July 2026
Two-time national champions
The four-seater took 1st in the Cruiser Division at the 2026 Solar Car Challenge. Team member Victoria Lu also received the Order of the Solar Cell award.
Race recap 2025 & 2026 National Champions · Cruiser Division
Driving Innovation, On Sunshine.
We're TCHS HelioTech, Temple City High School's student-run solar car team. We design, build, and race solar-powered cars in the national Solar Car Challenge in Texas.
Countdown to Race Day 1 · Texas Motor Speedway
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2×National Champions
~40Student engineers & operators
10,000+K–12 students reached through outreach
3Seasons racing since 2023
July 2026 · 30th Solar Car Challenge
See results
Back-to-back national champions
Our four-seat Cruiser won first place in the Cruiser Division on the 631-mile cross-country route from Fort Worth to Fort Stockton, Texas, finishing with 1,241.2 points. That follows our 2025 Cruiser Division title, which makes HelioTech a two-time national champion in just three seasons.
What's New
Latest from the shop
2026–27 Season
Next up: an advanced single-seater
We're moving up to the Advanced Division with our most ambitious car yet: a carbon fiber monocoque chassis, custom suspension, and hub motors.
About the 2027 buildSeptember 2026
2026–27 tryouts underway
Applications have been reviewed and interviews for the Technical and Operations teams began September 22. Thank you to everyone who applied!
Joining HelioTechCome See Us
Upcoming events
Sat · Sep262026
Temple City Fall Festival
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM. Stop by the HelioTech booth to see a championship solar car up close, meet the team, and pick up HelioTech merch.
Sun · Jul182027
2027 Solar Car Challenge
Our debut in the Advanced Division. Four days of racing at Texas Motor Speedway, July 18–21, 2027, with scrutineering July 15–17. Full schedule on the Solar Car Challenge event calendar.
Our Mission
Students building a greener future, one car at a time
HelioTech was founded in 2023 to build a drivable solar-powered vehicle. Since then it has become one of the country's top high school solar car programs. Students handle every part of the work, from welding chassis and laying up carbon fiber to wiring battery packs and landing sponsors.
We receive no funding from our school district or city. Every car we build is paid for by sponsors, donors, and community partners who believe in hands-on STEM education and clean energy.
Thank You
Powered by our sponsors
Their support built two national championship cars.
Help us build the 2027 car
Moving up to the Advanced Division means carbon fiber, custom suspension, and hub motors. Sponsorships start at $500, are tax-deductible, and come with visibility on our car, trailer, apparel, and website.
About HelioTech
A student movement, powered by the sun
TCHS HelioTech is Temple City High School's student-led solar car program. We design, build, and race solar-powered vehicles, and we share what we learn with our community to inspire the next generation of engineers.
Our Values
Why we race
Awareness
Greenhouse gases are on the rise. Our solar-powered vehicles show there's a practical alternative to carbon-based fuels and point toward a cleaner, emission-free future.
Innovation
We pick up next-generation technical skills through hands-on work, teamwork, and critical thinking. Students engineer real systems against real race deadlines.
Outreach
At elementary schools, STEM nights, and community events, we've reached more than 10,000 students and shown them how engineering and renewable energy work.
Our Story
From a first car to back-to-back titles
2023
HelioTech is founded at Temple City High School with 29 students and one goal: build a drivable solar car. Our first car, "Bob," was named in honor of the late Bob Westgate ("Hawaiian Bob"), a beloved Dr. Doug Sears Learning Center principal.
2024
In our rookie season, we take 2nd place nationally in the Classic Division at Texas Motor Speedway with 293 laps (439.5 miles).
2025
We race two cars. "Lightning McQueen" wins the Cruiser Division national championship, and "The Roach" takes 2nd in the Classic Division with 445 laps (667.5 miles).
2026
Our new four-seat Cruiser wins the Cruiser Division on the 30th-anniversary cross-country route, making us two-time national champions.
