Solar Taxi Traveling Around the World

With the looming crude oil madness, you can bet that the masses will be ~~pretending to care about~~ clamoring for alternatives when gas tops five bucks. Bad for most, spectacular timing for the the folks running the Solar Taxi project. A ragtag international group of environmentalists and engineering nerds has put together a completely solar powered car and they're in the midst of driving it around the world to show off the benefits. The trek began in July after a departure from Switzerland, and they've made their way through Europe, the Middle East and South Asia so far. Right now they're tooling around in Australia. The planned 15 month route will cover around 50,000 km and what looks like a couple Jalop back yards in the coming months. You can follow their progress through blogs and maps at their website solartaxi.com.

1:30 PM on Thu Jan 3 2008
By bwojdyla
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7 comments

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POLAЯBEEЯ at 01:49 PM on 01/03/08
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Is the meter running, 'cause I'd sure hate to see the fare!
TinaChow at 01:50 PM on 01/03/08
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@POLAR: You can bet the meter is battery powered. Wouldn't want that to screw up en route.
combat chuck at 01:52 PM on 01/03/08
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The guy on the right is wondering if solar is cheaper than peanuts.
POLAЯBEEЯ at 02:10 PM on 01/03/08
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@TinaChow: Thank you for pointing that out and I think you're on to something, but I think I've figured it out...

The meter runs on gas from a fuel cell in the front, and that is not an elephant, it's a gas pump cleverly disguised as an elephant!
Rust-MyEnemy is stll... at 02:18 PM on 01/03/08
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I love that the solar panel is on a trailer. That, effectively, makes it an outboard engine.

The aesthetic has a rather likeable, kind of Heath Robinson feel to it. Much more becoming than those solar powered desert racers, which are like, efficient and shit.

Wheres the fun in that?
NovaloadMissesPolar at 03:23 PM on 01/03/08
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Elephants are solar powered.

Alternative caption:
"Ganesh, god of obstacles, hinders the forward path of solar powered vehicles."
theholymac at 06:53 PM on 01/03/08
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I heard about these guys, and it's pretty cool shit, especially considering how low-tech their car is.