TUfast Eco

What TUfast Eco does

TUfast Eco is a student engineering team at the Technical University of Munich, legally organized as TUfast e.V., a registered nonprofit association (eingetragener Verein) based at Boltzmannstraße 15, 85748 Garching b. München. The team designs and builds a portfolio of high-efficiency solar and electric vehicles for international competitions, including solar-powered single-seaters (lux025 with 6 m² of solar cells, 120 km/h top speed, and a 0.098 drag coefficient; successor lux027 in development) and urban concept vehicles (muc022, muc023) weighing 65-74 kg with drag coefficients between 0.13 and lower. Core technology spans aerodynamic design, energy-optimized powertrains, lightweight construction (including recycled carbon molds), and an integrated autonomous driving system built around a tree-based 3D occupancy map that fuses LiDAR, radar, ultrasonic, and depth camera inputs. The team holds two Guinness World Records: most efficient electric vehicle (81.16 Wh/100km via eLi14, 2016) and greatest distance by electric vehicle on a single charge (2,573.79 km via muc022, 2023).

The team's customer base consists entirely of corporate sponsors rather than end-product buyers; vehicles are not commercialized. Revenue is generated exclusively through sponsorship tiers (Diamond, Premium, Gold, Special Acknowledgement) and donations, with documented industrial partners including Audi AG (Premium main partner across lux025, muc023, and broader portfolio), SWM/Stadtwerke München (Diamond tier), and Tier-1 technology suppliers such as NVIDIA, dSpace, Rohde & Schwarz, Knorr-Bremse, TTTech Auto, Hexagon/NovAtel, SunPower, and STMicroelectronics. Go-to-market is event-driven: visibility, recruitment, and sponsor acquisition are generated through competition participation at the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge (Australia), Shell Eco-marathon, and EducEco (France), supplemented by earned media coverage of world record achievements and active social media presence (Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook). The organization is student-run with a Board of Directors and functional leads, including a Technical Director (Viktor Brand) and Team Manager (Elena Aksenova), and operates without external equity ownership, subsidiaries, or public-market listing.

Name

TUfast Eco

Legal name

TUfast e.V.

Website

https://tufast-eco.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

TUfast Eco is a nonprofit student team at the Technical University of Munich that designs and builds ultra-efficient solar and electric vehicles for international competitions, funded entirely by corporate sponsorships and holding two Guinness World Records.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Garching Bei München

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Sponsorships: Entirely financed through sponsorships and donations from corporate partners. Partners provide financial support or technical sponsorship (materials, production facilities, equipment) in exchange for brand visibility on vehicles, team uniforms, social media, and website.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

TUfast Eco designs and builds high-efficiency solar and electric prototype vehicles, including single-seater solar cars and autonomous urban concept vehicles, for entry into international competitions such as the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, Shell Eco-marathon, and EducEco. The team's vehicles hold two Guinness World Records, including 2,573.79 km on a single battery charge (muc022) and 81.16 Wh/100km efficiency (eLi14). The organization is financed through corporate sponsorships and donations rather than vehicle sales, and provides sponsors with brand visibility, talent access, and association with sustainable mobility innovation.

