A team from Holland's Delft University leads the world's toughest solar car race at the end of its second day.
The Nuna 7 (shown above) was just a few minutes ahead of a vehicle developed by Japan's Tokai University as both parked for the night. The cars have made it nearly 808 miles across the Australian desert in two days and must travel a further 1056 miles to the finish line in Adelaide.
The race traverses some of the harshest desert in the world. There's plenty of sunshine to power the cars, but high temperatures and long days make the World Solar Challenge a test of endurance. Eleven cars have given up, leaving 18 to compete in the challenger class of the race.
The Delft University team would have been further ahead but it incurred a 10-minute penalty Monday at Tennant Creek for failing to observe changing speed limits. The Tokai University team almost suffered a similar penalty, for incursions by a media car, but the car was ruled to be independent of the team and the penalty was lifted.
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