It was a busy time for Cathay Pacific Cargo’s Amsterdam team as they flew all three cars representing the Netherlands to the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge.
The Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, now in its 31st year, is a gruelling race across Australia that sees cars race from Darwin in the north to Adelaide in the south, predominantly powered by the sun. Participating vehicles are divided into three classes: Challenger for sleek and fast single-seaters; Cruiser for efficient and practical multi-seat vehicles; and Adventure for retired, non-competing cars that are simply there for the experience.
This year’s race runs from 13-20 October and features more than 45 teams from around the world, including three teams from Dutch universities. Marcel Bakker, Cathay Pacific Cargo Manager for the Netherlands, said: ‘Each year, we receive inquiries for shipping these vehicles, and we have carried some in recent years. But we are delighted to have carried all three cars for this year’s race.’
The three cars left on freighter flights from Amsterdam on different dates before transferring at Hong Kong onwards to Australia.
Pictured is NunaX, the 10th solar car from the seven-time world champion Vattenfall Solar Team. The team consists of 16 students from Technical University Delft in the Netherlands, who spent more than a year building this car that is considered one of the favourites to win the race.
Bakker added: ‘While two of the cars were packed in more conventional cases, the orange one from Delft looked very sophisticated.’
You can follow the cars’ progress at worldsolarchallenge.org.
