A SOLAR car built by Singapore university students is currently in the top 10 in an ongoing international race.

The World Solar Challenge in Australia, which was flagged off on Sunday from Darwin, is expected to end on Thursday.

The Tokai Challenger, by Japan's Tokai University, is currently leading the race. Nanyang Technological University's (NTU) Nanyang Venture II is in 10th place as of early yesterday.

It is Singapore's only entry and is racing against more than 30 solar cars from countries such as the United States, Malaysia and the Netherlands.

The competition has been challenging, said team leader Debbie Phua, a fourth- year mechanical and aerospace engineering (MAE) student, whose role is to manage the energy usage of the car. 'It is an experience of a lifetime.'

The NTU team is made up of 23 people, comprising undergraduates, alumni and staff members from the School of MAE and the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering.

Four drivers take turns to drive the car, while the remaining teammates follow in regular vehicles. Team members camp by the road at night when the race is stopped each day.

This is NTU's first time taking part in this race. It came fourth out of eight participants in the Shell Eco-marathon held in May in Germany with the Nanyang Venture I.

Work on Nanyang Venture II started in 2006, when a group of final-year students expressed their interest to compete in the race. The car was completed this year.

This article was first published in The Straits Times.