Racing Under the Sun: How HelioTech Broke Records with ZERO BREEZE

The Texas sun beat down mercilessly, but inside the solar car, the TCHS HelioTech team stayed cool, focused, and ready to push forward, lap after lap. By the end of the race, they had completed an incredible 979 laps, breaking the previous record of 833 and claiming first place in the Cruiser Division. For a team with just one year of experience, it was a victory that spoke volumes about resilience, innovation, and determination.

What made such a triumph possible? Beyond engineering skill and teamwork, an unexpectedly ally played a crucial role: the ZERO BREEZE Mark 3 portable air conditioner. Lightweight, quiet, and remarkably effective, it kept the cockpit comfortable under the scorching Texas sun, allowing drivers to stay focused on the race, instead of getting distracted by the heat.

What Makes the Solar Car Challenge Unique

The Solar Car Challenge is more than a race. It's a test of creativity, endurance, and teamwork. High school teams from across the country design and build solar-powered cars, then put them to the ultimate test on the track.

Within the Challenge, the Cruiser Division presents its own set of demands: the car must function like a real-word passenger vehicle. That means the car must seat four people comfortably, meet structural requirements, including four wheels and an enclosed body, and provide proper ventilation. Unlike traditional racing, winning here isn't about speed. It's about person-miles, calculated by multiplying the number of passengers by the distance traveled, so every design choice matters.

From Sketches to the Starting Line

HelioTech began their journey last fall with little more than sketches and ideas. Over months, they debated, designed, and iterated, carefully weighing how to balance passenger comfort, energy efficiency, and safety. Every design decision was a test: the chassis had to be strong yet lightweight, the battery management system required constant adjustments, and even minor miscalculations could compromise the whole vehicle.

By December, the frame was ready; by spring, electrical systems and foam panels began to bring their vision to life. Every step brought new challenges, from limited experience to technical setbacks, but they never stopped pushing forward. "If there's one word to describe our team, it would be resilience," they reflected. "Throughout the year, we faced many ups and downs, but everyone managed to pull through and tried their hardest to get our car racing to the best it could."

By July, their car was finally ready for its ultimate test: the Texas Solar Race.

Racing Against the Heat

But before the car ever hit the track, heat was already a formidable opponent. Solar cars need direct sunlight to generate power, but that same sun can turn the cockpit into a sweltering enclosure.

"The conditions in the car were definitely hot. During the race, it was around 95–100 degrees out with high humidity under full Texas sun. The inside of the car was even hotter, with no outside ventilation," the team explained. With four people inside a nearly enclosed car, conditions could quickly become unbearable, making it harder to complete lap after lap.

Over the years, they had tried all sorts of cooling solutions: blocks of dry ice, small fans, even opening windows to push air through. But these makeshift methods offered minimal relief. For 2025, they needed something more reliable, an efficient solution that could lower the temperature without compromising performance, giving the driver and passengers real comfort and focus under the blazing Texas sun.

ZERO BREEZE: A Game-Changing Ally

That solution arrived in the form of the Mark 3 portable air conditioner, brought in through ZERO BREEZE's new sponsorship.

The first test run was a pleasant surprise. "It felt like we were in a fully air-conditioned room, even outside," the team said. "Compared to last year's fan and dry ice system, it was a huge upgrade."

During race week, the Mark 3 became more than just a cooling device. Its quiet hum offered comfort amid the intensity of competition. Lightweight and easy to fit, it didn't weigh the car down, and it even helped the team meet the event's forced air ventilation requirement. Most importantly, it ensured the drivers could stay cool, stay focused, and keep racing.

"It is very effective for cooling and does a substantial amount to offset extreme heat. For other solar cars, especially cars that only have a singular driver, it will be very helpful to make driving a much more comfortable experience. It makes a huge difference in the actual race by being able to keep conditions cool so that drivers can focus on the race, not the heat," the team explained.

Chasing the Future Together

In the end, their journey was about more than numbers on a scoreboard. Yes, they shattered records, but what truly defined them was resilience—the ability to adapt, endure, and keep pushing forward.

That same spirit of resilience and innovation is what connects TCHS HelioTech and ZERO BREEZE. The team built a revolutionary car from scratch, while we continue redefining what truly portable air conditioning can be. Both sides are driven by the same pursuit of excellence, constantly pushing boundaries to create something truly great.

For HelioTech, the Mark 3 was more than just a piece of equipment—it became part of their story. As the team looks ahead, they hope to "continue using ZERO BREEZE in our Cruizer car to develop it into a solar car that has all the capabilities of a real car on the road."

Looking forward, HelioTech will keep chasing the future, powered by sunlight, innovation, and a breath of cool air. And ZERO BREEZE will keep moving forward as well, pursuing new ways to bring portable comfort and innovation to every journey ahead.