ANTWERP, Belgium, May 9, 2025 -- Global solar technology leader LONGi officially announced a strategic partnership with Belgium's Innoptus Solar Team at the unveiling ceremony held in Belgium on May 5,2025. Together, the two parties unveiled their new-generation high-performance solar racing car"Infinite Apollo" featuring breakthrough back-contact (BC) cell technology and flexible photovoltaic solutions, which has attracted widespread attention. With extreme efficiency and reliability, this cutting-edge solar vehicle will compete in the prestigious Bridgestone World Solar Challenge (BWSC) in August this year to challenge for victory. This collaboration marks the first time the two parties have jointly explored new frontiers in cutting-edge photovoltaic technology applications.
"Dual-Champion" Boosts "Solar + Racing" Cross-Border Innovation
Innoptus Solar Team is known as the"king of solar car racing". Since its establishment in 2002, the team has won numerous international titles, including the BWSC World Championship. Its racing car design is famous for "maximizing energy efficiency" and achieved an impressive range of 780 kilometers on the first day of the 2023 BWSC race. Therefore, Innoptus Solar Team represents the cutting edge of solar PV technology in the field of transportation applications.
LONGi, as a global leading solar technology company, has always been at the forefront of technology innovation. Its multiple key technological innovations have led the development of the industry and have become a benchmark for technological innovation in this sector. Over the past years, LONGi has continuously set new world records for the efficiency of mono-crystalline silicon solar cells and crystalline silicon-perovskite tandem solar cells, becoming the "dual-champion" in the two mainstream tracks of technology. It is also the holder of the world record for the efficiency of crystalline silicon solar modules. In the new wave of solar cell technology iteration, LONGi has persisted in innovation, driving continuous improvement in efficiency and leading the industrial development of BC technology.
As the exclusive designated solar partner for Innoptus Solar Team's 2025 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge (BWSC), LONGi will provide comprehensive support to empower their 11th-generation solar race car. Through delivering high-efficiency BC cell technology and co-created vehicle-integrated photovoltaic (VIPV) flexible solutions, LONGi will assist the team in significantly enhancing core performance metrics including power generation efficiency and product reliability for their solar vehicle, even under the extreme conditions of the race.
"Solar-powered racing cars are the ultimate test for PV technology," said Wout Rubbrecht, the team leader of Innoptus Solar Team. "Racing cars need to maintain efficient power generation under conditions of high-intensity vibration, extreme temperature differences, and curved body shapes. This poses almost stringent requirements for cell efficiency and reliability. LONGi not only has the highest cell conversion efficiency in the industry, but also its stronger reliability and flexible solution guarantee capabilities have given us the possibility of breaking through the limits."
Advanced BC Technology Empowers Innoptus Solar Team the Efficient and Reliable Energy
The Bridgestone World Solar Challenge (BWSC), which began in 1987 and is held biennially, is the most prestigious and longest-standing solar car race globally. Participating teams are required to drive their 100% solar-powered cars from Darwin in the northernmost part of Australia to Adelaide in the southernmost part within six days, covering a total distance of over 3,000 kilometers. The extreme weather, complex road conditions, and uncertainties along the route pose stringent demands on the efficiency and reliability of the solar cells used in cars.
To address these challenges, LONGi has partnered with Innoptus Solar Team for in-depth technological collaboration, adopting the BC cell technology, which currently has the highest mass production efficiency in the crystalline silicon sector. LONGi's BC cells with zero metal contact design seamlessly integrate with the appearance of solar racing cars. Their peak efficiency, superior low-light response, ultra-high power generation capability, and enhanced reliability not only comprehensively improve the efficiency of on-board solar modules but also ensure stable and efficient power output even during high-speed operation and extreme temperature differences. In addition, the flexible packaging process enabled by LONGi's TaiRay silicon wafers achieves optimal application on curved car body surfaces, complementing the aerodynamic design of the racing cars and providing continuous and robust green power for Innoptus Solar Team's "arduous journey" at the BWSC.
"Innoptus Solar Team is a highly passionate, challenge-embracing, and goal-oriented group. LONGi's BC technology is inherently designed to break boundaries, and we firmly believe that our cooperation will bring stronger clean energy propulsion to solar racing cars," said Zhang Haimeng, Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer of LONGi. "LONGi is committed to empowering every driver, innovator, and explorer with the power of technological innovation. We aim to let the surging solar energy drive every journey."
"Innovation is the soul of LONGi," said Li Zhenguo, Founder and President of LONGi. "We respect every innovation and have the courage to keep challenging ourselves. In the past, we have been dedicated to reaching the pinnacle in the photovoltaic field, pursuing excellence in improving efficiency and reducing the cost per kilowatt-hour. Looking to the future, we hope to further extend our innovative capabilities to explore more possibilities of 'PV +'and truly bring solar energy into the lives of every individual."
About LONGi
Founded in 2000, LONGi is committed to being the world's leading solar technology company, focusing on customer-driven value creation for full scenario energy transformation.
Under its mission of 'making the best of solar energy to build a green world', LONGi has dedicated itself to technology innovation and established five business sectors, covering mono silicon wafers cells and modules, commercial & industrial distributed solar solutions, green energy solutions and hydrogen equipment. The company has honed its capabilities to provide green energy and has more recently, also embraced green hydrogen products and solutions to support global zero carbon development. www.longi.com/
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