Belgian team wins South Africa's 'most extreme' solar car race

CAPE TOWN - A team of Belgian students and engineers on Friday won a solar-powered car race in South Africa widely considered the most challenging for testing the technology.

Over a dozen teams competed in the eight-day race spanning thousands of kilometres, with varying weather and altitude extremes adding to the complexities for designers.

"Innoptus claimed victory after breaking their own record not once, but twice during the competition," the organisers of the Sasol Solar Challenge said in a statement.

The race, held every two years since its inauguration in 2008, kicked off on September 13 in Secunda in the country's northeast with 14 teams competing to the finish in Cape Town.

"This is a crucible... It is the most extreme solar challenge in the world," race director Rob Walker told AFP at the finish line.

The Innoptus car had a flat surface decked with photovoltaic panels and a white exterior, with narrow driver's seat sporting the number plate "SUN 08".

"If you want to create a renewable future, we still have a lot of work to do but we believe in ourselves and it's possible to do it," said Arne Besteijns, the public relations officer for Innoptus Solar.

The other teams hailed from South Africa, Qatar, Italy, Netherlands, Turkey and Germany.

They were met with confetti thrown by hundreds of cheering fans at the finish line.

Ebenhezer Tswana, a driver for one of the two South African teams, said many people did not believe their car would make it.

"I'm very happy because actually, this car we actually drove all the way," he said.