CUT

About Team

The Central University of Technology (CUT) Solar Car Team, known as Seilatsatsi, is a student-driven engineering initiative based in Bloemfontein, South Africa. Established in 2018 and operating within the university’s Sustainable Energy Cluster, the team unites mechanical, electrical, and computer engineering students who manage the full life cycle of a solar-powered Cruiser-class vehicle, from concept and design through to fabrication, testing, and competition. Competing in the Cruiser category of the Sasol Solar Challenge, Seilatsatsi is driven by a mission to showcase sustainable mobility and to inspire a new generation of African engineers. Its work extends well beyond the racing route, with community outreach and rural school robotics workshops that earned the team recognition for community engagement in both 2018 and 2022. The team’s vision is to pioneer green-mobility innovation in Africa and to position CUT as a leading hub for renewable energy engineering.

About Vehicle

Kganyapa is the CUT Solar Car Team’s Cruiser-class solar electric vehicle, engineered to balance endurance, efficiency, and practicality across the demanding route of the Sasol Solar Challenge. Designed and built in-house by CUT students, the vehicle combines a solar array, an onboard battery system, and custom power-management electronics to convert sunlight into reliable, sustainable mobility. Its systems include real-time energy monitoring, current and voltage sensing, battery management for safe operation, and a solar cruise-control dashboard that helps the driver optimise energy use over long distances. As a Cruiser entry, Kganyapa is designed to carry occupants while proving that clean, locally engineered transport can perform in real-world South African conditions. The vehicle reflects the team’s commitment to innovation, sustainability, and homegrown engineering excellence.

Why We Race

We race to push the absolute boundaries of green mobility while proving that sustainable tech can thrive in the most grueling real-world environments. For our team, taking on the 2,500 km endurance challenge from Johannesburg to Cape Town is more than an engineering test, it is a live laboratory for the future of clean energy. By designing and racing these vehicles, we accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels, give students indispensable, work-ready STEM skills, and directly inspire rural communities along our route to embrace a cleaner, technology-driven future.

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