Video: The Built-from-Scratch Solar Car
by Jeff McIntire-Strasburg, St. Louis, MO 
on 04.13.07
We've taken note of a number of solar car projects around the world, but none may be more interesting than the effort presented in New Farmer Films' YouTube video "Infinity Miles per Gallon: Art Haines and his Solar Car." Haines, a mechanical designer, and eight students from the local high school conceived, designed and built a two-speed solar-electric vehicle that carries two people, covers a 15-20 mile range, and achieves speeds of 25-30 mph. And if you think you recognize that shape, you should: the students decided that the Hummer should serve as the model for their car's outward appearance.
While the concept probably isn't practical for most drivers, the fact that this working vehicle was even built raises a question asked by the video's producers: if Haines and a group of high school kids can do this, why not major automobile manufacturers? ::YouTube via stilgar at Hugg
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Looks more like a bread/mail/ups van than a hummer, needs a flat hood instead of the sloping hood.
"why not major automobile manufacturers?"
because then it would require crash testing and air bags and ABS and an ipod dock and all sorts of other things. And even before it got that far it would take market studies and meeting after meeting to decide on what its going to be like.
Someone should start smaller, make me an electric ATV or Gator type of vehilce that I can tool around the house with on the weekend and make it have the same performance of the gas powered ones so it can jump and do doughnuts, make it fun for the riders then they will sell.
impressive! with more solar cells on the top, and a few extra batteries, the range could be extended twice or more than it is currently. right now since oil is still cheap enough to run big honkin' SUVs and even "heavy" hybrid cars (as in, heavier than this solar buggy) the average joe would rather have a car that can go +65mph with air conditioning blasting. as oil becomes more and more expensive during the down-curve of peak oil, cars like this will begin to spring up and become practical.... provided peak oil doesnt rip the economy apart and we cant even produce solar panels at that point.
Not to be negative, but every now and then I work on ideas for a modern City Car/Commuta car, and always come to the conclusion that an old used Geo Metro with a cheap low voltage setup with a limited top speed is a far safer and cheaper option.
Unless this thing was mass produced, it will be more expensive than a used non running car, and electric motors, batteries, and motor controllers cost the same whether you convert a car or build it from scratch.
Recycle an old car!
Top speed (and range) is limited by air drag, and a reasonalby modern car would have lower air drag than this thing.
Just my $0.02 for would be EV'ers
JC - the problem with recycling old cars is that they weight a large amount. because of the amount of energy required to move a car you have to make it extremely light- esp if using solar pannels. - eg the tesla roadster stores 35.4kWh of power, which would take an array of solar panels an intense amount of time to recharge.
As solar technology and battery technology increases however this will be very important :) and i think you'll start to see small (600kg-900kg) cars converted to solar as well as vans which have a perfect roof for solar pannels.
JC - the problem with recycling old cars is that they weight a large amount. because of the amount of energy required to move a car you have to make it extremely light- esp if using solar pannels. - eg the tesla roadster stores ~50kWh of power, which would take an array of solar panels an intense amount of time to recharge.
As solar technology and battery technology increases however this will be very important :) and i think you'll start to see small (600kg-900kg) cars converted to solar as well as vans which have a perfect roof for solar pannels.
Once again I am happy that you have chosen to highlight something I wrote about on your wonderful web page. Thank you really.
I understand that you are trying to promote hugg, but it gets frustrating that a very large and popular site (deservadly so you guys work your butts off) like treehugger can't throw a little link love to the little guys that are actually writing the articles.
Thanks for your time
The Naib/Stilgar
Perhaps they should have used Henry Ford's Model T (Model E!) for their inspiration. With their lightweight components, it could be solar powered. Aluminum bicycle tubing, mesh seating, plastic or aluminum body panels, and put the batteries near the ground for ballast. I'd love to see the tin lizzies back on the road again.