If you're traveling routes on our near historic Route 66 this week, you may see some very strange-looking vehicles.
As many as 60 solar-powered cars are expected to compete July 15-25 in the American Solar Challenge, the longest solar car race in the world at 2,300 miles.

The cars have been built by a variety of organizations - university teams, companies, clubs and individuals - from around the world.
Sponsors for the race include the U.S. Department of Energy, its National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colo., and mobile tracking and communications company Terion in Melbourne, Fla.
The race will run from Chicago to the Los Angeles area, stopping at 13 checkpoints along the route in Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California.
One of the cars was put together and is being raced by a team of University of Virginia students, whose "Solar Revolution 2" will join 59 cars in the biennial race.
The car weighs about 800 pounds, one-third the weight of a regular car, and reaches speeds of up to 70 mph. It is covered with solar panels that supply 1,200 watts of power to the motor, about as much as it takes to run a hairdryer.
The cars look strange; low to the ground, with broad surfaces covered with solar panels and tiny bubble driver compartments. The small solar cars will drive on highways alongside 18-wheelers and other larger vehicles. A team of support vehicles will protect the drivers from road hazards and supply them with travel information.
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