The 2013 World Solar Challenge is on to test, compare and showcase the current level of solar-powered transport across the globe.

One entrant from Australia is aiming to bring solar-cars to the masses, entering in the new Michelin Cruiser Class. The Cruiser Class requires cars to have four wheels, accommodate two people, and to meet the road requirements for its country of origin.

A car designed by engineers at the University of New South Wales has conformed to the strict requirements and successfully leapt from the start line this week. UNSW’s SunSwift ride was, at latest report, in third place somewhere near the town of Anmatjere.

Cars are scored on their energy consumption, but also on subjective criteria related to practicality.

“We have put a lot of design effort into making the car functional, but also aesthetically sleek,” says fourth-year mechanical engineering student and project leader Sam Paterson.

“We think it’s the sort of car you could drive anywhere.”

That is the purpose of the new class, to focus teams on the eventual goal of creating a car everyday people can use.

The super-light electric SunSwift should have a top speed of about 140 km per hour and, on a charged battery, a range of more than 600 km.

“This car could represent the starting point for a new era of sustainable driving in Australia,” says Paterson, who will drive the car, alternating with teammate Carson Au.

“It has been inspiring to watch this team of talented students devote so many hundreds of hours to the design and build of this remarkable solar vehicle,” says Professor Graham Davies, Dean of the UNSW Faculty of Engineering.

Fans can keep track of SunSwift and other cars via site such as the UNSW’s or the challenge Twitter account.