Eco-Vehicle Project: Engineering the Future of Green Mobility
Designed, built, and tested entirely on campus at the Central University of Technology, Free State (CUT), the Centre for Sustainable Smart Cities (CSSC) solar-powered Eco-Vehicle dominated the national Annual Solar Car Competition. Championed by Mr Viwe Mqaqa under the supervision of Prof. Nicholas Luwes, the project serves as a high-octane, experiential learning incubator for renewable energy, smart mobility, and sustainable engineering.
The student and staff team secured multiple prestigious accolades, including first place overall, first prize in the Bluetooth race, the Best Pit Stop Award, and second place in the endurance race, directly translating academic theory into tangible, real-world engineering solutions.
Strategic Alignment
Strategic Goal 2
Innovative and Industry-Relevant Programmes: Delivering skills-building and experiential learning events that produce work-ready graduates, innovators, and entrepreneurs.
UoT Mandate
This project directly fulfils the University of Technology mandate through a strong STEM Focus, Work-Integrated Learning (WIL), and the cultivation of an Entrepreneurial Mindset among students tackling complex sustainability challenges.
Project Partners and Impact
Measurable Outcomes
- Secured first place overall, first prize in the Bluetooth race, the Best Pit Stop Award, and second place in the endurance race at the national competition.
- Successfully designed, assembled, and tested the solar-powered vehicle entirely on the CUT campus, utilising the BHP building laboratory facilities.
- Provided a dynamic, experiential learning platform that bridges academic theory with practical applications in energy efficiency and smart mobility.
Research Leadership
Centre for Sustainable Smart Cities (CSSC), Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology (FEBIT)
Project Team
Championed by Mr Viwe Mqaqa under the supervision of Prof. Nicholas Luwes, comprising dedicated CUT students and academic staff.
Get Involved
Join CUT in advancing sustainable engineering and green mobility solutions. Explore how your organisation can partner with us on applied research, technology transfer, and work-integrated learning initiatives.
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