Solar Powered Car

[retro-man]

Obviously, we are not talking about next week's grocery getter here - but it does show that the technology can produce some cool results. Here is a link from "Jalopnik", and cut-and-paste below from the "Metropolis" article posted on "greenclips":

 

"ROSS LOVEGROVE CHALLENGES THE CONCEPT OF DESIGN-AS-USUAL

British designer Ross Lovegrove, who sometimes calls himself “Captain Organic,†is famous for his rounded shapes that push technology and materials. His friend, Greg Lynn, describes him as the high priest of material innovation who looks for interesting ways to manufacture things. Lovegrove’s System X modular lighting, which he designed for Yamagiwa, is composed of bent fluorescent tubes that can be configured into nearly any grid shape to fit in larger spaces. His goal was to reinvent fluorescent lighting—to make something that fit with contemporary architecture and uses less energy. Lovegrove is a challenger who believes in tackling societal problems head-on. “I don’t get out of bed and go, ‘Oh, I’d love to design a fax machine or another Anglepoise lamp,’†he says. Instead, he has designed a solar-powered concept car—in keeping for a designer who made his own windmill as a teenager. The design looks like an Apple mouse on wheels. “Not this aggressive Hummer-type language,†he says of the rounded design with LEDs bonded directly to the windshield, thin natural rubber tires, and mesh seats. It diverges completely from almost anything we’d call car. “We’re not going to get rid of cars. But in terms of design, they should not be such a problem,†he says.(bold mine) Lovegrove is working on a 100-piece bathroom design for Turkish company VitrA. The project includes a one-piece freestanding washbasin that factory officials initially thought was impossible to manufacture. Some say his most mysterious quality is how he can magically convince companies to make his designs. Lovegrove has won countless design awards, recently receiving the World Technology Award for Design.

Metropolis, May 06, p 146, by Jennifer Kabat."

[OAC Lineman]

In order for anyone to think about solar energy for their vehicles, It would at the very least have to look something like this. I don't know any specs on this car, but it does look like something you would see on the road. It also looks like it wouldn't have a problem incorporating our safety standards into it.