Electrek Formula Sun Grand Prix 2026: Day 1 results and gallery

This one is a student solar car race, not a home energy story, so there's nothing here about upgrades, rebates, or your own house. Worth a quick note only because it's a fun showcase of solar technology in action.

College teams from the US, Canada, the Netherlands, and Belgium raced solar-powered cars at the Formula Sun Grand Prix, held this year at Brainerd International Raceway in Minnesota. A record 39 teams signed up, and 15 passed safety inspection to race on day one of the three-day event, making it the largest and most international running of the competition so far.

In the single-seat car class, a team from École de technologie supérieure in Quebec led after day one with 112 laps and the fastest single lap, averaging nearly 53 mph on the 3.1-mile track. In the multi-seat class, Georgia Tech led with 77 laps, ahead of Appalachian State's 55, though App State posted the quicker single lap. Several other schools had not yet posted a scoring lap as of day one, with two days of racing left.

If you're curious about solar power generally, this kind of event mostly shows off engineering extremes rather than anything you'd install at home. It has no bearing on rebates, tax credits, or equipment choices for a house.