Solar cars power up for Australian outback race

Thirty-two solar powered vehicles set off from Darwin, Australia on Sunday embarking on a 3,000 kilometre race across the Australian outback.The competitors, from 16 different countries, were excited to be part of the event. The Saguar team from Turkey has been planning be part of the race for five years. Aurora101, the Australian entrant took off first. The only United Kingdom team, the Endeavour - from Cambridge University, is a favourite to win. The solar cars are expected to take three days to complete the race which ends in the South Australian city of Adelaide. The Chairman of the South Australian Motor Sport Challenge, Roger Cook, said the race had become very topical. It is exciting. I mean it's the culmination of two years of work for the solar cars and for the green cars and I think the people involved in it are really aware of what this is doing for the world, the improvements and technology, the world focus on emissions, explained Cook.The solar race is part of the Global Green Challenge which holds a separate race called the Eco Challenge which sees eco-friendly vehicles such as electric, hybrid, low-emission and alternative-energy vehicles compete.