Green Daily

More than three dozen teams from around the world are taking part in the World Solar Challenge this week. The goal is to showcase the latest solar vehicle technology by driving the vehicles more than 3000 kilometers from Darwin in Northern Australia to Adelaide in the southern part of the country. That's about 1,864 miles if you didn't feel like doing the conversion in your head.

The World Solar Challenge takes place every two years, and this is the event's 20th anniversary.

It typically takes vehicles about four days to complete the course. But that's partially because you can't drive the cars at night. They're solar powered, you see?

Solar cars have been around for decades now, but they're more of a curiosity than a practical alternative to gas guzzling cars and SUVs. As with plug-in cars, gas-electric hybrids, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, there have been some major advances in solar cars over the last few years. But powering an ultra-light racing vehicle with one seat and no trunk space with sunlight is one thing. If you're looking for a car that will let you drop off the kids at school pre-dawn on your way to work, you might need a more reliable power source.