AU Optronics Corp. ("AUO" or the "Company") (TAIEX: 2409; NYSE: AUO), a leading display and solar solutions provider, today announced that the company is one of the main sponsors of Apollo VI, a solar car created by Taiwan's National Kaohsiung University of Applied Sciences. Apollo VI is covered with high-efficiency solar cells provided by AUO. The solar cells could generate more than 1200W of electricity and enable the car to reach a maximum speed of 120 km/h. This newly-designed solar car will race for 3021 km with 39 teams all over the world to compete in World Solar Challenge (WSC) in Australia on October 16.

“AUO is continually providing innovative and high-efficiency solar solutions with its green commitment” said James Chen, Vice President of AUO Solar Business Group. “By sponsoring Apollo VI Solar Car to compete in World Solar Challenge, we provided high-efficiency back contact monocrystalline solar cells up to 23% conversion rate that were produced by AUO SunPower, a joint venture solar cell manufacturing facility in Malaysia. With the support of the high-efficiency cells, we wish Apollo VI the best performance. AUO also encourages young talents to come up with more environmentally friendly designs and technologies to create a greener life.”

Apollo VI is 4.7 meters in length, 1.8 m in width, and 1.1 m in height, and weighs around 130 kilograms without the driver and battery. The whole vehicle is covered with high-efficiency back contact monocrystalline solar cells in the area of 6 square meter sponsored by AUO. With 20W of power consumption per kilometer, the solar car could reach more than 120 km/h while the average speed is around 80 km/h.

The Apollo VI team consists of 20 students from National Kaohsiung University of Applied Sciences, one of Taiwan's leading engineering universities. The team, founded in 1998, built the first solar-powered vehicle in Taiwan and has taken part in many international solar car-racing events. In 2007, the team won the second place in the adventure class at WSC.