Aiden Phipps in his solar car. {courtesy}
A Coconut Creek teenager helped steer a South Florida high school solar car team to a national title after completing a 656.7-mile race across Texas powered entirely by the sun.
Aiden Phipps, 18, a recent graduate of Florida Atlantic University High School, served as co-captain and lead mechanical engineer for the 4-H TechGarage solar car team, which won the 2026 National Solar Car Challenge this summer.
The competition brought together some of the nation’s top high school engineering programs for an open-road challenge stretching from Fort Worth to Fort Stockton. Teams were required to rely solely on solar energy to power their custom-built vehicles throughout the journey.
Phipps, who has competed in solar car racing for the past two years, said the experience provided engineering lessons that extended well beyond the classroom.
“The hands-on engineering experience I’ve gained through the Solar Car Challenge goes beyond anything I’ve encountered in my university engineering courses,” Phipps said. “But what this program really means to me is community. Our team welcomed every member, worked together through every challenge, and built friendships that will last a lifetime.”
He said the collaborative spirit extended beyond his own team.
“We worked alongside other teams throughout the week, helping them solve problems and encouraging them to push beyond what they thought was possible. That’s what makes the Solar Car Challenge so special,” Phipps said.
Phipps graduated from Florida Atlantic University High School in May and is continuing his studies at Florida Atlantic University, where he is completing a degree in mechanical engineering.
The solar car is currently at South Plantation High School.
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