In the spotlight: The solar taxi
The vehicle ended its journey to raise awareness about the fight against global warming with its arrival at the UN-organized World Climate Change Conference in Poznań.
The solar taxi set off on July 3, 2007. Between that date and its arrival in Poznań, the car covered a distance of 52,000 km and passed through a total of 38 countries, setting a world record for a solar-powered vehicle.
Everywhere it went, the car attracted a following. Passengers have included UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Monaco's Prince Albert, Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Palmer hopes the solar taxi will help propagate the idea of environmental protection through the demonstration that already existing - and not necessarily expensive - solutions can be successfully employed in the fight against global warming. According to Palmer, the cost of a mass-produced solar car would amount to approximately €14,000 (zł.54,300). The prototype, meanwhile, cost considerably more than a top-end sports car.
The solar taxi prototype dates back to 2005, when work on its components was begun at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich. The following year, the car was certified as road-worthy.
The vehicle is equipped with a trailer covered with six sqm of solar cells, which provided the vehicle with enough energy to drive up to 100 km a day, and a battery, charged from local sources, that allowed Palmer to drive at night or in areas with little sunlight. The solar taxi has a maximum speed of 90 km/h and its energy consumption amounts to 8 kWh/100 km.
