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Rabat — Moroccan renewable energy engineer and entrepreneur Nisrine Sadik has taken a bold step toward solving Morocco’s pressing transportation and energy challenges.
Her innovative project LUMINA, the country’s first solar-powered micro-electric vehicle, earned her the Business Creation Prize at the 2025 InspireHer Awards in Palermo, Italy.
With this vehicle, Sadik aims to reshape mobility in underserved areas while promoting clean energy and local innovation.
Sadik believes that the project not only represents far more than an award, but also the result of over four years of vision, technical development, and determination.
The ambitious engineer started her LUMINA project as part of her university capstone project.
However, unlike typical academic research or simulations, Sadik set out to build a fully functioning prototype from scratch.
“I didn’t want to do a simple analysis or an optimization exercise,” she wrote on her LinkedIn. “I chose the hardest path: designing, developing, and bringing to life a working prototype of LUMINA.”
The vehicle is designed to address micro-mobility issues in Morocco, especially in remote or poorly connected areas.
Being an eco-friendly vehicle, it runs entirely on solar energy, making it not only cost-effective but also sustainable. Its nature constitutes a key step toward reducing reliance on fossil fuels and expanding access to transportation where it’s most needed.
To build LUMINA, Sadik followed a full engineering-design process. From 3D modeling and safety-focused structural analysis to energy efficiency studies, electrical schematics, and dashboard design, she managed every aspect of the project.
The result?
The project culminated in a compact, solar-powered vehicle tailored for Morocco’s needs, but also provides proof of what young innovators can achieve when given the space and support to lead.
Beyond the technical achievement, LUMINA sends a clear message: innovation doesn’t have to come from major companies or global brands. It can start in a classroom, led by a determined young woman with a plan to make transportation greener and more inclusive.
“The best is yet to come,” Sadik said, and with LUMINA lighting the way, that future looks promising.
