Automotive manufacturer Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa is the sponsor of the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) SunChaser IV team, which will participate in the 2026 Sasol Solar Challenge.

Ford’s high-technology engineers worked directly with the TUT team as industrial mentors, and shared hands-on vehicle-building expertise that includes daily preparations, tooling and mechanical advice, and mentorship in high-pressure, high-quality environments.

On September 10, the TUT student-built solar car will depart from Sasolburg, beginning an eight-day public road challenge to Cape Town, travelling through the Western Cape and along the West Coast.

Predominantly designed and built by TUT students, with input and support from university staff and industry experts, the solar car will have to prove itself beyond the workshop and on the open road, Ford says.

Ford's sponsorship is a direct investment in skills that matter for the future of the industry, says Ford Manufacturing Operations VP Ockert Berry.

“The automotive industry is adapting to the growing need for more sustainable forms of mobility, and there is an increasing shift to new energy vehicle technologies. South Africa needs future-ready engineering and technical skills to play an active role in the future of mobility and protect its future industrial capability by investing in talent development.”

Grit and determination will be vital for getting the team over the line. Ford provided industrial mentorship to the team, he says.

The technology used to build the solar is relevant; lightweight composite construction, advanced battery management, and solar auxiliary integration are all vital for cars like the SunChaser and are already showing up on production vehicles, says Berry.

“Having worked on previous SunChaser models, I believe this group of students has produced something all South Africans can be proud of,” says TUT solar car team manager Johannes de Vries.

“Their determination and resourcefulness have been evident through every step of the journey, and it's a reminder of what young talent can achieve when we invest in it,” he says.

Further, TUT's SunChaser vehicles have a strong record, with previous models having picked up awards on the international stage.

Designing and assembling the 2026 car pushed the team to achieve similarly high standards. The build process also demands the same qualities Ford demands of its own engineers, including technical skill, resourcefulness, and the ability to solve problems under pressure, says Berry.

This ninth edition, since 2008, of the biennial Sasol Solar Challenge pits teams from South Africa, Switzerland and India against each other.

However, the winner isn't the fastest car; it's the one that covers the most kilometres over eight days, which tests design, manufacturing and strategy in equal measure.

“The advances made on solar cars could translate into the vehicles of tomorrow. Some production vehicles feature auxiliary solar integration, ultra-efficient lightweight composite framing and advanced battery management systems, which are technologies that have often been tested and refined in solar racing cars, like this one,” says Berry.

For the challenge, Ford will provide Ford Ranger plug-in hybrid electric vehicles as chase and support vehicles that will travel with the TUT team throughout the challenge.

Further, Ford’s high-technology technical team will travel with the team to provide on-the-ground mentorship and skills transfer to students as they grapple with everyday realities of the challenge and the conditions they experience.

The carmaker will also provide logistics support and transport to enable mobility from end-to-end and its full support team.