MOV Class. Read more about each of our cars here.

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American Solar Challenge

In July 2022, the team took first place in the Multi-Occupant Vehicle Class at the American Solar Challenge. ASC was an eight day long race covering over 1,400 miles from Independence, MO to Twin Falls, ID.

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We have always aspired to keep innovation and learning at the forefront of what we do. The team has remained true to its original foundation as a student administered, designed, and built project that teaches members about engineering and management in a product development environment. In 2013, we were the first American team to compete in the Cruiser Class at the World Solar Challenge. The Cruiser Class is about more than just speed; competitors are also scored based off of how practical their car is. We were also the first team to race a multi-occupant vehicle at the American Solar Challenge.

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Follow us on Social Media @UMNSVP