The Atacama Desert Race sees teams race solar powered cars across the desert in Chile.

TRAVELLING at speeds of up to 180km per hour, a collection of the world’s fastest solar cars have begun a race across the world’s driest desert.

The Carrera Solar Atacama has attracted teams from Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Chile but the frontrunners are Japan’s team Tokai.

The vehicles use less energy than it takes to boil a pot of water, Atacama Solar coordinator Leandro Valencia told Spanish international news agency EFE.

The Tokai team’s futuristic vehicle has seen them become two-time world champions.

Starting on November 13, the five day race will see the vehicles travel over more than 1,400km of desert in Chile’s Atacama Desert - the driest non-polar desert in the world.

The route includes scaling part of the Andes mountain range, up to an altitude of 3,400 metres above sea level.

It is the third time the race has taken place and the route winds through the towns and cities of Pozo Almonte, Tocopilla, Calama, San Pedro de Atacama, Toconao and Baquedano to the finish line in Antofagasta.

“We believe this event is in line with what this government wants to promote, which is the development of non-conventional, renewable energy sources in an innovative way involving business and universities,” Environment Minister Pablo Badenier told EFE.