Solar CarsSolar cars are vehicles that are powered by the energy of the sun. This is possible by the photo voltaic solar cells on the roof of the car. The photo voltaic cells are loading a battery pack (Lithium/ion) and the battery gives his power-to an electric engine near the wheels. These cars have three or four wheels.
The solar car racesMost if not All of these vehicles have been build for the famous solar races held in Austarlia, namely the "World Solar Chalenge" It's a race from Perth into the west to Sydney in the East. The first time this trip was competed in 1983. It was the start for a yearly solar car race between the two cities.The second solar car race with a name and fame is the North American Solar Challenge A few times a year held in the United States,and Canada.It's A competition between universities. Anyway, these cars need as much sun as possible to develop a maximum power, and that's why these solar races often are located in sun rich areas. Developed by universities and engineers, they are in fact more the look of an flying saucer than they look as a car ,but have probably the same technology.
It's often a special Lithium,ion , the same energy source that laptops have. There are also solar cars powered by lead acid batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries,Nickel-Cadmium batteries, and lithium-Polymer batteries. These cars . Like I said, are all High-Tech instruments. Many of them have a complex data acquisition system on board that monitor the whole electrical system. They compute all the energy that coming from the solar cells and all the energy needed by the car to drive on a cruise speed of 85 miles/ph 120 km/ per H.
For instants. During the morning when the sun is still low, the car will drive more on the battery pack. In the after noon, when the sun is high in the sky, the car will drive more on direct energy from the sun and load the battery pack at the same time. In the evening the stored energy will used again to maintain cruise speed. 
These cars are all prototypes, and not fabricated to drive around in todays traffic our on our city roads. No, they have been assembled to drive in the most famous solar car races of the world. Like I said before, It's all high-tech stuff inside these vehicles Driving these odd vehicles isn't that easy. Because of the flat shape of this vehicle, the driver is laying down, about 3 feet/ 1 m above the ground, what gives the driver a fantastic feeling of speed (100 kph/80 miles Per H. Luckily there is a whole team, and each member takes a turn. After all, the Australian race is about 3000 km, 1800 miles.
A maximum of energy from Lithium/Ion batteries and minimum on weight from titanium frames,makes that some of these cars are reaching a top-speed of more then 120/130 km/kph 75/90 miles km/ph. The top tree of the solar car races, are finishing those races with an average of 100 km/ Ph, 80 miles/ph. Now the good thingfor the environment is that the automobile industry has discovered the solar energy too, and ther's always some one who has to be the first one.There is already a company "Solar Electrical Vehicles" that has specialized in turning normal hybrid cars into Solar Hybrid cars. The solar cells put on top will charge a supplementary battery, and the Toyota Prius for instants will increase his driving radius on battery ,up to 20 miles/32 km per day driving. This means about 30 % more fuel economy, and 30 % less co2 emissions. The system costs about $2000 - $4000, but in two or tree years this system pays itself back.
The Toyota Prius Hibrid Solar
Every hybrid can be turned in a solar-hybrid car.
My personnel point of view is that these kind of cars are an big step in the right direction to lower co2 emissions , to-fight climate change and global warming, and preserve our planet.
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