Hethel Engineering Centre member team up with Cambridge University to push boundaries of solar and electric innovation

With this collaboration, the two partners are pushing the boundaries of solar and electric innovation, showcasing what is possible.

Green Powered Partners

Meet Hethel Engineering Centre member, ETA Green Power Ltd. A solutions provider founded to fill the gap in the market for high performance electric drive systems, that are designed to enhance efficiency and reduce costs. Focusing on system-level approaches, ETA’s solutions aim to impact the market by collaborating with OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) and Tier 1 Suppliers (direct suppliers of a final product). ETA licenses their solutions, helping their customers improve their products without the need for extensive in-house R&D, whilst allowing them to stay in control of their manufacturing and supply chain.

The team at ETA announced an exciting partnership back in January 2025 with Cambridge University ECO Racing (CUER), a team of Cambridge students that design, build, and race solar vehicles, within an engineering society at Cambridge University. Their promotion of renewable tech and practical inspiration for students over the years, has led to them competing in many challenges such as the World Solar Challenge, a 3,000 km race from Darwin to Adelaide, Australia, racing against 40 teams from around the globe.

The cornerstone of this collaboration first came about when Hethel Innovation recommended ETA join the network of regional manufacturing and engineering sector group, NAAME (New Anglia Advanced Manufacturing & Engineering). NAAME contacted ETA directly with CUER’s request for support, with ETA then proposing the partnership. Together they aim to make waves in creating cutting-edge solar-powered race vehicles.

The ultimate test of solar racing

ETA will play a key role in the ground-breaking 2024–2025 project “Evolution,” a show car requiring an integrated drive system for excellent performance. Evolution is set to debut at highly anticipated events, starting with an exhibition at the Engineering Department in June 2025, followed by appearances at the British Motor Show, school functions, and various trade shows. A treat for spectators as it showcases revolutionary electric drive technology.

But that’s not all—for the upcoming 2026 iLumen European Solar Challenge, held in Belgium, ETA is eagerly supporting the creation of an SC7 race car. This one-of-a-kind 24-hour endurance race is the ultimate test of solar-powered engineering brilliance. With the SC7 prototype set to be completed by mid-2025 for rigorous testing, ETA’s support will be critical in hitting development milestones and gearing up for future triumphs of solar innovation.

Evolution – The show car which will debut a series of high-profile events in 2025

Jeremias Pohle, CUER’s Technical Director, shared the team’s excitement: “The CUER team are delighted to have selected and be partnering with ETA Green Power for our vehicle development. We are looking forward to working with this innovative solution, to allow our vehicles to push the boundaries of sustainable transport.”

David Morgan, Co-founder and Executive Director of ETA Green Power, voiced his enthusiasm about the impactful partnership: “ETA Green Power is delighted to be selected by CUER with our patented high power density drive system, designed to be significantly lighter and more compact than anything on the market. We look forward to empowering CUER’s ambitious goals with our cutting-edge electric drive system and to enabling their success through our contribution.”

Together, CUER and ETA Green Power are pioneering solar innovation in transport, demonstrating that sustainable mobility has boundless potential. The journey ahead promises to be nothing short of extraordinary!

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