SIUE to host solar car drivers at Route 66 stop

 

For a second year, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is all set to host the collegiate competition known as the Electrek American Solar Challenge 2026 on July 27 and 28.

More than 20 solar car teams traveling a 1500+ mile course in eight days along the Great River Road and Route 66 will encounter a festival at the SIUE stop, with food trucks, music and more.

With teams traveling from Illinois State University before arriving in Edwardsville, SIUE’s stop falls roughly at the event’s midpoint. The teams will then continue on to Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla as the event works its way toward Route 66 stops in Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas.

The solar cars will arrive staggered at SIUE’s Lot E beginning at 2 p.m. Monday, July 27, and will depart the following morning, Tuesday, July 28, after an overnight stage point that includes vehicle maintenance and public viewing.

“We’re excited to bring the collegiate solar cars back to Edwardsville this summer as one of the stops along Route 66! Edwardsville marks the end of the three-day Stage I of the event, where teams will have traveled more than 650 miles through Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Illinois,” said Gail Lueck, FSGP/ASC event director and operations director for IEF.

“We would like to thank SIUE for hosting this stage point for the teams and opening their campus for the public to come view these innovative solar cars and meet the students who built them,” Leuck added.

While the cars charge and teams rest, SIUE is building a community festival around the stage point. A hospitality area for teams and a photo booth experience will also be provided for visitors to pose in the SIUE solar car cockpit for a keepsake photo, giving families and fans futuristic memories. Food trucks and a DJ will run from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday.

“We are grateful for the opportunity to continue our partnership and host the stage point for the Electrek American Solar Challenge.  This event showcases the ingenuity and impact that our students experience both inside and outside of the curriculum at SIUE and the community that they form as they advance the frontier of solar technology.” said Chris Gordon, associate dean, School of Engineering, SIUE.

The public viewing schedule includes the following:

Monday, July 27 

• 2:30 to 8 p.m. — Solar cars arrive staggered until 6 p.m., with lead, solar car and chase caravan pulling in together and an official time-in taken
• Teams serve a mandatory 30-minute stage point time, then have the option of additional loops or on-site solar charging until 8 p.m.
• Public is welcome to view the teams as they arrive and charge
• 5 to 8 p.m. — Festival with food trucks and music

Solar car arrival may be delayed due to weather, traffic or other conditions encountered en route.

Tuesday, July 28 

• 7 to 8:30 a.m. — Teams complete morning charging and maintenance; public is welcome to view the cars
• 8:45 a.m. — Lead, chase and solar cars line up for the start; public gathers to cheer on the teams
• 9 to 9:30 a.m. — Solar car teams start staggered in one-minute intervals as the next stage of the American Solar Challenge begins

For the full multi-state schedule and live tracking, visit americansolarchallenge.org.

Images provided by SIUE.

 

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Electrek American Solar Challenge 2026 

The American Solar Challenge (ASC) is a multi-day, 1,500–2,000 mile cross-country endurance competition held biennially during the summer, open to collegiate solar car teams from around the world. With a history stretching back to 1990, ASC has continually evolved in scale and complexity, with routes designed to demonstrate solar-powered vehicles under genuine driving conditions while testing the reliability of every onboard system. The event is organized by the Innovators Educational Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and is powered by a dedicated network of volunteers, sponsors, and host communities along the route. 

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville provides students with a high-quality education that powerfully transforms the lives of all individuals who seek something greater. A premier metropolitan university, SIUE is creating social and economic mobility for individuals while also powering the workforce of the future. Built on the foundation of a broad-based liberal education, and enhanced by hands-on research and real-world experiences, the academic preparation SIUE students receive equips them to thrive in the global marketplace and make our communities better places to live. Home to a diverse student body, SIUE is situated on 2,660 acres of beautiful woodland atop the bluffs overlooking the natural beauty of the Mississippi River’s rich bottomland and only a short drive from downtown St. Louis.