A DUTCH three-time winning team heads the list of entries for this year's World Solar Challenge from Darwin to Adelaide.
The Nuon Solar Team team won the biennial solar car race across Australia in 2001, 2003 and 2005 and is favoured to take out a fourth victory in October this year.
Chasing it all the way to Adelaide will be the Victorian-based team from the Aurora Vehicle Association which won the race in 1999 and then finished second to Nuon in the last three events.
Releasing the entry list today, South Australian Tourism Minister Jane Lomax-Smith said 46 teams from 21 countries had so far signed up to start the 2007 challenge in October.
"The current team entry list proves that this event is truly inspired by adventure and fuelled by the spirit of friendly competition, attracting teams from research and educational institutions around the world," Dr Lomax-Smith said.
First run in 1987 the World Solar Challenge is designed to promote and celebrate educational and technical excellence and draw attention to the need for sustainable transport.
"Whilst the notion of actually driving a solar car on the road as seen in this event may not be likely, it is very likely that we will all be driving electric cars one day," Dr Lomax-Smith said.
"Some of that electricity may come from a renewable source such a solar energy quite possibly using technology developed through this event."
The World Solar Challenge will leave Darwin on October 21 with the leading cars expected to complete the 3,000km to Adelaide within four days.
Among the entry list so far are cars from Japan, Germany, Canada, Malaysia, the United States, Australia, Singapore, the Netherlands, France and Senegal.
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