Lesjofors’ Dutch subsidiary, De Spiraal, has proudly supported a team of university students in a remarkable 3,000-kilometre race across Australia, competing from Darwin to Adelaide in a solar-powered car they designed and built themselves – supported by Lesjӧfors parts.
Driving innovation with custom spring solutions
Testing the limits of endurance and sustainable innovation, the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge brings together some of the brightest minds from around the world, challenging teams to cross the Australian outback in vehicles powered solely by the sun.
Among the competitors was Solar Team Twente – a team of ambitious students from the University of Twente in the Netherlands – who designed and built a high-performance solar vehicle to take on what is widely regarded as the world’s toughest solar race.
Following the proven success of De Spiraal’s spring solutions in the 2023 challenge, Solar Team Twente once again turned to De Spiraal and Lesjöfors for support. Confident in the reliability and performance of our products, the team knew they could depend on our expertise to withstand the extreme conditions of the race and help them deliver on their goal.
Engineering Partnership
In close collaboration with Solar Team Twente, De Spiraal engineers assessed the technical requirements of the solar car’s suspension system and developed a set of custom spring solutions to meet the challenge. These included leaf springs for the braking system, torsion springs to secure critical components under constant stress, and gas springs to enable the quick, effortless opening of the solar roof panel – all designed to deliver valuable weight savings and time efficiencies.
By combining lightweight design with proven durability, these solutions contributed to a solar car that was not only lighter and more efficient but also more reliable over thousands of kilometres in the harsh Australian outback.
Victoria Verhulst | Technical Manager Solar Team Twente says: “Without the components from De Spiraal and Lesjӧfors, we would not have been able to integrate our custom systems. Thanks to their flexibility, craftsmanship and close involvement, we achieved a lighter and more reliable solar car, helping us secure second place on the podium!”
Commitment to sustainability and talent development
Erik Reterink-Davina, MD of De Spiraal concludes: “Supporting Solar Team Twente is always a proud moment for De Spiraal. This continued partnership demonstrates not only the reliability of De Spiraal’s engineering expertise but also our and the Lesjöfors Group’s wider commitment to building long-term collaborations.
It highlights how our expertise contributes to world-class innovation while helping to inspire the next generation of engineers and advance sustainable mobility.
We are truly proud of the students for everything they have achieved, and it is deeply rewarding for our team to know that our craftsmanship has played a part in such an important milestone of sustainable innovation and in the memories of these young engineers.”
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Tamsin Loveless | Communications Manager
tamsin.loveless@lesjoforsab.com | +7855 798536
The Lesjöfors Group is a world-leader in spring and pressing manufacture. Established in 1675 with spring manufacture commencing in 1852, the Group has over 50 global sites, manufacturing and supplying world-wide industries with the largest product portfolio and technical excellence across springs, gas springs, metal belts and pressings.
The Lesjöfors Group has a turnover of EUR 500 million with 2700+ employees and operates within two business sectors, across industrial springs and pressings and the automotive aftermarket.
The Lesjöfors Group is owned by Beijer Alma AB, an industrial group listed on the NASDAQ OMX Stockholm mid-cap list. Beijer Alma AB has a market cap of EUR 1 billion.