Solar-powered cars streak across Australia

World Solar Challenge . In it, the fastest solar-powered cars race from Darwin to the sleepy city of Adelaide in the south, hitting speeds of more than 100 kilometres per hour. Cars making it to the end will have travelled 3000 kilometres through the red deserts into the woodlands of South Australia. 

Billed as the world’s first solar-powered family car, “Stella” was crowned the overall winner in its class at the World Solar Challenge in Australia, while a team from Canada won the event’s safety award.

Developed by a team from Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands, the solar-powered sedan, dubbed "Stella," completed a 3,000 km trek across Australia from Darwin to Adelaide. 

More than 40 teams from 24 countries competed in the world’s largest solar electric vehicle event.

The race, held every two years, offers categories for different classes of cars. Stella won in the Michelin Cruiser class. The goal in this class is not speed but practicality, "with the ultimate goal of an entrant being able to meet the requirements for road registration in the country of origin."

The Canadian team from the University of Calgary also competed in the Cruiser class and earned the Bridgestone Event Safety Award.