The 2024 Electrek American Solar Challenge (ASC) will kick off its final stage at Scotts Bluff National Monument in western Nebraska on Friday, July 26, marking the beginning of the final stage of what I can only imagine has been a grueling yet rewarding 8-day cross-country competition.

Congratulations to #2 – Michigan, which is currently leading the Single Occupant Vehicle (SOV) class by 53 miles with a total of 1233.2 miles traveled.

In the Multi-Occupant Vehicle (MOV) class, #55 – Poly Montreal and #828 – App State are currently neck and neck with 907 miles and 901 miles, respectively.

The solar cars, which began their journey in Nashville, TN, are traveling along portions of National Historic Trails in partnership with the U.S. National Parks Service. During the 2024 Electrek American Solar Challenge, teams will traverse parts of the Trail of Tears, Lewis & Clark, Santa Fe, Pony Express, Mormon Pioneer, California, and Oregon National Historic Trails.

It’s enthralling to think the same trails that once guided pioneers some 200 hundred years ago are now being traversed by modern-day pioneers in solar-powered engineering with vehicles unimaginable at the time.

Today, teams will depart from the Beatrice checkpoint and arrive at the Great Platte River Road Archway Monument in Kearney, NE, by 2:30 pm local time. According to ASC’s official schedule, the solar cars will not be allowed to continue from Kearney until after 2:15 pm local time. Teams should be able to get a few good driving hours in before the sun sets too low. After that, it will be up to the teams to find a place along the route to set up camp and wait for the following morning to continue to Scott Bluff National Monument.

We anticipate teams will begin arriving at Scotts Bluff on the morning of July 26. All teams arriving will be required to hold until the following morning. Teams arriving earlier in the day will have the option to complete optional loops around the monument for additional miles. At 8 am on July 27, all vehicles will set out from Scotts Bluff to the finish line in Casper, Wyoming.

You can view the current standings for all teams on the American Solar Challenge’s official results page.

Read more: What is the American Solar Challenge?