Students to race model cars powered by the sun
SMUD hosts 18th annual Solar Car Race at Sacramento State University
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Over 200 students will race model solar-powered cars they’ve designed and built themselves for SMUD’s annual Solar Car Races at Sacramento State. Teams will use solar panels, motors and gear sets, to build a unique car — but it’s up to the teams to be creative and innovative and build the fastest car possible.
What: SMUD’s 18th annual Solar Car Race
High school teams to race solar-powered cars they designed.
When: Thursday, April 24, 2025
9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
(Races begin at approximately 10 a.m.)
Where: Sacramento State University
6000 J Street, Sacramento, CA 95819
Races to take place outside Riverside Hall
(Parking available at CSUS Lots 2, 3 and 7)
Who: High school students, SMUD Board President Gregg Fishman
Teams will compete for awards in several categories including race time, sustainability, innovation, creativity and more. More information about the event is available at smud.org/solar-car-race.
SMUD is committed to helping local educators bring STEM concepts (science, technology, engineering and math) to the classroom, especially as SMUD aims to decarbonize the region’s power supply by 2030. The Solar Car Race gives teachers an opportunity to demonstrate a real-world technology design process and brings students together in a fun, entertaining way. The Solar Car Race has become increasingly popular as STEM education has gained momentum locally and become a larger part of many schools’ curriculums.
The Solar Car Race is just one of several community events and programs that SMUD sponsors or organizes to support STEM education. A regional favorite, the California Solar Regatta at Rancho Seco Recreational Area, will be held on May 2 and 3. For more information about the Solar Regatta, visit smud.org/solar-regatta.
In 2024, local student teams demonstrated their STEM skills in cars they designed and built for SMUD’s Solar Car Race. Photo: SMUD
About SMUD
As the nation’s sixth-largest, community-owned, not-for-profit electric service provider, SMUD has been providing low-cost, reliable electricity to Sacramento County for more than 75 years. SMUD is a recognized industry leader and award winner for its innovative energy efficiency programs, renewable power technologies and for its sustainable solutions for a healthier environment. In 2023, SMUD’s power supply was, on average, 78 percent carbon free, and SMUD has a goal to reach zero carbon in its electricity production by 2030. SMUD’s rates and customer bills are consistently among the lowest in California, and are today, on average, more than 50 percent lower than its neighboring investor-owned utility.