Wednesday April 2, 2008
Swiss uses solar car to drive home message
KUALA LUMPUR: Around the world in a year in a solar-powered car!
Swiss adventurer Louis Palmer, the man attempting to drive around the world without using a drop of fuel, arrived here on Monday looking proud and happy.
The 36-year-old former teacher is halfway across the globe in a solar-powered car on a mission to educate the people on issues relating to global warming and to promote the use of solar energy.
“This is the first vehicle to be driven around the world without a drop of fuel,” he said, when met at the official residence of the Swiss Ambassador to Malaysia Dr Urs Stemmler.
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Green car: Palmer sitting behind the steering wheel of the ‘Solartaxi’ with the solar panel in tow in Kuala Lumpur. |
“I want to show people that we actually have this technology, especially in this age where global warming has become a big issue. We just need to do something about it. Everyone has to do something about it,” he said.
“As a regular person, I cannot change the world but I can demonstrate to the world just how dire the global climate situation has become and how many sophisticated solutions there are to lower the greenhouse gases.”
Palmer started his journey in his “Solartaxi” on the occasion of the European Sustainable Energy Forum in Lucerne, Switzerland last July.
To date, he has travelled across Europe, Australia, Africa and now Asia. His target is to complete the journey and return to Switzerland after travelling across five continents, visiting more than 40 countries and with over 40,000km of driving.
“This is a dream come true. As a kid, I was taught about global warming. The whole idea conceptualised in 1986 and it took three years to build the vehicle with the help of Swiss universities, companies and experts,” he said.
He said that the “Solartaxi” could reach speeds of up to 90kph.
“Without sunshine, it can go for as long 300km and with sunshine, for about 400km.
“On a cloudy day or during the night, the vehicle runs on the energy saved on the grid,” he added.
In the course of his journey, Palmer has shared his two-seater cabin with ministers, nomads, journalists, backpackers as well as a Jordanian prince.
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