"MELBOURNE - More than 40 racing teams from 21 countries left Darwin on Sunday to race across Australia to the southern city of Adelaide in the world’s fastest solar powered cars.
The 3,000 kilometer (1,864 mile) Bridgestone World Solar Challenge is one of the most prestigious solar car races. The biennial event first began in 1987 and is based on a notion that a 1000 watt car would complete the trip from Darwin to Adelaide in 50 hours.
The teams are expected to complete the race by Thursday, with speeds of 90-100 kmh (55-62 mph) powered only by the sun. In the week preceding the event, teams had to pass a series of practical safety and compliance tests to qualify for the start line. "
James Redmayne and Lidia Kelly report for Reuters October 15, 2019.