2027
Next, we move up to the Advanced Division with a carbon fiber monocoque single-seater.
How We're Organized
Two teams, one car
HelioTech runs like a small engineering company. Every student belongs to a team with real responsibilities.
Technical Team
The engineers who build the car.
- Mechanical: chassis, suspension, steering, brakes, wheels, and welding
- Composites: molds, carbon fiber layups, cores, and body shell
- Electrical & Solar: battery, motor, wiring, MPPTs, solar array, and encapsulation
Operations Team
The crew that keeps the program running.
- Sponsorship & fundraising: sponsor outreach, grants, and giveback
- Media & outreach: social media, newsletters, events, and school visits
- Logistics & finance: registration, travel to Texas, budgeting, and invoices
Leadership
2026–27 Team Captains
Haley HanAnson Wen
Technical Leads
Charles LiJillian SiStanley Qiu
Operations Leads
Jonathan KongAddison Garner
Faculty Advisors
Mr. Vinson BellMr. Elias Bourjeili
"We are so proud of the HelioTech team. They are an impressive group of students and with the tremendous progress they've made, we fully expect them to dominate!"Dr. Art Cunha, Superintendent, Temple City Unified School District
"Being on the cutting edge of solar racing at the high school level… Plus, who doesn't love a solar car!"Kylie Bell, CalSol Solar Car Team member
The Fleet
Our cars
Every HelioTech car is designed, fabricated, wired, and driven by students. Here's the fleet so far, plus a look at what's next.
The 2027 Advanced Single-Seater
Our most ambitious build yet. For the 2027 season we're stepping up to the Solar Car Challenge's Advanced Division with an all-new single-seater featuring:
- A carbon fiber monocoque chassis
- Custom suspension designed by students
- Hub motors for an efficient drivetrain
Want your logo on it? Gold-tier sponsors and above get their name on the car.
Sponsor the build2026 Four-Seat Cruiser
Our second national championship car. This four-seat, four-door solar Cruiser has an integrated solar array and uses carbon fiber, peel ply, and resin donated by Sherfab. It won the 2026 Cruiser Division with 1,241.2 points on the cross-country route from Fort Worth to Fort Stockton. Its custom wrap was produced with Longo Toyota.
Length4.98 m
Width1.6 m
Height1.47 m
Weight (no driver)430 kg
Solar4 Renogy panels · 6.7 m² · 19.2%
BatteryCALB 130 Ah @ 76.8 V
Motor27.5 hp continuous / 70 hp peak
BrakesHydraulic front & rear
"Lightning McQueen"
Our first national championship car. We built it in our second season, and it won the 2025 Cruiser Division at Texas Motor Speedway with 979 points, setting a new division record.
Length4.85 m
Width1.72 m
Height1.47 m
Weight (no driver)~340 kg
Solar3 Hyperion Mono PERC · 5.88 m²
BatteryCALB 130 Ah @ 76.8 V
MotorQS Motor PMSM · 40.7 hp
BrakesHydraulic front & rear
"The Roach"
Our lightweight single-seat Classic racer. The Roach completed 445 laps (667.5 miles) at Texas Motor Speedway in 2025 and finished 2nd in the nation.
Length5.0 m
Width1.8 m
Height1.35 m
Weight (no driver)180 kg
Solar4 XPLOR 310 W flex · 6.49 m² · 19%
BatteryCustom Amorge 72.5 Ah @ 72 V
MotorQS 138 · 3 hp
BrakesHydraulic front & rear
"Bob"
Where it all started. Our first car is named in memory of Bob Westgate ("Hawaiian Bob"), the late principal of the Dr. Doug Sears Learning Center, and its lettering uses a Hawaiian-style font in his honor. Bob combined a carbon fiber shell, a lightweight aluminum-tube frame, and an Alumalite floor. In our rookie season in 2024, it completed 293 laps (439.5 miles) for 2nd place nationally.
Competition
Racing & results
We compete in the Solar Car Challenge, the nation's premier high school solar car race, held every July in Texas.
