The Dutch Alpha Centuri Team used many materials invented for European space missions in constructing one of the most efficient solar vehicles ever built. This high-tech racer Nuna uses lightweight materials such as carbon fibres, synthetic resin and foam plastics, making up around one third of the total car. The aerodynamics and the technology used to join plastics were first used for space vehicles re-entering the Earth's atmosphere. Using advanced space technologies, provided to the team via ESA’s Technology Transfer Programme, enable the car to reach a theoretical top speed of 170 km per hour. The picture shows the first Nuna solar car winning the 2001 World Solar Challenge. The success was repeated in 2003. Having set off from Darwin on Sunday 19 October 2003, Nuna II crossed the finish line in Adelaide on Wednesday 22 October in a new record-breaking time of 30 hours 54 minutes, beating the previous record of 32 hours 39 minutes set by its precursor Nuna in 2001.