Men, women and machines from all corners of the globe have assembled in Darwin in advance of the 2009 Global Green Challenge that is to commence on October 24.

ECO CHALLENGE
The event that is an evolution of the legendary World Solar Challenge has been expanded to include production and prototype eco friendly vehicles that are, or soon will be available to car buying public.   

Starting from the NT’s Parliament House in Darwin on Saturday October 24, the Eco Challenge ‘fleet’ will consist of seventeen entries with a diversity of technology in respect of fuel efficient, low emission solutions.

Head lining the Eco Challenge entry list is the world’s fastest all electric sports car the Tesla to be driven by Simon Hackett the founder of internet service provider Internode, together with Kym Cleggett

At the other end of the range the mass circulation auto magazine Top Gear Australia has entered a Honda ‘postie bike’ running on alcohol fuel to be ridden by James Stanford

The world’s major car manufacturers are well represented with multiple entries from Ford, Kia, Hyundai, and BMW Mini.

Eco Challenge entries in the 2010 Global Green Challenge will be testing the environmentally friendly aspects of their vehicles in relation to fuel/energy consumption and emissions against the vehicles stated Australian Design Regulation figures.

Eco Challenge vehicles will undertake an ‘urban’ cycle in Darwin before setting off on the 3,000 kilometre journey to Adelaide. A further urban cycle will be conducted in Adelaide as part of the event.

WORLD SOLAR CHALLENGE
The solar vehicles competing in this year’s Global Green Challenge number 35 from 15 countries.

As for picking a winner Event Director Chris Selwood says ‘it’s a difficult task’.

‘We won’t really see the technology and ingenuity until the cars are scrutineered in Darwin and a lot of things can happen on the journey south’. 

The record for the World Solar Cars Challenge was set during the 2005 event by Nuon Nuna III (Netherland) with an average speed of 102.75kmph

The World Solar Car competition sees the vehicles compete over the 3,000 kilometre journey with cars only able to travel in prescribed time periods. Solar cars must ‘camp’ on the roadside where-ever they finish at the cut-off time for each day and commence from that point next morning.

The actual (timed) finish is north of the Adelaide CBD and solar vehicles will parade into the city for the ceremonial finish in Victoria Square. 

For more info visit http://www.globalgreenchallenge.com.au/