What is a solar car?
Definition of a
solar car: A solar car is a Green Car – GCar (environmentally solar vehicle) used for land transport which is capable of capturing solar energy from the
sun, converting the captured energy into electricity and using the electricity
to run an electric engine which causes the car to move.
Solar cars are environmentally
friendly because they do not release any greenhouse gases like
Carbondioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere. These gases cause global
warming when released into the atmosphere in excess. Hence solar cars prevent
climate change and hence strive to save the earth from extinction.
Read
more: Car purchase guide
History and Evolution of Solar Cars
The first
solar car invented was a tiny
15-inch vehicle created by William G. Cobb of General Motors. Called the
Sunmobile, Cobb showcased the first solar car at the Chicago Powerama
convention on August 31, 1955. The solar car was made up 12 selenium
photovoltaic cells and a small Pooley electric motor turning a pulley which in
turn rotated the rear wheel shaft. The first solar car in history was obviously
too small to drive.
Between
1977 and 1980 (the exact dates are not known for sure), at Tokyo Denki
University, professor Masaharu Fujita first created a solar bicycle, then a
4-wheel solar car. The car was actually two solar bicycles put together.
The Sunswift solar car eVe, which
holds an FIA world record and in 2016 will be Australia's first road legal
solar car
How does a solar car work?
A solar car has different components with different
roles and functions enabling the solar
to be able to move and cover distances.
1. These eco-friendly cars have solar panels mounted on
their roof or exterior and these panels help in gathering the sunlight. The
basic solar panel is made up of numerous Photovoltaic Cells (PVC), which
efficiently transform the solar energy into electric energy.
2. This electricity is then stored in the batteries of a
green car that are made up of special materials, such as lithium-ion,
nickel-cadmium and nickel-metal hydride. All of these elements help the battery
in storing more amount of charge then the other conventional battery types.
3. When these eco-friendly cars are accelerated, the
battery sends energy to drive the electric motor and in turn help the vehicle
move. A solar car has the capacity to generally operate in voltage range of 80
– 170 V and can have a driving range of about 50-100 km.
4. When a green car is parked under sunlight, the PVC
attract the sun's energy and convert them to electric energy, which is then
stored in the battery for further use.
More details on how a solar
car works.
How much does a solar car cost?
The
prices of solar cars vary. Solar cars for sale on online shops like alibaba.com
have prices ranging from US $2000 to US $5000 DISCOVER MORE HERE.
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