Solar car in endurance challenge

The car is on display at the Science Museum

A solar-powered car built by Durham University students, is to take part in a 2,400 mile race across the United States and Canada.

The car - known as Dusc - is capable of speeds of 45mph and is the only UK entry in the North American Solar Challenge from Dallas to Calgary.

Engineering school students have been working on the car since 2004.

The project team say the technology developed to create the car may one day be applied to commercial vehicles.

The car will take on about 30 competitors in the gruelling race, in which teams spend about nine days travelling from Dallas, Texas, to Calgary in Alberta, in July.

The vehicle, which can carry one person and is on display at the Science Museum in London, has a network of photovoltaic cells, which collect solar energy and supply batteries.

It is hoped the car will also compete in the 1,860-mile (3,000km) World Solar Challenge race in Australia next year.