World's Fastest Solar-Powered Car Hits the Road in Sweden and Norway at up to 170 km/hour

Paris, 10 Aug 2004

It isn't a UFO, it's a space-age car

The world's fastest solar-powered car is being driven through Sweden and Norway. Nuna 2, the world's fastest solar-powered car begins its journey on 14 August in Oslo and completes it on 22 August in Andenäs. It will primarily be driven on the E4, and will stop in Gothenburg, Linköping, Stockholm, Uppsala, Luleå, Kiruna, Narvik, and Andenäs.

There is also the possibility of short stops in other locations. "Journalists and photographers will also be able to take a look at the car at other locations near the route. Just call me and we'll stop at an agreed location along the way," says Rosita Suenson, ESA's project manager for Nuna's journey through Sweden.

The car was made with the help of space technology and can reach a top speed of 170 km/h. Nuna 2 is powered by solar energy and is covered entirely by solar cell panels.

"Space research and space technology have driven technical development forward in several areas, and the knowledge can be re-used in new contexts on Earth. Nuna 2 is a project that can illustrate and serve as an inspiration for new applications of space technology," says Rosita Suenson.

By travelling 3010 km in 31 hours and five minutes, Nuna 2 won the World Solar Challenge in Australia in October 2003. The car was built and driven by students from Delft University in The Netherlands. In Sweden, students from the Civil Engineering Programme in Space Technology in Kiruna, one of many space programmes in Sweden, are also participating.

Reserve a time along the route:

To book times for interviews and taking photos during Nuna's trip, contact Rosita Suenson by telephone:
before 16 August on 0031 652 06 21 58 (Holland),
from 16 August inclusive on 0705-83 44 08 (Sweden).

For more information contact:

In Norway: Per Torbo, tel. 0047-2251-1817, e-mail: per.torbo@spacecentre.no
In Sweden: Johan Marcopoulos, tel. 0706-40 64 88, e-mail: johan.marcopoulos@snsb.se

Sweden and Norway are Member States of the European Space Agency (ESA), which contributed technology, materials and knowledge for the construction of Nuna.

Schedule

Facts about Nuna 2
Length: 5 m
Width: 1.8 m
Weight: 240 kg
Top speed: 170 km/h
To reach a speed of 100 km/h requires 1650 W, equivalent to the power used by a hair drier.

The progress of the Nuna 2 tour can be followed on the ESA Portal.

European Space Agency
http://www.esa.int/export/esaCP/index.ht ml
Item source: http://www.esa.int/export/esaCP/SEM1G9W4 QWD_index_0.html