Panasonic World Solar Challenge Starts Tomorrow

Upbeat in the Outback, 23 teams from around the world will compete in the Panasonic World Solar Challenge in Australia starting Sunday, October 21, 2007. The solar race will last one week and conclude on October 28, when the winner of the 1,863 mile (3,000 km) will be announced.

A few important changes have been previously announced that will impact this year’s race across the Aussie continent. For instance, this year’s cars must have solar panels that take up 25-percent area than last year’s at 86-square feet. In addition, drivers must be sitting upright in the vehicle as opposed to luge seating customary in past solar cars.

The point is to be able to get the crowds to relate better to solar cars as practical every day vehicles of the future. The winning vehicle from Holland, in 2005, the Nuna III was able to achieve a top speed of 64 mph over the course of the race. This year will mark the 20^th anniversary of the World Solar Challenge.