Solar-powered vehicles take off on 1,700-mile race along path of Oregon Trail

Fourteen solar-powered vehicles are racing 1,700 miles from Nebraska to Oregon as part of the American Solar Challenge.

The solar cars will loosely follow the path of the Oregon Trail to honor its 175th anniversary, as well as the 50th anniversary of the National Trails System.

Competitors from national and international schools have entered their vehicles, each built in a different style and using a variety of techniques. Some of the cars are single-occupant, while others are multi-occupant. All of them were built to last, and are proof that solar power is a reliable source of energy.

Watch the video above to learn about how some of the cars were built, and to see them in action.