2023 World Solar Car challenge sets off in Darwin, racing down to Adelaide in five days

ABC NEWS (Australia)

With the Australia's Top End heating up, international visitors are making the most of it descending on Darwin to compete in this year's World Solar Challenge. The solar-powered race first began in 1987 and each year the technology gets more advanced. Taking off from Darwin this morning, 31 teams from across the globe will drive the three-thousand kilometres to Adelaide powered solely by the sun.

Transcript

00:00 A wave of a flag and they're off.

00:05 These futuristic looking cars drawing crowds to Darwin CBD, fuelled only by sunshine and

00:12 friendly rivalry.

00:13 Go, go, go!

00:14 The majority said we're very competitive.

00:18 That's something that the Dutch can do quite well.

00:22 Netherlands team Brunel have won seven solar car challenges, but in 2019 their winning

00:28 streak went up in flames.

00:30 They're now back with a point to prove.

00:32 The car is ready, I'm very sure of that.

00:35 So if the team is focused as well and we don't make big mistakes, then I think we have a

00:42 great chance.

00:43 They're taking on reigning champions Belgium, who are staying cool and calm while the competition

00:49 and the mercury heats up.

00:51 Quite relaxed.

00:52 We've practised the start a couple of times, so let's hope we can make the best out of

00:56 it.

00:57 It's going very smoothly through Adelaide.

01:00 Teams from all around the world have come to show off their engineering feats, giving

01:04 us a glimpse into the future.

01:06 Some of the cars here have world class high efficient batteries that you don't see on

01:09 the market yet.

01:10 So they come out in the next couple of years.

01:12 So this is a good test for the high efficiency storage of the batteries to be tested on a

01:17 road over 3000 kilometres.

01:18 The 3000 kilometre journey begins here at Darwin Parliament House.

01:22 It's a long, hot drive to Adelaide, so the teams will be hoping they've done enough to

01:26 make the distance.

01:28 We did check all the cars to make sure that they are safe and they are mechanically sound

01:32 to work.

01:33 But it is a long way and the Australian outback can be very hard on us.

01:38 While the race is being left to the experts, the excitement has gotten the next generation

01:42 of engineers inspired.

01:46 Some of them are based at our schools, so the children get that chance to understand

01:50 the science and technology behind the solar cars, as well as a bit of friendly soccer

01:55 at recess and lunchtime.

01:57 The cars are expected to cross the finish line in Adelaide on Friday.

02:01 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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