Eco Car Challenge

Archive for March, 2011

Hybrid Heaven?

Hybrid? Electric? Gas? Water? Wind? Hydrogen? There are so many different ways to power a car these days that it is incredible that the motor industry at large still focuses on the production of mainly petrol powered vehicles. Of course the cynics will argue that this is mainly due to the control oil companies have on the market. However with the recent troubles in the middle east continuing to affect prices of crude oil across the globe it is now only a matter of time before we are forced as a planet to consider fuel alternatives.

Honda and many other big industry names have already produced a number of more fuel efficient cars and their R&D departments seem committed to exploring new and cleaner ways to power our everyday commute. This seems sensible not to mention logical but what does it really mean to the consumer?

Most people hear ’hybrid'and start smirking quietly to themselves knowingly in a corner. Yet Hybrid cars are now more and more common then ever on the everyday roads. Take the new Honda CR-Z as an example. It has a sleek design and shows greatly the potential for Hybrid cars in the future. The mere fact that one of the biggest names in the automotive industry is investing heavily in this new technology shows us all the scope of change that is long overdue. Is it enough though?

The simple fact is that the majority of the world’s population do not believe in renewable fuels and energy as much as the media would have us believe. What will get people focused on changing the way they decide to buy a car in the future is how much money they spend. It always comes down to simple ecomonics. Big business is already ahead of the game on this and many insurance companies have already begun to consider (and in many cases offer) lower premiums to the owners of more fuel efficient car owners. This amounts to the consumer sometimes being offered cheap car insurance by many big named brands. It is this strategy that will end up convincing people to part with their gas guzzlers. GM and many other large motoring organisations are realising this and as we move forward into the next decade of the 21st Century it is only a matter of time before we are all driving hybrids and perhaps one day completely clean and environmentally friendly cars.

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Solar Powered Car Sets World Speed Record

Solar Powered Car Sets World Speed Record

Solar power has seen an incredible surge in demand over the past decade so they hardly stay on any retail display, and this demand continues to grow worldwide. Solar power is generated by photovoltaic cells embedded in a panel and it is used for the purpose of capturing sunlight and converting it into usable energy. This type of energy can be used for a variety of purposes such as, cooking, heating, and distillation of water as well as for heating water. However, a group of students in the University of New South Wales have taken the concept of solar power a step further.

A car called “Sunswift IVy” was designed and made by students. This car has managed to become the fastest solar powered car in the world! It is able to reach speeds of up to 88.8 km/hr. The car has also successfully managed to break the record previously created by Sunraycer in 1987 and was developed by General Motors, which reached speeds of up to 78 km/hr.

The “Sunswift Ivy” is not just attractive because of its fast speed, but it is also very energy efficient considering the fact that it does not require any fuel but uses naturally available sun light. The car uses only 1050 watts to reach its optimal speed and consumes 25% less energy than the previous holder of this record and is around 14% times faster. Developers of the “Sunswift Ivy” are quite happy with the results and they are willing to experiment with newer and better technologies in the near future.

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