Keirstead is driving a solar-powered car he and fellow students from Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, built over the past two years. The aim is to set a new world record for the longest distance traveled in a solar-powered car. It's something we really love doing. We built this car from scratch. The Queen's car, called Radiance, traps sunlight in solar cells, which produce electricity to run the motor.
Excess energy is stored in a battery pack, which powers the car on cloudy days.
Resembling a spaceship more than an automobile, the car has a thin oblong body, covered in black, iridescent, rectangular solar cells. The cabin space is large enough for only one driver, who must lie flat because of the aerodynamic design.