Richard Gryzch has developed what he believes to be the first completely solar-charged electric motorcycle.
The Solar Flyer--named after the famous Radio Flyer red wagon--is a modified motorcycle covered in solar panels that generate enough electricity to power the vehicle for 50 miles, at a top speed of 90 mph.
Grych has been working on this project for the past 2 years, and he sold his house and other motorcycles to finance his dream.
But the hobbyist from from Apache Junction, Ariz., isn't finished tinkering with his zero-emissions bike--ultimately, he'd like the Solar Flyer to have a 300-mile range.
Source: Gas 2.0
The SolChat retails for $100.
(Credit: Scosche)Hot on the heels of announcing that it would be making accessories for the third-generation Shuffle, Scosche has "gone green" with a $100 solar-powered Bluetooth speakerphone for cars.
SolChat's backside.
(Credit: Scosche)If you haven't seen one before, these types of speakerphones represent one of the better applications of solar-charging in a consumer device. The device adheres to your windshield and collects sunlight to charge the internal lithium ion rechargeable battery. A USB charging cable and car adapter ships with the device so you can charge at night and on days with insufficient sunlight. A windshield suction-cup mount and sun visor clip are also included.
What's nice about the Bluetooth is that once you set up a pairing between your cell phone and SolChat, they will automatically connect once you enter your car and turn on the speakerphone (the SolChat automatically turns off once the pairing is broken). The speakerphone also has voice-announce technology that enables it to announce calls as they come in "so users can keep their eyes on the road while driving."
A solar-paneled Prius done by Solar Electric Vehicles.
(Credit: SEV)Toyota is developing a solar-powered Prius, the Nikkei newspaper has reported yet again.
It was interesting when we heard about this in July.
But it seems to us that someone over at Toyota has now been fake-leaking/hinting news about a solar-powered Prius in one form or another for at least the last year.
This wonder-car-in-the-making has gone from being a Toyota Prius that uses solar roof panels from Kyocera to power its air conditioning unit, to "a vehicle that will be powered solely by solar energy" to quote one recent Associated Press article.
You may find it interesting that this rumor always comes floating by on the heels of bad news from Toyota.
In July, it accompanied news of a series of Toyota plant closings/reorganizations in the U.S.
This latest rumor seems to be timed to follow Toyota's December news that it, too, has succumbed to the world auto industry slump, reporting its first annual operating loss in 70 years, and a series of consolidations and changes in its organizational structure.
Of course, there is already an available solar option for some Toyota owners in the U.S.
Solar Electrical Vehicles (SEV) has been offering an after-market Prius solar overhaul since June 2007. It includes a customized solar panel for a Prius roof that can improve the car's efficiency by about 29 percent. SEV also offers kits for the Toyota Highlander, Rav4 EV, and Ford Escape Hybrid.
For those who just like reading about the idea of a solar car, Canadian engineer Marcelo da Luz and his team have been blogging about their attempt to set the world long-distance record for a solar-powered car with the Power of One (Xof1) vehicle.
The Xof1 does kind of look like the Land Speeder from Star Wars...
(Credit: Newlaunches.com)I'm gonna file this one in the "Really?!" folder. Marcelo da Luz has been driving his Xof1 (short for "power of one") across North America in an attempt to set the world distance record for a solar-powered car.
When he reached Alaska earlier this week, a concerned citizen apparently thought the invasion had begun. The person spotted Marcelo diving around and promptly called 911 to report a UFO sighting.
Alaskan police quickly chased the Canadian solar pioneer down--the Xof1's max speed of 75 mph should have been their first clue as to what they were seeing--and after a quick interrogation, they promptly let him go.
This is actually the seventh time Marcel has been pulled over while driving this thing, according to Newlaunches.com. Why am I surprised by this? I don't know. I guess I just can't believe that someone mistook this obviously land-based vehicle for a flying saucer. Perhaps I need to get away from my sheltered, high-tech, green San Francisco life.
(Credit:
Toyota)
We applaud any carmaker that harnesses the power of technology, particularly if it helps fuel economy, makes driving fun, or makes us look cool. That's why we launched the U.K. version of Car Tech.
So our ears perked up when we heard Toyota is upgrading its Prius. Not only will it feature a hybrid electric-gasoline engine and automatic self-parking (see its robot skills in action here), but it will soon get solar panels on the roof to power its air-conditioning system.
That last bit might not sound too exciting, but it has potential. Automotive air-conditioning systems are usually powered by your car's engine, which has to work harder to keep the car moving and its occupants cool. By using a combination of a solar panel and an electric motor, Toyota is able to use the power of the sun against itself, save gas, and reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
It's a shame that these particular solar panels can't be used to power the entire vehicle, but there is hope: A U.S. company called SEV has already demonstrated a modified, solar-powered Prius that improves fuel economy by about 29 percent. According to SEV, this gives you a daily electric-only range of 20 miles.
We'll have to wait until 2009 to see whether Toyota's implementation makes a real difference, but in the meantime, you can watch our video review of the current Prius here.
(Source: Crave UK)
(Credit:
Gizmodo)
When we first spied the "Mini Solar Racer" last summer, it seemed like a neat little toy that would make a nice novelty gift for our greener acquaintances. Little did we know that it could be a miniature prototype for an actual car.
That, at least, appeared to be the case with the equally unattractive Taiwanese solar-powered car that Gizmodo rightly likens to a golf cart. Even if it does make good on its claims of reaching 44 mph during three-hour jaunts between charges, something tells us that this design won't have droves of customers jamming showrooms. It makes the Prius look like a pimped Hummer.
Until they make one that doesn't look like it escaped from Disneyland's Autopia, we think an electric Escalade is a better compromise--and more than $10,000 less than the Taiwan model's $24,600 price tag.
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