The 2026 Solar Car Challenge is underway as two dozen teams of high school students from across the United States travel hundreds of miles across Texas in solar-powered vehicles they designed and built themselves.
The annual competition, now celebrating its 31st year, combines engineering, science, teamwork, and problem-solving while giving students hands-on experience in designing roadworthy solar-powered cars.
Students Put STEM Skills to the Test
Twenty-four teams departed Texas Motor Speedway on July 19 to begin a 632-mile journey across Texas.
The five-day event includes stops in Palestine, Round Rock, Fredericksburg, San Angelo, and concludes with an awards banquet in Fort Stockton on July 23.
Participating schools come from across the country, including teams from Texas, California, Oregon, and Florida.
The Solar Car Challenge was established in 1993 to motivate students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) while increasing awareness of alternative energy. Since the first competition in 1995, approximately 85,000 students have participated.
Program Focuses on Real-World Engineering
Founder Dr. Lehman Marks said the program was created after recognizing students needed opportunities to apply classroom lessons to real-world challenges.
“One of the things I discovered back in 1989 is my students weren’t having the opportunity to apply what they were learning in the classroom,” Marks said, Audacy reported.
Students spend months designing, building, testing, and refining their vehicles before competing. Along the way, they learn engineering principles, budgeting, project management, fundraising, computer programming, and teamwork.
Marks said participants also gain valuable life skills by learning how to overcome setbacks.
“You’re going to fail. You’re going to learn how to pick yourself back up and go on,” he said. “Whether these guys become engineers, whether they become statisticians, they’ve got a life skill that will carry them going forward.”
Beyond Engineering
Organizers say the competition teaches much more than mechanical design.
Students are responsible for raising funds, managing project budgets, planning race strategies, analyzing terrain, and conducting community outreach. Teams are encouraged to visit elementary and middle schools to introduce younger students to STEM careers and renewable energy.
According to Marks, the educational impact extends far beyond the race itself.
He recalled one previous event in Illinois where hundreds of children gathered to welcome the solar cars.
“When they see these high school kids doing something really neat, it’s inspiring them to get involved,” Marks said.
Students Gain Hands-On Experience
For many participants, the challenge provides practical experience unavailable in traditional classrooms.
A student from Temple City High School in California, whose team is participating for the third consecutive year, described the project as both demanding and rewarding.
“Our first year was just a bunch of tinkering, a bunch of messing up but also the most fun I’ve ever had,” the student said, according to Audacy. “There are a bunch of processes that can go wrong, but that’s part of the learning journey.”
She added that the experience has strengthened her plans to pursue aerospace or mechanical engineering.
Teachers Encourage Student Leadership
Plano Independent School District teacher and Green Team advisor Kevin Ng said his role is to prepare students to solve problems independently.
“My goal from the very start of the year is to train them to not need me,” Ng said, per Audacy.
He explained that allowing students to make — and learn from — their own mistakes is an important part of the educational process.
Ng also noted that collaboration develops naturally throughout the project, with students routinely working together to solve engineering challenges.
National STEM Initiative
The Solar Car Challenge Education Program provides workshops, curriculum materials, virtual instruction, and on-site support to participating schools throughout a two-year educational cycle.
Depending on the year, the competition alternates between a closed-track event at Texas Motor Speedway and a cross-country endurance challenge. The 2026 event follows the cross-Texas format.
The nonprofit educational foundation is supported by sponsors including Oncor, Texas Instruments, Lockheed Martin, Hunt Oil Company, Dell Technologies, Green Mountain Energy, Austin Energy, EarthX, and other industry partners.
Organizers say the goal remains the same after three decades: preparing students for careers in engineering, technology, renewable energy, and other STEM fields through hands-on learning that extends well beyond the classroom.
According to a 2026 survey of previous participants, 89% went on to major in a STEM subject in college and 74% are currently working in STEM careers, including 27% who work specifically in the solar or energy industries.
