Seventeen students from the University of Twente and Saxion, Enschede, The Netherlands, will drive into the sunset—and the sunrise—at the 10th World Solar Challenge in Australia in October 2009. The streamlined vehicle will be constructed of lightweight aerospace composite materials from TenCate, Almelo, The Netherlands, sponsor of the Solar Team Twente.

TenCate composites are integrated into every part of the solar car, including the frame, providing strength without weight. The Solar Team Twente plans to reduce air resistance by at least 25 percent from its last entry in the World Solar Challenge (a sixth-place finish in 2007). A pivoting solar panel to catch the sun’s rays and a new patented solar cell technology could bring the Dutch team the 1,800-plus miles from Darwin to Adelaide in winning time. For more information, visit www.solarteam.nl.