The Solar Car Challenge
Watch the Solar Car Challenge video on YouTube
Not just speed. Efficiency, durability, and smart engineering.
The Solar Car Challenge brings high school teams from across the country together to build and race solar-powered cars. The race rewards efficiency, aerodynamics, and durability. It alternates between a closed-track event at Texas Motor Speedway and a cross-country road race across Texas.
Before racing, every car goes through days of scrutineering, a rigorous safety and build inspection. Teams also give oral presentations and submit a scrapbook and video.
Official Results
Our record
| Year | Event | Car | Division | Result | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Cross-country · Fort Worth to Fort Stockton, TX | Four-Seat Cruiser | Cruiser | 1st · National Champion | 1,241.2 pts |
| 2025 | Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth, TX | Lightning McQueen | Cruiser | 1st · National Champion | 979 pts |
| 2025 | Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth, TX | The Roach | Classic | 2nd | 445 laps · 667.5 mi |
| 2024 | Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth, TX | Bob | Classic | 2nd | 293 laps · 439.5 mi |
Source: official Solar Car Challenge results for 2024, 2025, and 2026.
2026 Recap
The 30th Solar Car Challenge
For its 30th anniversary, the Solar Car Challenge went cross-country: 24 teams from 7 states raced a 631.7-mile route from Fort Worth to Fort Stockton, Texas.
HelioTech's four-seat Cruiser won the Cruiser Division with 1,241.2 points, ahead of RTC Solar (807.2) and the Oregon Solar Car Team (708.4). That result made us two-time national champions.
HelioTech's Victoria Lu received the Order of the Solar Cell, which honors "those extremely special people who believe in high school solar car racing, and the great students who make it happen."
Also from Temple City High School: our friends on Racer X² won the Electric-Solar Powered Division. It was a great year for Temple City!
Race Week
Moments from Texas
Our Sponsors
The people who power HelioTech
HelioTech is funded entirely by sponsors, donors, and community partners. We get no money from our district or city. Thank you for helping us become two-time national champions.
Your logo could be on our 2027 car
Sponsorship tiers start at $500. Every sponsorship lasts one season and is tax-deductible.
Support Us
Fuel the next national champion
Money, materials, and expertise all go straight into the car. Sponsoring HelioTech puts your brand behind the nation's leading high school solar car program and the engineers it's training.
Sponsorship Tiers
Choose your level
All sponsorships last one year and must be renewed to keep the benefits. Each tier includes everything in the tiers below it.
Bronze
$500+
- Tax deduction
- Monthly car updates
- Logo on website
- Newsletter feature
- Sponsor spotlight on social media
Silver
$1,000+
- Everything in Bronze
- Name on team trailer
- Logo on event banner
Gold
$3,000+
- Everything in Silver
- Name on car(s)
- Priority logo placement & sizing on car
- Logo on team shirts
- Invitations to team events & test days
Platinum
$5,000+
- Everything in Gold
- Dedicated section on our website
- Innovation Days: see prototypes & design reviews
Diamond
$10,000+
- Everything in Platinum
- Banner on website homepage
- Priority to events
- Media mentions in press releases & social
Title Sponsor
$30,000+
- Everything in Diamond
- Naming rights: e.g. “[Your Brand] HelioTech”
- Name the car
- Premium placement on all platforms
In-kind donations (materials, tools, services) are welcome and recognized. Many of our key parts came from partners like Sherfab and Coastal Enterprises.
Where It Goes
Building a car takes about $57K a season
Here's how our 2025–26 racing season budget broke down by subteam. It covers carbon fiber and molds, chassis and suspension, solar cells and MPPTs, batteries and motors, plus registration and travel to Texas.
Tax-deductible
Contributions are tax-deductible through Temple City Unified School District's 501(c)(3) nonprofit status. We can provide documentation on request.
Stay in the loop
Sponsors receive monthly progress reports on our newest build and are invited to visit the workshop to meet the students their support makes possible.
