See Innovation in Action: Electrek American Solar Challenge 2026 – Minneapolis Start Line

See the solar cars and meet the teams as they travel 1500+ miles on America’s National Scenic Byways! In this collegiate event, teams of students have designed and built solar powered vehicles, qualified during the Electrek Formula Sun Grand Prix, and are now putting these innovative vehicles to the test, traveling 1500+ miles from Minneapolis, MN to Amarillo, TX along portions of the Great River Road and Route 66, in honor of the Route 66 Centennial. From July 25-August 1, the teams are challenged to complete as many miles as possible on solar power and will compete in 2 exciting classes: the single-occupant vehicle (SOV) class and the multi-occupant vehicle (MOV) class, which have additional practicality features, including carrying passengers and luggage.

At the start line, cheer on the teams starting at 9am as they depart on their journey in 1-minute intervals. Come early to view the solar cars and watch team members make last minute preparations. For a close look at the solar cars and the opportunity to meet the teams, we highly recommend coming to the display day on Friday, July 24.

This is a family friendly event and great for anyone interested in STEM, experiential learning, innovation, solar, and checking out some really cool vehicles built by college students that will be our future engineers, innovators, and leaders! All times given are approximate and may vary based on weather and traffic conditions. Please check our event website and follow us on social media to stay up to date.