Covestro backs solar car racing, supporting future sustainable mobility
Covestro CTO Thorsten Dreier bids farewell to Team Sonnenwagen in Leverkusen, Germany, as they head to Australia for the World Solar Challenge 2023 with "Covestro Adelie." The team will return to the world's toughest solar car race next year.
Team Sonnenwagen, a group of university students from Aachen, Germany, made waves this September at the iLumen European Solar Challenge by securing two of the top three spots with their solar-powered racing cars — Covestro Photon and Covestro Adelie.
The iLumen European Solar Challenge, a biennial 24-hour endurance race in Zolder, Belgium, is a high-stakes event that challenges teams to optimize every aspect of their solar cars — from aerodynamics to power consumption.
Sonnenwagen's exciting achievement is a testament to not only the team's ingenuity but also the critical support from Covestro, one of the world's leading polymer makers.
And its role extends beyond sponsorship. The company plays a crucial part in the design and construction of solar cars, providing high-performance materials that enhance everything from battery packs and seats to solar panels and headlights.
"Their passion for alternative drives, lightweight construction, and the highest possible efficiency is inspiring for me," said Sucheta Govil, chief commercial officer of Covestro.
"They are already showing today how the sustainable automobility of the future will be possible. For us at Covestro, it is a matter of course to support this team and its mission: I am all the more proud that they are also relying on high-performance materials from Covestro."
Team Sonnenwagen's "Covestro Photon" and "Covestro Adelie" finish second and third at the iLumen European Solar Challenge 2024. Covestro says it shares the students' passion for these highly efficient cars, showcasing innovative technologies and materials as symbols of future mobility.
Covestro's support for Team Sonnenwagen is part of a broader commitment to advancing sustainable mobility.
As the automotive industry undergoes a profound transformation — driven by electrification, autonomous driving, and the shift towards a circular economy — Covestro sits at the forefront of its changes.
In particular, China, the world's largest automotive market and a leader in electric vehicles (EVs), is a focal point for the company.
One notable example of this commitment is Covestro's partnership with Li Auto, a leading Chinese EV manufacturer. They jointly established a "Joint Innovation Platform" to explore alternative feedstocks, including bio-waste and recycled materials, for the production of more sustainable engineering plastics for automotive components.
This collaboration also focuses on developing high-performance solutions for future-oriented applications, including optical-grade materials and smart surface technologies.
Covestro and Li Auto signed an agreement in September to develop cutting-edge material solutions for future-oriented applications while enhancing circularity and reducing carbon emissions across the automotive value chain.
Another collaboration sees Covestro working with Liyang Shanhu, a Chinese supplier of automotive parts, to develop lightweight, high-performance polyurethane-based battery covers for EVs.
This development not only reduces the weight of vehicles but also enhances production efficiency, meeting the increasing demand for sustainable materials in the automotive industry.
Additionally, photovoltaic modules frequently use polyurethane composites from Covestro to improve efficiency and quality.
Covestro's commitment to future mobility also extends to the area of automotive plastics recycling.
With the growing number of end-of-life vehicles, particularly in China, where around 7 million vehicles are expected to be scrapped in 2024, the need for recycling automotive plastics is becoming increasingly urgent.
Covestro is addressing this challenge through its enhanced collaboration with Ausell, a Chinese plastics recycling specialist.
This partnership aims to accelerate the recycling of plastics from end-of-life vehicles, transforming waste into value materials for new automotive components and contributing to the circularity of the automotive industry.
Moreover, Covestro has launched a pilot project with the German federal enterprise GIZ, Volkswagen, Chinese EV manufacturer Nio, and recycler GEM, among others, to create circular pathways for high-value plastics sourced from end-of-life vehicles.
This initiative aligns with the global push to reduce carbon emissions and adhere to stricter environmental regulations.
"In China, the era of new-energy vehicles has arrived. Materials are indispensable to advancing electric and intelligent vehicles. We hope to collaborate with more partners to provide innovative and sustainable material solutions, enabling a sustainable transformation for the automotive industry," said Holly Lei, president of Covestro China, noting how the company's efforts contribute to China's dual-carbon goals.
As Team Sonnenwagen celebrates its recent success, the focus is already shifting to the future. The team is working on a new, cutting-edge solar car in preparation for the World Solar Challenge 2025, an ambitious 3,000-kilometer race across the Australian outback.
This biennial event will be another platform for Team Sonnenwagen to demonstrate its strength in design, construction and innovation, with Covestro continuing to provide the best available material support.
Through partnerships like these, Covestro is helping to pave the way for a more sustainable, electrified future.
Whether through supporting student teams like Sonnenwagen or collaborating with industry giants on next-generation materials, the company's commitment to innovation and sustainability is setting the stage for the next chapter in automotive history.
