08.08.2025
Proud students
“For us, these were incredibly valuable days where we gathered lots of experience and got to know the car, Lumholtz, better. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much high-speed action. The reason was that the motor wouldn’t properly communicate with the rest of the electrical system. Towards the end of the day, we eventually managed to identify where we believe the issue lies, but we had to pack up for the day before we could fix it. Regardless, we were able to test all the mechanical systems in full operation, and we saw Lumholtz roll, steer, and brake for the very first time. All the mechanical systems were in a proven drivable state — a very proud moment for our team!” says Sivert Kverme (team leader of NTNU Nordlys).
Testing solar-powered race car on track
The students from Nordlys NTNU in Trondheim have, after two days of testing at Rudskogen, gained a lot of valuable experience. The solar-powered race car Lumholtz presented some challenges along the way, but overall the students are satisfied.
Overall very satisfied
Even though the car didn’t exactly race around the track, the students are happy with the progress. Sivert Kverme continues:
“For us, Rudskogen was a success — after all, the purpose of testing is to find the flaws in the car. Rudskogen Motorsportsenter deserves a huge thank-you, not only for letting us borrow a garage, track, and providing free lunch buffet for two days, but also for extending track time on Wednesday so we’d have a chance to drive if the electrical issues were resolved! We’ve been invited back to Rudskogen and are planning a new trip in September to continue testing the car, onboard new team members, and get even more familiar with the vehicle.”
The road ahead
At the unveiling of Lumholtz in May, the students announced their goal of driving from Lindesnes to Oslo with the car — making it the first time a solar-powered car would be driven on Norwegian roads.
“To get permission for this, we’ve had a good process with the Norwegian Motorsport Federation and the Norwegian Public Roads Administration, who gave positive signals early on. However, in June, the police decided to introduce stricter regulations for all events taking place in traffic. These restrictions affect several events, including some major cycling races — and unfortunately, also us. We’ve made several attempts, but the final decision we’ve received is that we are not allowed to drive Lumholtz on highways or county roads. It’s really unfortunate, but we see no other option than to cancel the stunt — for now.”
In conclusion, Sivert Kverme says they’re working on showcasing the car at Arendalsuka and in Oslo around August 12–13, to wrap up the summer and their first project in the best way possible.
Present at Rudskogen during the test driving was Tobias Hordvei from Team Freber. He was very pleased to be allowed in the car.
As a sponsor, Team Freber is incredibly proud of the journey we've had with Nordlys at NTNU so far and we wish them the very best for the future that lays ahead.
We are looking forward to see what the future brings!
Please read more, and follow the students here: