Case Study: Powering a Winning Ride — How PCB Power Helped Team Solarium Win ESVC 3000

Engineering innovation doesn't always start in billion-dollar labs; it often sparks inside student workshops, driven by ambition, curiosity, and late nights solving circuit errors. That was precisely the case when PCB Power partnered with a spirited team - Team Solarium from Pimpri Chinchwad College of Engineering, Pune. The mission? Deliver precise, competition-grade PCB manufacturing and assembly for SOLAR EV systems built to take on Asia’s toughest solar vehicle challenge: the ESVC 3000 rally.

The Challenge: Building a Car That Performs — Without a Second Chance

In a race like ESVC 3000, every electrical component needs to perform flawlessly from the get-go. There’s no room for rework, no pitstop for debugging. For Team Solarium, that meant partnering with a manufacturer who understood how high the stakes were — not just in terms of competition, but in safety and performance.

At a critical stage of development, PCB Power stepped in as a technology partner — not just to fabricate and assemble PCBs, but to help the team bring their vision to life with precision, speed, and manufacturing insight.

The Solution: Six PCBs, One Goal — Flawless Electrical Performance

Together, we developed and delivered six custom PCBs, each designed to handle a vital function within the solar vehicle:

• Power Distribution Unit (PDU): The electrical lifeline of the vehicle. It safely distributes low-voltage power across subsystems while enforcing protection protocols.

• Electronic Control Unit (ECU): Acts as the car’s central brain, ensuring real-time communication and coordination between subsystems, even under racing conditions.

• Data Acquisition System (DAQ): Continuously collects data from sensors across the vehicle, enabling live diagnostics and valuable post-race analysis.

• Autonomous PCB: Interfaces with sensor arrays and switching logic to support autonomous navigation functionality, integrating tightly with onboard processors.

• Motor Controller PCB: Designed to manage complex signal routing and power delivery for the motor system while minimizing wiring clutter and interference.

• MPPT PCB (Maximum Power Point Tracking): Regulates and optimizes solar energy harvesting under shifting environmental conditions to keep the energy system at peak efficiency.

Each board was built with considerations for thermal control, current flow, electromagnetic compatibility, and durability — all critical for competition-grade reliability.

Beyond Fabrication: A True Engineering Partnership

This wasn’t just a build-and-ship project. PCB Power’s team also consulted on design optimization, manufacturability, and component placement — all while adhering to a fast-moving student project timeline. The result? Timely delivery, clean builds, and zero compromises on quality.

The Result: Championship Win + Best Electrical System Award

Not only did Team Solarium complete the 300-km rally, but they also won. The team took home the Overall Champion title at ESVC 3000, along with the prestigious Best Electrical System award. Most impressively, their car experienced zero electrical failures throughout the race — a rare feat in endurance events.

This victory wasn’t just a win for the students — it was a proof point for how smart design and reliable manufacturing can align to create breakthrough outcomes.

Closing Thoughts

At PCB Power, we’re proud to support student-led innovation and real-world engineering challenges. This project with Team Solarium reinforced a belief we hold strongly:

When young engineers are empowered with reliable partners, great things happen.

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