ETH Zurich Students And Gebrüder Weiss Complete World Solar Challenge 2025 In Australia

(MENAFN- Robotics & Automation News) ETH Zurich students and Gebrüder Weiss take part in World Solar Challenge 2025

September 2, 2025 by Mai Tao

The aCentauri Solar Racing Team completes the 3,000-kilometer race across Australia under challenging conditions / Logistics partner Gebrüder Weiss ensures smooth operations off the track

ETH Zurich 's aCentauri Solar Racing Team finished the World Solar Challenge in Australia in 11th place out of a total of 28 teams in the“Challenger” class.

The students covered the approximately 3,000-kilometre route from Darwin to Adelaide in six days, facing consistently challenging weather and road conditions during the Australian winter. Once again, Gebrüder Weiss served as the team's official logistics partner.

Tracy van Arend, branch manager at Gebrüder Weiss Adelaide, says:“Placing 11th shows how well the team handled the challenges of this year's race – a great achievement.”

She welcomed the ETH team at the finish line together with Sharon Young, customer service and process manager at Gebrüder Weiss Australia.

Young says:“It was exciting to follow the race and cheer for the team. While we as the logistics partner don't directly influence the competition itself, we make sure that the vehicle arrives in Australia on time, giving the students sufficient opportunity to train and prepare.

“We were able to deliver that again this year.”

Following the race, Gebrüder Weiss will also handle the return transport of the solar car and its equipment back to Europe.

The customized logistics solution includes sea freight, comprehensive customs clearance, and final delivery of the solar vehicle by truck to Technopark Zurich.

Challenging conditions in the Australian Winter

For the first time, the race was held during the Australian winter. The students had to adapt to cooler temperatures and different light conditions. This required an adjusted race strategy, particularly with respect to energy management and daily planning.

On the third day of the race, the team also faced a technical issue: the cruise control failed, and a gust of wind tore off part of the left wheel cover. Both problems were quickly repaired, and the vehicle was back on the road shortly afterward.

Clara Nörenberg, team manager at aCentauri, says:“This year's circumstances pushed us but also showed how resilient our team and vehicle are.

“We modified our strategy and proved that solar mobility can perform reliably even under difficult circumstances.”

Looking ahead, the aCentauri Solar Racing Team is already preparing for the next World Solar Challenge in two years. Their goal: to return with an optimized vehicle and secure a spot among the top 10.

Further background on this and other Gebrüder Weiss projects related to the“Future of Mobility” can be found at: , or via the logistics company's social media channels.

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