The student-built Sophie 8X electric vehicle has won the 2025 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge in the Cruiser class, completing the 3,021.5 km (1,877.5 miles) journey across Australia in 44 hours, according to the event’s preliminary results.
The dual-seat solar EV, developed by a team from Hong Kong’s Vocational Training Council (VTC), was powered by a 15.2 kWh battery pack supported by 6 square meters of rooftop solar panels. It averaged 68.7 kph (42.7 mph) during the race from Darwin to Adelaide, organizers said.
The Sophie 8X features custom SiC (silicon carbide) motors that the team said improve energy conversion efficiency by 30% at highway speeds. Its carbon fiber body was shaped using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) for reduced drag, while the lightweight battery pack used 400 Wh/kg lithium pouches to save space.
Unlike many other entries, the Sophie 8X has also been certified for public roads in Hong Kong, making it the first solar challenge EV in the city to meet automotive safety standards, according to the team.
The Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, held biennially, is considered one of the world’s most demanding showcases of solar-powered vehicle technology.
