China team makes debut in global solar energy race

A team from China, the world's biggest maker of solar panels, has made its debut in the world's biggest event for solar powered vehicles.

At the World Solar Challenge in Australia, a biennial event which ended this year on October 13, China entry Sun Shuttle finished a modest 19th out of 23 teams in its category tackling the 3,000 kilometre-course from Darwin to Adelaide over eight days.

Designed by the Beijing Institute of Technology, the nation's top university for vehicle engineering, the single-seat, four-wheeled Sun Shuttle was made of carbon fibre and cost 1 million yuan (HK$1.26 million), said team leader Zhang Youtong, professor of vehicle engineering at the institute and dean of its Laboratory for Clean Vehicles.

The vehicle was designed by 10 students and three teachers, including Zhang, and made in conjunction with a manufacturer. The three teachers were also the drivers in the competition.

Despite Sun Shuttle's ranking in the contest, Zhang said he was satisfied with the team's performance, as they had started to prepare for the event only nine months ago when a solar power company agreed to sponsor them.

They had to tailor-make a vehicle to meet the competition's requirements and also study rules and routes that were new to them.

"Typhoon Usagi delayed the arrival of our car for a week, so we had less than a week to test it on the road, and get used to driving on the left under hot weather and against the prevailing wind," Zhang said.