Product overview

TUfast Eco is a student team from Technical University of Munich that designs and builds a portfolio of high-efficiency solar and electric vehicles for international competitions. Their product lineup includes: solar-powered vehicles (lux025, lux027) designed for the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge featuring 6 m² solar cells and reaching 120 km/h; autonomous urban concept vehicles (muc022, muc023) developed for urban mobility with integrated autonomous driving systems; and prototype electric vehicles (eLi series) optimized for extreme energy efficiency. The vehicles range from single-seater solar cars for cross-continental races to compact urban concept vehicles weighing 65-74 kg with drag coefficients as low as 0.098. The team has achieved multiple Guinness World Records including 2,573.79 km on a single charge (muc022, 2023) and 81.16 Wh/100km efficiency (eLi14, 2016).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• lux025 Solar-Powered Vehicle Single-seater solar-powered vehicle designed for the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, featuring 6 m² of solar cells, a drag coefficient of 0.098, a weight of 220 kg, and a top speed of up to 120 km/h across the Australian outback.
• lux027 Solar-Powered Vehicle Successor solar-powered vehicle project for the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, continuing the team's solar car development after lux025.
• muc022 Urban Concept Vehicle (Guinness World Record) Hyper-efficient autonomous urban concept vehicle developed over 18 months, featuring an integrated autonomous driving system, weighing 74 kg, reaching 42 km/h, and achieving 271 km/kWh efficiency. Set a Guinness World Record of 2,573.79 km on a single battery charge (greatest distance by electric vehicle, non-solar).
• muc023 Autonomous Urban Concept Vehicle Autonomous urban concept vehicle developed by over 80 students combining outstanding efficiency with advanced sensor-fusion technology (LiDAR, radar, ultrasonic, and depth camera integrated via a tree-based 3D occupancy map). Weighs 65 kg, reaches 45 km/h, with a drag coefficient of 0.13.
• eLi14 Electric Vehicle Prototype (Guinness World Record) Electric vehicle prototype that set the Guinness World Record for Most efficient electric vehicle (July 2016 - July 2019) by achieving 81.16 Wh/100km energy consumption at an average speed of 25 km/h. Features included a revised inverter design, energy-optimized control electronics, new aerodynamic lid, weight-reduced rims, and a motor with silver wire winding.
• muc019+ Urban Concept Vehicle Improved version of muc019 developed for Shell Eco-marathon and EducEco competitions.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,573.79 km on single battery charge - Guinness World Record
• +2 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

35 partnerships are on record, tiered core, main partner, diamond, premium, gold and special acknowledgement.

• Technical University of Munich (TUM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHome university providing facilities, workshop space, academic support, and student talent pool. TUM faculties including Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, and various chairs provide technical support and research collaboration.
• Audi AGmain partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPremium main partner providing significant sponsorship support. One of the primary automotive industry partners for the team.
• Audi AGmain partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPremium main partner for lux025 solar vehicle project, providing sponsorship support.
• Audi AGmain partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerMain partner for muc023 autonomous urban concept vehicle.
• SWM (Stadtwerke München)diamondStrategic or Co-development PartnerDiamond-tier sponsor and main partner. Contributed to muc022 world record achievement and multiple vehicle projects.
• SWM (Stadtwerke München)diamondStrategic or Co-development PartnerDiamond-level sponsor acknowledged for 2023 world record achievement with muc022.
• dSpace GmbHpremiumTechnology or IntegrationPremium sponsor providing simulation and testing technology solutions for muc018 project.
• Creative WavepremiumTechnology or IntegrationPremium partner providing technology services for vehicle development.
• NVIDIA CorporationgoldTechnology or IntegrationGold sponsor providing computing technology for autonomous driving development (muc018).
• YAGEO GroupgoldStrategic or Co-development PartnerGold partner for lux025 solar vehicle project providing electronic components.
• Knorr-BremsegoldTechnology or IntegrationGold partner providing braking system technology and components.
• Rohde & SchwarzgoldTechnology or IntegrationGold sponsor for muc023 project providing measurement and testing technology.
• elobaugoldTechnology or IntegrationGold sponsor providing electronic components and sensor technology.
• AirbusgoldStrategic or Co-development PartnerGold sponsor and supporter of world record eLi14 project.
• SunPowergoldTechnology or IntegrationGold partner providing solar cell technology for lux025 solar vehicle.
• TQ-SystemsgoldTechnology or IntegrationGold partner providing embedded systems and technology solutions.
• DELOgoldTechnology or IntegrationGold partner providing industrial adhesives and materials technology.
• Cognizant MobilitygoldTechnology or IntegrationGold partner providing mobility technology and software expertise.
• Silver AtenagoldTechnology or IntegrationElectronic systems engineering partner providing technology solutions.
• ComposystgoldTechnology or IntegrationGold partner providing composite materials technology.
• Würth Elektronikspecial acknowledgementTechnology or IntegrationSpecial acknowledgement sponsor providing electronic components.
• STMicroelectronicsspecial acknowledgementTechnology or IntegrationSpecial acknowledgement sponsor providing semiconductor technology.
• TDKspecial acknowledgementTechnology or IntegrationSpecial acknowledgement sponsor for electronic components.
• SICK AGspecial acknowledgementTechnology or IntegrationSpecial acknowledgement sponsor for sensor technology.
• About Energymain partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerMain partner for lux027 project providing energy solutions.
• Marplemain partnerTechnology or IntegrationMain partner for lux027 project providing data analytics technology.
• Altiummain partnerTechnology or IntegrationMain partner for lux027 project providing PCB design software.
• Monolithic Power Systemsmain partnerTechnology or IntegrationMain partner providing power conversion technology.
• Motiusmain partnerTechnology or IntegrationMain partner providing technology development and prototyping services.
• TTTech AutopremiumTechnology or IntegrationPremium sponsor for muc019 autonomous driving project providing safety software.
• TNG TechpremiumTechnology or IntegrationPremium sponsor providing technology solutions across multiple vehicle projects.
• Hexagon (NovAtel)premiumTechnology or IntegrationPremium sponsor for muc023 project providing positioning technology.
• Agile RobotspremiumTechnology or IntegrationPremium sponsor for muc023 project.
• Fraunhofer Societyspecial acknowledgementStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpecial acknowledgement for research collaboration support.
• Deutsches Museumspecial acknowledgementStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpecial acknowledgement sponsor for muc019+ and muc023 projects.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Lightyear: Dutch solar EV company that developed the Lightyear 0 and Lightyear 2. Broader incumbent in the solar passenger vehicle space; comparable technology overlap (high-efficiency solar EV) but operates at commercial scale versus TUfast Eco's competition-only model.

