Round the World Solar Taxi

ZHANG:
Yesterday a solar-powered car finished its 17-month journey around the World at a UN climate conference in Poland. It drove more than 30,000 miles without burning a single drop of fuel.

STORY:
The car which drove around the world without burning a single drop of fuel arrived at the UN climate change conference in Poznan on Thursday, Dec. 4.

Louis Palmer, a Swiss teacher travelled over 32 thousand miles through 38 different countries after setting off in a solar-powered car from his Swiss hometown of Lucerne on 3 July 2007. Palmer's goal was to raise awareness about climate change and prove that his car is a match for mass produced petrol powered cars.

[Louis Palmer, Solar Car Creator]:
"We wanted to show to the people that the solar car is a very good solution for the future because it's not polluting the air, it's ecological it's economical and it is absolutely reliable."

The car is 30 feet long including the trailer and weighs 1,500 lbs.

Palmer admits he cheats if daily trips exceeds 60 miles -- he then needs to use a back-up battery, charged by electricity from solar panels.

Wherever he went people fell in love with his car.

[Louis Palmer, Solar Car Creator]:
"It's amazing to see people love this car, love the idea of a solar car, people want a solar car. But they cannot buy it so far, so I always have to tell people sorry, this is a prototype, I make it myself and you cannot buy it yet."

Palmer guesses the car would cost around $13,000 U.S. if mass produced, but this prototype, well, probably the cost of 2 Ferraris.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

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• NTDTV
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• World
• Solar
• Taxi
• UN
• conference
• Poznan
• Poland
• fuel
• Swiss
• Lucerne
• petrol
• polluting
• electricity
• prototype

[Odziz]

I been following the SolarTaxi's progress since it left Switzerland.

I was hoping it was going to come to the UK :(

[solarstory]

This is great news, lets see how it all develops.