Join Us
Our Fall 2026 Recruitment Cycle is now OPEN! Check out this page and click on the button below to see the steps to join the team!
Be part of the next generation of engineers.
Solar Car Team at UVA is an Experiential Learning Program which gives students first-hand experience outside the classroom. Students learn how to build a solar car while gaining skills needed for project development and beyond university.
Consider joining us and be a part of our community that challenges ourselves, thinks outside the box, and grows with each other while doing the thing that we love: building solar cars. We have no dues, we accept all majors, and we accept all levels of experience.
Meet:
Rivanna 3
Built in 2025, Rivanna 3 is the third iteration of our flagship solar car. Our new solar car has a new codebase, new suspension, new efficient battery pack, and weighs 30% than our last solar car, Rivanna 2. In the Fall 2025 semester, we designed new subsystems to be implemented onto Rivanna 3. For the 2026-2027 academic year, we aim to continue improving Rivanna 3 while we start development of our next-generation solar car.
Fall 2026 Promotional Video
Our Goals
1.
Continue Improving and Testing Rivanna 3
We are constantly making Rivanna 3 more reliable and efficient. We will continue bringing Rivanna 3 out to test its range, speed, and comfortability.
2.
Start Development of our Next-Generation Solar Car
While we work on Rivanna 3, we will start development of our newest flagship solar car. We will be undergoing the engineering process to brainstorm, design, and raise funds to build a competitive and highly efficient solar car that will first race in the coming years.
3.
Go to the Formula Sun Grand Prix
The Formula Sun Grand Prix (FSGP) is a week-long track competition over the summer where over 40 collegiate race solar-powered vehicles on the track competing to complete the most laps. The challenge tests not only engineering and energy efficiency but also strategy, teamwork, and endurance. We aim to bring Rivanna 3 to FSGP and win big.
What to Expect
Attend Our Sunday Meetings
Once you have officially joined the team, we have weekly meetings every Sunday we expect you to attend for about three hours. We operate out of the Observatory Mountain Engineering Research Facility (OMERF), or the Reactor as we affectionally call it (because the facility is a decommissioned nuclear reactor).
Outside of Sunday meetings, we expect you to attend your subteam midweek meetings and do work outside of these meetings.
Learn While Doing
From idea to final product while creating documentation, we will teach it all to you. You will be working on projects directly affecting Rivanna 3. We will give you all the resources and knowledge you need in order to be successful in your role on the team. As long as you are active, engaged, and comfortable trying new things, you will be a perfect fit for the team. If you spend the time with us to learn and ask questions, you will come to love the work that we all share of building Rivanna 3.
Work On One Subteam
Before you join the team, you will have the choice to pick and be placed in a subteam. While you will be mainly working closely with those in your subteam, you will be also collaborating and communicating with other subteams in order to integrate projects on Rivanna 3.
Be Part Of Our Community
Though we are mainly a student-led engineering group, we provide a community to many. Solar Car is a network of more than 80 people! You will make friends with like-minded people from all walks of life. We are people where you can say hi to around Grounds, have conversations with, and ask advice to. We want to support you throughout your time at UVA, and we can all help one another, learn together, laugh together, and grow together.
Have a Question?
Fill out the form and we’ll email you back an answer!
What Team is the Best Fit for You?
Mechanical
Aerobody & Composites
The Aerobody & Composites sub-team oversees advanced modeling of the car’s composite aeroshell while also performing Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and manufacturing.
Chassis
The chassis sub-team designs and manufactures the main structural frame of the car and uses Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to optimize size and weight. The sub-team also oversees driver operations.
Brakes & Steering
The Brakes & Steering sub-team design, fabricate, and test the vehicle’s handling systems, including several braking systems, steering, and the connections to the chassis and suspension.
Suspension
The Suspension sub-team oversees the dynamic systems of the solar car. The sub-team utilizes Computer Aided Design (CAD) to create complex assemblies and maximizes the performance of the solar car.
Electrical
Power & Solar
The Power sub-team designs, fabricates, and tests the battery pack that powers the car. The Solar sub-team designs, manages, and implements the solar array for the car.
Hardware Integration
The Hardware Integration sub-team plans, designs, builds, and refines the PCBs, wiring, and external hardware of the car’s electrical systems.
Software
Telemetry
The Telemetry sub-team designs and writes software that collects, transmits, and displays real-time vehicle data.
Embedded
The Embedded sub-team designs, creates, and tests the software that controls the car.
Operations
Sponsorship
The sponsorships sub-team is responsible for grant writing, finances, coordinating logistics, and sponsorship outreach to secure funding and resources.
Marketing
The Marketing sub-team focuses on creating newsletters to mass send, social media posts, promotions, social events, and Charlottesville outreach.
“A lot of drilling, unscrewing, sanding, scraping, cutting, painting and gluing. But most importantly, a lot of great people.”
— Mark Piatko, Mechanical Director, UVA ‘26
Interested in Joining?
Fill Out the Interest Form
Thank you for your interest in Solar Car! The first step to join the team is to complete the interest form below. This will sign you up for all future emails and text for the duration of the recruitment cycle.
Go to Our Interest Meetings
If you’re interested in joining the team, please attend one of our interest meetings. Learn more about the subteams we have, our experiences, and ask lots of questions!
Interest Meetings
WEDNESDAY
August 26
5 PM - 6 PM
MEC 205
TUESDAY
September 1
5 PM - 6 PM
🚨NEW LOCATION🚨
MEC 339
Complete the Application
We have released our application for the fall semester! Please take your time; the application should take approximately 25 minutes or less. Complete this application by Thursday, September 3 before 11:59pm.We recommend that you attend one of our interest meetings before completing your application.