Emerging players

• Aptera Motors: US-based startup developing ultra-efficient solar-assisted three-wheeled EVs with record-level efficiency claims. Comparable pursuit of extreme energy efficiency through lightweight solar-augmented design.
• Sono Motors: German-origin startup (Sion solar EV) that pursued mass-market solar-integrated passenger cars. Comparable as a Germany-based solar EV venture that overlapped in ambition with TUfast Eco's efficient-mobility mission.

Direct peers

• Solar Team Twente: Dutch student team from University of Twente building solar-powered family cars for the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge Cruiser class. Closely comparable as a European university team focused on practical solar mobility and international competition.
• Stanford Solar Car Project: Student-led solar car team from Stanford University competing in the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge and American Solar Challenge. Directly comparable as a university-affiliated team building high-efficiency solar vehicles for the same international competitions.
• University of Michigan Solar Car Team: One of the most decorated student solar car teams in North America, multiple-time American Solar Challenge and Bridgestone World Solar Challenge winner. Directly comparable operating model: student-run, sponsor-funded, competing in the same international solar vehicle circuit.
• ETH Zurich Academic Motorsports Club Zurich (AMZ): Swiss student team from ETH Zurich building electric and autonomous racing vehicles, multiple-time Formula Student Driverless winner. Comparable as a DACH-region student team pushing the boundary of efficient and autonomous vehicles.
• Sonnenwagen Aachen: German student team from RWTH Aachen University competing in the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge. Direct domestic peer also building solar vehicles in Germany for the same international competition.
• TU Delft Eco-Runner / Forze Hydrogen Racing: Student team from TU Delft developing hydrogen and efficient vehicles for international competitions including Shell Eco-marathon. Comparable as a top-tier European technical-university team focused on sustainable mobility competition platforms.

Others

• Shell Eco-marathon (program): Shell's international student engineering competition that TUfast Eco competes in across multiple categories. Included as the organizing ecosystem in which TUfast Eco operates and benchmarks its performance against other teams.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses2 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TUfastEco
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tufast-eco
• Instagraminstagram.com/tufastecoteam
• TikToktiktok.com/@tufastecoteam
• Xx.com/tufast_eco

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about TUfast Eco