Blisstree » solar-car

MIT’s Solar Car

Noel — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 07:57:47 +0000

Right now, it does look like something that would have come out of a science fiction movie. But there is more to just how it looks. The newest solar race car that the MIT has created has got the goods that will make most owners of alternative energy vehicles drool.

The Solar Electric Vehicle Team of the university is the group behind this newest solar race car. They say that this ride can zoom by at speeds of 90 miles per hour. They had spent $243,000 on this one and they call it Eleanor. Just like the vehicle that Nicolas Cage was so afraid of in Gone in 60 Seconds? I don’t know.

But anyhow, George Hansel, one of the members of the solar team, shares, “It drives beautifully. It’s fun to drive and quite a spectacle.” They are working on the vehicle already and testing it because it is going to be taking part at the World Solar Challenge which is a 2000-mile solar race for seven days through Australia.

Source: Wired

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MIT’s Solar Car

Promoting Solar

Noel — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 17:14:58 +0000

Marcelo Da Luz has one goal in mind and that is to tell the whole world about the benefits of solar power and that there is such a thing as solar power. After all, many people realize that the sun is there and it is powerful however what they do not know is that it is really something that can help them lessen their energy bills.

What Da Luz has done was go on a solar tour by driving around the country in his solar car. His car looks odd though because it is said to be like a UFO of some sort. Recently, he took a stop at Palo Alto and people have been learning more about solar power through his car and through what he has to say.

On what he is doing, Da Luz says, “I’ve got no wife, no kids — only a cat, and she probably doesn’t remember me anymore. I lost my girlfriend and my job because of this crazy passion. It’s bizarre, but this journey has become everything for me.”

I’m surely rooting for ya!

Source: MercuryNews.com

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Promoting Solar

Solar Car Takes A Trip

Noel — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 17:22:28 +0000

If something unusual came your way, what do you do? Do you just not even think about it? Or would you ogle at it to get as much details as you can?

Well, a lot of people did the second option. They sure did get interested when a solar car came driving down the roads of Brookings in Oregon. See, what is quite different about this solar car is the fact that it is shaped quite unusually. You can say that it is like a race car from the Formula One but it also has been blended in with the shape of an alien spaceship. So there.

This solar car is known as the Power of One and you can simply spell it out as Xof1. Its humble beginnings started in 1999 with Marcelo da Luz at the helm. It has been driving the roads so as to claim a world record of driving with a car powered by the sun.

Source: Curry Coastal Pilot

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Solar Car Takes A Trip

And It Is A Solar Prius

Noel — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 19:10:36 +0000

Well, in the previous blog post, it was about a solar car being the weapon that Toyota has in the auto industry. The thing now is that there are plenty of rumors going about and they are all talking about this solar car that Toyota is cooking up for the industry. And in one recent report I read, the model is a Prius and it is going to get some upgrades so much so that it runs on solar energy.

According to some of the reports over the internet, the solar powered Toyota Prius is going to have solar panels which would be found on the car’s roof. These would then convert the sun’s rays into usable energy which would then be used by the car to run the air conditioning unit that it has. Aside from that, the power would also be used by the car to go for miles.

Now, I ask you this: Do you think this is true?

Source: CNet News

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And It Is A Solar Prius

Toyota’s Weapon: A Solar Car

Noel — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 07:56:15 +0000

In recent news in the auto industry, car manufacturers are actually losing a good amount of sales because of the current financial situation. And that is why these business people are trying to create a product that the public would devour.

For Japanese car maker, Toyota, their secret weapon is actually a vehicle that is going to run using solar power. Of course, this is just a rumor and it has yet to be confirmed as of present. However, what is being said in the industry right now is that this solar car from Toyota is what the public is going to want because it does not require them to spend up on gas. All that the car would need is the sun and it is going to start working.

Creating a vehicle like this is not easy. It is going to take years of research and development. So if you believe that this is true, then you better be ready to wait because it could take some time before you really get to see this one available in the market. If it is indeed true.

Source: AP
Image source: FreeFoto.com

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Toyota’s Weapon: A Solar Car

Solar Car Completes Trip

Noel — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 07:02:55 +0000

Since Louis Palmer had started his journey around the world riding in a car that run using the power of the sun, we all have been hearing bits and pieces of news of how things are going for him and just how far along has he gone. Now, it is very inspiring to think that this Swiss adventurer has already completed his trip. Yes. Louis Palmer has completed the journey around the world in his solar car.

The tour ended for Palmer and on the last leg of his trip, he had stopped at a talk that the United Nations was having. This talk was about the climate and how technologies that were clean were helping the world battle global warming. Of course, this solar car was a really good example of clean technology. This happened in Poznan in Poland.

Palmer had traveled for 32,000 miles. He started in Switzerland and journeyed for 17 months.

Source: CNN.com

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Solar Car Completes Trip

Solar Car Sets Record In Canada

Noel — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 17:36:46 +0000

All he had to do was make through the roads of Canada in the fastest time possible. It may sound simple but it is not. After all, you would never know what is coming up those roads. But Marcelo da Luz had been able to set a new world record. This Canadian was able to complete 15,000 kilometers in a solar car and he made that in 140 days.This record was actually held previously by an Australian team and that happened back in 2002. However, that is now broken and da Luz is the current title holder. He used a solar car known as the Power of One or the Xofl. Many have said that it looks like those flying saucer objects in the sky but it sure can travel fast and travel well.

This solar car could go up to 200 kilometers for one charging. And with that, it can achieve 120 kilometers per hour as its maximum speed.

Source: cbcnews.ca
Image source: FreeFoto.com

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Solar Car Sets Record In Canada

Wind and Solar Powered Car

Noel — Sun, 01 Oct 2006 02:56:00 +0000

I know there are Solar powered car, but solar and wind powered? Hmm…that seems odd. This golf cart looking car is the self powered Venturi Eclectic. It is powered by a 22hp electric motor charged by solar cells mounted on its roof.

So where does wind powere come in? There is a force wheel that rotates by sheer wind power. It looks like your average wind turbine and it also charges the battery. A full day of wind charging can power this car for about 15km.

No sun and no wind? No problem, just plug it into a mains unit at home.

A completely charged NiMH battery provides a range of about 50km and allows the car to reach speeds of 50km/h. Not bad. Great for driving around the neighborhood or passing by a near grocery store.
This will go into production in June 2007 and will cost about 24,000 euros.

[via motorauthority ]

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Wind and Solar Powered Car