Top Dutch Solar Racing

Top Dutch Solar Racing (TDSR) is a student solar racing team from Groningen, the Netherlands. It was founded in February 2017 and participated two times in the challenger class of the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge (BWSC) for the first time in 2019. In 2021 Top Dutch Solar Racing built its second solar car and competed in the Moroccan Solar Challenge. In 2023, Top Dutch Solar Racing participated in the BWSC again with Green Thunder, the third solar car.

In contrast to other Dutch teams Vattenfall Solar Team, Solar Team Twente and Solar Team Eindhoven, Top Dutch Solar Racing is not affiliated with a particular (technical) university, but consists of students from different levels of education. Most team members study at the University of Groningen, Hanze University of Applied Sciences or Noorderpoort Groningen. Next to including different levels of education, Top Dutch Solar Racing also welcomes international students, making it a true multidisciplinary and multicultural team.

History
Top Dutch Solar Racing was founded in 2017 by Jeroen Brattinga, Frank Pot, Eldert Zeinstra and Vincent Taselaar who were all students at Hanze University of Applied Sciences at the time. Their goal was to contribute to sustainable innovations and technology by building a solar car. Within two years, the first generation of the team, consisting of 26 students, built the solar car Green Lightning.

In June 2020, Top Dutch Solar Racing started with a complete new team full of students. The goal was to participate again in the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the challenge was canceled in February 2021. In May 2021, the team announced its participation in the Moroccan Solar Challenge that was held in October 2021.

In June 2022, Top Dutch Solar Racing started the adventure of building a solar car and participating in the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge with its third team, with students from the University of Groningen, Hanze University of Applied Sciences, Alfa College and HAN University of Applied Sciences. The solar car was finished on time to compete in the 2023 edition of the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge.

Bambi
In April, 2018, the demonstration car 'Bambi' was presented to the King Willem-Alexander on Kingsday in Groningen. The demonstration car was used to show the capabilities of the team and test innovation, which have later been implemented in the first solar car Green Lightning. One of these innovations, was the steering mechanism in which wires were used to steer the wheels.

Green Lightning
Designed and built for the 2019 edition of the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge. The aerodynamic shape of Green Lightning was special for its time, as it was one of the first solar cars with a 'monohull', or 'bullet', shape. Next to the original shape, Green Lightning had more innovations, like the four wheel steering system and the composite leaf springs. By using the four wheel steering system, the solar car was able to drive at an angle, which reduced the aerodynamic drag. The composite leaf springs contributed to the stability of the vehicle and made the vehicle lighter. The total weight Green Lightning without a driver was 144.5 kilograms.

Green Spirit
Designed and built for the 2021 edition of the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge. However, after the cancellation of this event due Covid-19, the solar car participation in the 2021 Morocco Solar Race Challenge. Here Green Spirit managed to secure pole position. After an exciting race through the Atlas Mountains Green Spirit finished 4th. Green Spirit build on the legacy of Green Lightning with innovations like two coreless radial flux motors, a unique fully composite leaf spring suspension and a custom LiFePO4 battery. Due to different design decisions Green Spirit was with 200 kilograms heavier than its predecessor.

Green Thunder
Designed and built for the 2023 edition of the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge. Green Thunder had already been through a lot before ending up at the start line as 4th. During one test moments on the open road near Coober Pedy, the solar deck blew off the car, leaving some solar modules damaged. Unless this setback, the team was not beaten yet and determined to go for the maximum result. For Green Thunder the maximum result was 6th place in the 2023 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge. Green Thunder had some special innovations under its belt. The tandem perovskite solar cells were one of them, these cells are an alternative to the traditional silicon-based solar cells. Other innovations were made for example on the rear suspension, which was mounted on the unusual side of the wheels. Green Thunder qualifyed in 4th place on the Hidden Valley Raceway track. After an exciting race through bushfires and strong crosswinds Green Thunder finished the 2023 BWSC in 6th position.

Achievements
On October 13, 2019, Top Dutch Solar Racing started in the pole position of the 15th Bridgestone World Solar Challenge in Darwin, Australia. Five days later, on October 18, 2019, Green Lightning reached Adelaide and finished 4th after Bluepoint of Agoria Solar Team, Tokai Challenger of Tokai University Solar Car Team and Electrum of University of Michigan Solar Car Team. Due to technical issues and accidents of Solar Team Twente and Vattenfall Solar Team, Top Dutch Solar Racing was the best Dutch team participating in the challenger class during the BWSC 2019. The team also received the Excellence in Engineering Award as recognition for its good performance considering the lack of experience of the team.

Between September 21 and September 23, 2020, Top Dutch Solar Racing participated in the iLumen European Solar Challenge in Heusden-Zolder, Belgium. Besides winning the dynamic parcours challenge, the team won third place at the 24-hour race with 302 completed laps and set a track record of 2:42:767. This was done TDSR's first solar car; Green Lightning.

On October 22, 2023, Top Dutch Solar Racing started in fourth position on the 16th Bridgestone World Solar Challenge in Darwin, Australia. Six days later, on October 27, 2023, Green Thunder reached Adelaide and finished 6th. Next to this, the team received the Safety Award as the jury was impressed by the safe working methods. Especially the way the team carried out their roadside repairs received praise from the jury.