The Courier-Mail
The annual Global Green Challenge for solar vehicles now includes an Eco Challenge for production vehicles.
This year's 3000km challenge from Darwin to Adelaide features 20 vehicles including a direct-injection 3-litre V6 Commodore Omega Sportwagon, a Falcon XR6, Ford ECOnetic Fiesta hatch, and cars from Hyundai, Kia, Peugeot, Mini, Skoda, Suzuki and Volvo, along with the world's first fully electric production sports car, the Tesla.
The Eco Challenge is aimed at giving carmakers with conventional and alternative-engines an opportunity to showcase their advances in low-emission technologies.
However, as the event has passed the half-way point, tempers are fraying and arguments have erupted over how the distance covered by the cars should be calculated.
Because there are significant differences in odometers, organisers and team managers have agreed to recalculate the distance covered as that listed in the road book. If participants overshoot a corner or miss a turn, that's just bad luck.
The drivers of the Tesla electric car have also copped a serve because it is accompanied by a truck carrying a generator to charge the car's batteries and the truck is expected to use about 600 litres of fuel during the race.
There are also 44 solar-powered vehicles competing in the main challenge.
Carsguide is the main sponsor of the event and online editor Karla Pincott and Tasmanian Carsguide motoring editor Keith Didham are taking part, along with several celebrity drivers such as veteran race driver Vern Schuppan in a Mini Cooper diesel.
South Australian Motor Sport Board chief executive Jason Allen said the event was designed to showcase alternative-energy, low-emission vehicles that are either on the market or will be very soon, such as the Fiesta.
"Currently, we are experiencing the greatest period of transition ever seen in the automotive world, and it is vital for us all that the public is aware of what the next generation of vehicles will be and how they truly perform,'' he said.
"Carsguide with its enormous readership, reach, and commitment to the automotive industry and the car buying public is the ideal organisation to sponsor the awards for the Eco cars participating in the 2009 Global Green Challenge.''
As part of News Limited's One Degree Initiative, Carsguide is committed to making a long-term positive impact on climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions across its business and raising awareness of climate change among the community.
The event started last Saturday and finishes this Saturday.
Visit: carsguide.com.au/site/news-and-reviews/global-green-challenge/