[1] That series of cars culminated in the Solectria V for the MIT Solar Electric Vehicle Team (SEVT) of 1988, which set a world speed record of 90 mph (140 km/h).

[2] Professors Woodie Flowers and Doc Edgerton played a key role in supporting the nascent SEVT,[3]: 31  which raced for the first time in the 1987 Tour de Sol and World Solar Challenge with Solectria IV.

[3]: 71 A prototype Sunrise was completed in time to be displayed at the World Electric Vehicle Association's twelfth annual meeting (EVS-12) in Anaheim, held in December 1994; Solectria announced they would build 20,000 in 1997 and sell them for $20,000 each.

[3]: 126  At the May 1995 American Tour de Sol, Worden raced the prototype Sunrise, winning the commuter category and setting a distance record of 238 mi (383 km) on a single charge along the way.

[3]: 155, 160 However, scaling Solectria's small operation for mass production of the Sunrise would prove to be difficult while demand dropped for its conversions due to legacy auto manufacturers entering the market for electric and hybrid vehicles.

[6] Solectria offered a line of electric vehicle drivetrain components, including traction motors with different technologies (AC induction, DC brushless and brushed permanent magnet), the accompanying motor controllers, reduction gearboxes, battery chargers, and DC-to-DC converters (to operate existing 12V parts and accessories using the high-voltage storage battery).

[7] The LightSpeed (1990) and Flash (1991) were prototypes that followed the lightweight, efficiency-focused principles of the SEVT cars designed by Worden, and were campaigned in the American Tour de Sol.

[3]: 101–102  Worden had envisioned a subcompact car, while Boston Edison, who were co-sponsoring the project with DARPA, were looking for a full-size sedan; the mid-size Sunrise was the compromise.

[23] In addition, Solectria supplied electric drivetrain components to New Flyer (for an Orange County Transportation Authority bus)[24] and Resurfice Corporation (for the Olympia Cellect).