- The UF Solar Gators unveiled Flare on April 17, a redesigned solar-powered race car with improved endurance, efficiency and reliability.
- The team will compete in the Formula Sun Grand Prix in Minnesota and the American Solar Challenge this summer.
- Building on years of progress, the team upgraded Flare’s solar array, battery system and overall design.
With a black cloth draped over months of work, anticipation built earlier this month as the University of Florida’s Solar Gators prepared to reveal the next evolution of their solar-powered race car.
When the cover finally dropped, applause and possibility filled the room as Flare — sleeker, larger and reengineered — marked the team’s latest step toward competing on the national stage this summer.
The student-built vehicle will compete in the Electrek Formula Sun Grand Prix (FSGP), a multi-day endurance race where teams aim to complete the most laps powered entirely by the sun, and the American Solar Challenge (ASC), a cross-country road race testing reliability, efficiency and strategy over thousands of miles.
Flare is the latest step in the Solar Gators’ steady progression on the national stage. Since debuting their first car, Torch, in 2017 with just three miles completed at FSGP, the team has steadily improved with each design. Celio followed in 2018, increasing endurance to 200 miles, before Sunrider helped propel the team to a first-place finish at FSGP in 2023 and a full cross-country debut at ASC in 2024.
Flare, introduced in 2025, continued that momentum with a fastest-lap award and nearly 460 miles completed. But the focus has shifted from starting strong to sustaining performance.
The team will put those improvements to the test this summer. FSGP runs July 21–23 at Brainerd International Raceway in Minnesota, followed by the ASC race from Minneapolis to Amarillo, Texas, along the Great River Road and Historic Route 66 from July 25 to Aug. 1.
“We’re trying to test our car a lot more,” said Conner Ellis, a fourth-year mechanical and aerospace engineering student and team president. “Last year, we discovered a lot of issues while competing that could have been caught earlier.”
Among the biggest upgrades: a redesigned top body and a solar array expanded by 50%, along with improvements to the battery system and electrical infrastructure to increase efficiency and reliability.
Bella Lucarelli, a fourth-year electrical engineering major and Solar Gators president-elect, said having a functional, evolving car has allowed the team to refine performance throughout the year while preparing for more demanding conditions on the road.
The challenges extend beyond engineering. At competition, teams camp trackside for days, balancing long hours, limited sleep and constant problem-solving.
“It’s two weeks straight. No sleep, all grind,” Ellis said. “It challenges both your body and mind.”
As the team prepares for its first challenge with Flare, the goal is clear: Go the distance. Ellis’ definition of success means completing the full cross-country route.
The experience is just the beginning for newer members like freshman electrical engineering student Ahmed Kamel.
“Honestly, I’m excited to see how the car holds up in a real competition,” Kamel said, “and just learning from everyone on the team.”
With a revamped car and lessons from past races, the Solar Gators are determined not just to compete, but to push further than ever before.