Other ways to help
Buy HelioTech apparel and merch at our events, donate materials or tools, or share professional expertise with our students.
Let's Talk
Sponsor inquiry
Tell us a bit about your organization and our Operations team will get back to you with next steps, a sponsorship agreement, and invoicing details.
Prefer email? Write to email us.
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Join HelioTech
Build a solar car. Race it in Texas.
HelioTech is open to Temple City High School students who want to engineer, create, and lead. You don't need experience, just drive and a willingness to learn.
2026–27 recruitment status: Applications for this season have closed and been reviewed. Interviews for selected applicants began Tuesday, September 22, 2026. If you missed this round, contact us or follow @tchs.helio.tech to hear about future openings.
Find Your Place
Two ways to be on the team
Technical Team
Get your hands dirty building the car.
- Mechanical: chassis design, welding, suspension, steering, brakes
- Composites: mold making, carbon fiber layups, body shell
- Electrical & Solar: battery systems, motor control, wiring, solar arrays
Operations Team
Run the business side of a national championship program.
- Sponsorship outreach & grant writing
- Social media, photography, video & newsletters
- Community outreach events & school visits
- Finance, logistics & race-week planning
How Tryouts Work
The selection process
1
Apply
Submit an application at the start of the school year (usually September). Tell us about your interests and why you want to join.
2
Interview
Selected applicants sign up for a short interview with the Technical team, the Operations team, or both if you're interested in each.
3
Build
New members join a subteam and start working on real parts of the car alongside experienced members.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Do I need experience to join?
No. Most members learn welding, composites, wiring, and CAD on the team. We look for curiosity, commitment, and teamwork.
When does the team meet?
The team builds in the TCHS workshop mostly on weekends, with extra sessions as the July race gets closer. Expect a real weekly commitment. Our members put in serious hours during peak build season.
Where is the race?
The Solar Car Challenge is held every July in the Dallas–Fort Worth area of Texas. Some years it's at Texas Motor Speedway, and other years it's a cross-country road race.
Does it cost money to join?
HelioTech is funded by sponsors and donors, not the district. Contact us about any costs for apparel or race-week travel for the current season.
I'm not a student. How can I get involved?
Sponsor the team, donate materials, mentor students in your field, buy our merch, or come see the car at a community event. Learn how to support us.
Media & News
HelioTech in the news
We've been featured by NBC, ABC, the Los Angeles County Office of Education, a national U.S. Army × NBCUniversal campaign, and many more.
2026
Championship coverage
Sherfab-Backed Solar Car Team Takes Home Its Second National ChampionshipSherfab · September 1, 2026
TCHS HelioTech Solar Car Team WinsVeregy · August 28, 2026
2026 Solar Car Challenge Official ResultsSolar Car Challenge Foundation
2025
First national title
Racing Under the Sun: How HelioTech Broke RecordsZERO BREEZE · August 2025
Lights, Camera, STEM-action! U.S. Army × NBCU Local commercialTemple City Unified School District · June 25, 2025
2025 Solar Car Challenge Official ResultsSolar Car Challenge Foundation
2024
Rookie season
Solar power: HelioTech races into the future, wins silverThe Rampage (TCHS) · September 11, 2024
Southern California teens compete in solar-powered car raceNBC4 Los Angeles · 2024
Temple City High School Students Participating in Solar Car ChallengeLA County Office of Education · April 17, 2024
Temple City Life, May 2024Temple City Chamber of Commerce
World Journal feature (世界日報)World Journal · 2024
HelioTech on Instagram: race reel@tchs.helio.tech
Watch
Watch: an introduction to the Solar Car Challenge
About the race
As Seen On
Newsletter Archive
2023–24 Newsletters
A look back at our founding season, issue by issue.
Press Inquiries
Want to feature HelioTech?
Email email us for interviews, photos, or a visit to the workshop.
Contact
Get in touch
Sponsorship, media, outreach visits, or just a question about solar cars: we'd love to hear from you.
Phone
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