Cambridge University’s embattled solar car team have earned a mid-table ranking in the final results of the “Global Green Challenge” despite battery failures that left them limping across the Australian outback.

The beleaguered student team reached the finish line in Adelaide on Saturday after an exhausting 3,000 kilometre journey in which their vehicle, Endeavour, was beset by battery problems.

Despite the setbacks, the team achieved 14th place out of 25, after the organisers factored in the number of “solar kilometres” – kilometres covered using only solar power – that the car achieved.

During the journey, Endeavour, which was built entirely by students and was Britain’s only entry into the international contest, covered 1,616 km using only solar energy.

Its top speed was 67 miles per hour and its cruising speed ranged from 31 to 47 miles per hour.

The team finally made it across the finish line in Victoria Square, Adelaide, at 13.20 South Australian time on Saturday (October 31st), six days after they set out from Darwin, but then had their ranking boosted by their green credentials.

Team spokeswoman Lucy Hickmet said that she was pleased with the result, particularly given that the University had been competing against teams with seven figure budgets, dwarfing their own funds of about £250,000.

“The fact that we managed to complete the race in a competitive position even though we limped across the outback, nursing our sick batteries through the desert, is pretty impressive,” she added.

“The other good news is that it was only the hardware we bought in for the car that failed in the event. Everything that we designed ourselves worked well and that should stand us in good stead for a return visit next year.”

Endeavour, named after the ship in which Captain Cook sailed to Australia, is about 50 times more efficient than a normal, petrol-fuelled car and, according to its designers, incorporates green technology that could be used in normal road vehicles in the future. It was one of a number of projects marking the University’s 800th anniversary year in 2009.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Licence. If you use this content on your site please link back to this page.