Dutch car ‘Nuna 9’, the futuristic family car which reportedly uses the sun as power and also supplies energy back to the grid was hailed as the future recently at the World Solar Challenge.
The groundbreaking bi-annual contest that first ran in 1987 began in Darwin a week ago with around 41 vehicles. The trip that ran through the heart of Australia to Adelaide set off on a 3,000-kilometre (1,860-mile) journey.
It was reported that the Dutch car ‘Nuna 9’ won the race for the third-straight time by crossing the finish line after travelling at an average speed of 81.2 km/h (55.5 mph).
The car competed in the Challenger class, featuring slick, single seat aerodynamic vehicles built for total energy efficiency and sustained endurance. To bridge the gap between high-end technology and driving practicality every day, a Cruiser class was introduced.
The first to arrive was reportedly HS Bochum, the German team, with its chic four-seater classic coupe. Meanwhile, the Dutch team, Eindhoven, was awarded as the overall champion based on factors like design, energy efficiency, innovation, and practicality. Chris Selwood, the event director, stated that their family car ‘Stella Vie’, which carried five people at an average speed of 69 km/h, was a practical demonstration of what the future might look like.
Selwood added that these incredible solar cars had been designed with the commercial market in mind and had all the features you would expect in a family, sporting, or luxury car. The future of solar electric vehicles would involve cars parked at home where it can be charged and can supply energy back to the grid.
