Solar Powered Car to Hit Streets in Taiwan
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto 
on 12.30.07
It started out as a Taiwanese entry in the Australian World Solar Challenge and was scaled up. "As [our team] has done quite well in the past 10 years at international solar car races -- this year ranking second out of more than 50 cars at the WSC -- we decided two years ago to broaden our advanced solar technology applications and make a car for the consumer market," says team leader Ay Herchang. "At a time when carbon emission reduction and fighting global warming are top priorities of governments and people, a wholly solar-powered car would offer a good alternative for the green-minded."
original apollo solar car had a little less room but could travel at 145 Km/h
It ended up as a 250 Kg (550 lbs) two-seater capable of 70 Km/h (44 mph) that can run for three hours on a charge, and will cost about NT$800,000 ( US$24,600).
On vehicle safety, Ay said: "Parts of the car will be made with Nomex honeycomb, a material widely used in aircraft and aerospace components for its high strength, excellent impact and fire resistance as well as its light weight." ::Taipei Times
Before readers start complaining about the high price, it would have cost a third less a year ago before the fall of the American dollar.
UPDATE: See our earlier post on the Venturi Eclectic from France, already on the road. Thanks for the tip, Susan!
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Perfect! I don't understand why Phoenix would make a car that is so-so for $45k when they could put solar panels on for $50k. I will not pay top dollar for a car that won't charge itself in a few days of sitting in the sun. This isn't rocket science.
250 kg is not 113 lbs, but the vice is versa. So is it really 113 kg / 250 lbs? And does that include batteries?
Thanks I did the math backwards!
Venturi makes a much more attractive solar roof car, with a much larger solar roof area, and that only takes it 6 miles or so. You plug in at home for the rest, (ideally from your solar roof at home)
Heres a video of it from the Dec 11th 2007:
http://www.dannyscontentment.net/
Concerning Venturi, I wrote a little arcicle about it. You check this out. I love this car.....
Vladan
these look so sick
Nice Site Info, good!
My Site
Thats some kool cars man!
They need o go fast enough for city travel. 44 mph is pretty good. They need to be affordable so poor people like me can have one too. Otherwise, I'll have to keep burning a gallon of gas every 15 miles or so.
i like the second one i mean it's more energy efficient
wow i would totally buy one of these cool cars. They look so great and plcu there energy effcient!
It's more vaporware - you'll never see this car for sale anywhere and if it looks anything like the picture, it's not even worth making - even a cursory look reveals it's entire non aerodynamic.