High school students from across the United States will bring their solar-powered vehicles to Fort Stockton on Thursday, marking the final day of the 2026 Solar Car Challenge and giving the public a chance to see the innovative cars up close.
The community is invited to visit the Fort Stockton Convention Center from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, where teams will display the solar cars they designed and built before wrapping up the five-day competition.
Now celebrating its 30th year, the Solar Car Challenge is one of the nation’s premier STEM competitions. Founded in 1993, the program encourages students to pursue science, engineering and renewable energy by designing, fundraising for, building and racing roadworthy solar-powered vehicles.
This year’s 631.7-mile Cross-Texas Adventure began at Texas Motor Speedway and traveled through Palestine, Round Rock, Fredericksburg, San Angelo and Fort Stockton. Rather than racing head-to-head, teams compete to drive the greatest distance while managing battery power, weather, terrain and mechanical reliability.
The 2026 challenge features 24 teams from seven states, including 10 from Texas. Organizers say the broader Solar Car Challenge program now includes 261 high school solar car projects in 39 states, as well as programs in Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, the Bahamas, Spain, Singapore and China.
Founded by educator Dr. Lehman Marks, the competition emphasizes teamwork and problem-solving alongside engineering.
“It’s the brain sport,” Marks said. “It’s not just about building the car, but how to drive that car, solve the inevitable problems that happen with the car, and keep your team intact through five grueling days of racing.”
The event is presented by title sponsors Oncor, Lockheed Martin, Dell Technologies, Enel North America, The Caraway Family Foundation, The Muscato Family Fund and the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science at UT Dallas.
Residents and visitors are encouraged to stop by Thursday afternoon to meet the student teams, learn about solar technology and see the unique solar-powered vehicles as they complete their cross-Texas journey.
