Japanese solar car wins race across Australian outback

A solar car made by students from Japan's Tokai University was named the winner of a 3,000 km (1,864 miles) race across the Australian outback on Wednesday.The aim of the competition was to show that green cars can also be a mean machine. The Tokai Challenger crossed the finish line just north of Adelaide on Wednesday afternoon after a smooth run, with one flat tyre the only issue along the way. The Tokai Challenger had started the event in fourth position, as a fleet of 31 solar-powered cars from 16 countries set off from Darwin last Saturday (October 24), showcasing the different prototype solar cars. The Japanese team went into the lead at the end of the first day, running ahead of favourites Michigan University's Infinium and the Netherlands' Nuna V.Not all racing cars are fortunate enough to finish the race. On day one, Belgium's Umicar Inspire from the Umicore Solar Team crashed 380 kilometres into the race after losing control during a wind gust. The car had to be withdrawn from the event. The solar race, staged every two years since 1987, was this year joined by another event, the Eco Challenge, in which 17 cars from 10 manufacturers compete with eco-friendly vehicles to prove which is the most fuel-efficient. This race is expected to finish on Saturday (October 31). Competitors included the all-electric Tesla sports car, vehicles made by Ford, Kia, Honda, Hyundai, BMW, Skoda, Suzuki, Holden, and HSV, and a modified Honda postman's scooter running on alcohol.