XI'AN, China, Aug. 21, 2026 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/--
The 2026 Elektrek American Solar Challenge (ASC) has recently concluded. Following an 8-day grueling cross-continental race across the United States, Belgium's Innoptus Solar Team and the Netherlands' Delft Solar Team - both equipped with LONGi's Back Contact (BC) technology - stood out amid global competitors and secured the championship and runner-up spots, respectively.
As one of the world's most prestigious and influential competitions for solar-powered vehicles, the ASC features an ultra-long race route, complex road conditions and volatile weather. It serves as an ultimate comprehensive test of a solar car's energy system, aerodynamic design and team race strategy.
The Innoptus Solar Team covered a total distance of 4,298.9 kilometers to take home the championship, marking the first time a European team has ever won the ASC title. No European squad had claimed the top prize since the competition's inception, making this achievement a historic milestone. The Delft Solar Team finished second with a total driving distance of 4,080.5 kilometers.
Both teams relied on LONGi BC technology products as their vehicles' core power supply. Under rigorous real-race conditions, the modules delivered steady power output and outstanding conversion efficiency. Their versatile, high-performance design enabled consistent energy supply throughout the entire endurance race.
LONGi's engagement in solar vehicle racing has grown from single-event sprint races to long-distance endurance contests, and from supporting one team to backing two top European squads simultaneously. Its BC technology has become the trusted choice for elite teams tackling extreme racing conditions.
LONGi's cooperation with solar racing teams centers on joint technological innovation rather than financial sponsorship.
Only 6 square meters of solar cells can be exposed on a race car's roof, and the entire photovoltaic system must deliver ultra-high conversion efficiency while remaining lightweight, flexibly adaptable and reliably durable over thousands of kilometers - performance benchmarks far exceeding standard civilian PV applications. The customized flexible modules adopted by the Belgian team and high-efficiency cell solution used by the Dutch team represent differentiated offerings from LONGi BC technology, tailored to distinct technical architectures and vehicle designs.
The unanimous selection of LONGi by these two world-class teams stands as rigorous real-world validation of LONGi BC technology's strengths in conversion efficiency, product stability and multi-scenario adaptability.
