Solar-powered car driver tries to ‘save the planet,’ draw attention to alternative energy
Published Friday, August 15, 2008
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FAIRBANKS — Marcelo da Luz was watching the news on television in 1987 when a story about the World Solar Challenge came on.
The World Solar Challenge is a race through the Australian Outback in solar-powered cars. The story changed da Luz’s life.
The 40-year-old Brazilian-born Canadian decided he would like to drive a solar-powered car.
Twenty-one years and a half-million dollars later, da Luz is trying to break a distance record for solar car travel while bringing attention to alternative energy.
“What I’m trying to do is save the planet in my own way,” da Luz said before an audience of a few dozen people who assembled at the Cold Climate Housing Research Center for a demonstration.
Da Luz and his crew are touring Alaska with stops in Tok, Delta Junction and Fairbanks. He planned to leave for Anchorage by way of the Parks Highway on Thursday afternoon.
During the demonstration, da Luz climbed into the vehicle. Because of its aerodynamic design, he had to lie on his back. Helpers closed the fiberglass lid.
When da Luz accelerated, the car moved quietly and briskly, almost seeming to hover over the road.
Using less wattage than needed to toast a slice of bread, da Luz has been touring North America since leaving Buffalo, N.Y., on June 12.
“I always wanted to come to Alaska,” he said.
The former flight attendant was unassuming in a track suit, sneakers and baseball cap. He described himself as a slow learner.
“If I can do this, you guys can do anything,” he told the crowd. “If you could get ‘Forrest Gump’ and ‘Field of Dreams’ together, that is this project.”
Someone passed around a baseball cap, collecting gas money for da Luz’s support vehicle, a van towing a trailer.
The solar car cost about $1 million to build. It is licensed in Barbados because da Luz was unable to get tags in Ontario, where he lives. Half the cost of the car came from da Luz’s pocket. Much more help was provided by supporters, volunteers and sponsors in 23 countries.
Da Luz has six helpers traveling with him. Two are European and four are North American.
Michael Feith, who is Dutch, said he was staying in a hostel while vacationing in Canada when he joined da Luz’s crew.
“It’s a big adventure,” he said. “Every day is different. Your never know where you’re going to sleep.”
The journey is being documented on the project’s Web site, www.xof1.com.
An entry from July 26 tells of a wolf that approached the futuristic-looking vehicle while it was parked alongside the Dempster Highway in the Yukon. Pictures show the wolf sniffing the car.
In Walsh, Alberta, Canada, da Luz said the vehicle’s appearance started rumors of a UFO sighting. On his way to Fairbanks, da Luz said Alaska State Troopers stopped him following calls that a UFO was driving down the Richardson Highway. A trooper escorted da Luz for about five miles.
Despite traveling more than 4,000 miles in two months, da Luz has had only one near collision. He almost hit someone while changing lanes.
“Luckily, the driver was looking at me and saw what I was doing,” he said.
Da Luz said mankind must not wait for its governments to properly look after the planet.
“If we all do a little bit, it could do a lot,” he said.
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“If we all do a little bit, it could do a lot,” he said
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...totally true
http://www.evparts.com/
I wonder how his "rolling solar panel" works on a windy day while crossing a suspension bridge??
I remember one time [age 16, riding with a friend] crossing a bridge over the Columbia River in a VW-bus that I had help him remove a lot of weight from the van so he could move some stuff from Oregon to WA.. on the way over the bridge the 60+mph winds pinned us in that crackerbox against the guardrail like a flyswatter.. a trucker rescued us by loaning us his chains for ballast until we could get off the bridge.
[messed up his new paintjob on the veewee]
On one hand, it's kind of cool.
On the other hand, a million-dollar car that only carries one person, travels less than 70 miles a day, and can't run after dark is an excellent metaphor for the energy solutions the "save the planet" crowd would impose on us.
Very cool car. However, I wonder if its DOT approved in regards to being street legal. I dont see signal lights or anything, but then again its experimental right? I'd sure hope that by the time something like that becomes marketable that the price tag would drop at least 99% or so. As eco-friendly as it is supposed to be, it sure would be tough to take out a $1mil loan and pay interest.
At least you wouldn't need to pay for gas ever again...
Whew!!!! I thought I was losing my mind yesterday when I passed this car. Should have warned us the day before, I thought I was seeing things. It looks like a space ship floting down the highway.
Wow. I figured this would turn to Al Gore bashing within 3 comments. Nice work, everyone. Seriously.
Al Gore as ballast would keep that vehicle from being blown off a bridge. And if it didn't work...oh well.
Oh, g'les. All that wit and wisdom could be to such good use. What a waste.
The presentation was facinating. Mr. de Luz was very nice and quite willing to answer any questions the audience had. No, it is not practical for daily family use. And yeah, it cost him a lot to build it, but a lot of that was trial and error. The finished product could be a good basis for future efforts in the area. If you want to see how he built it, the whole project is documented on their website. He even has a section to show you how to help your kids build a mini solar car.
I want to say I think it was very kind of Mr. and Mrs. Egan to give them a place to stay overnight.
By the way, the person passing the hat to help them out with gas money was, I believe, Greg Egan. (I am a detail oriented person and sometimes have to pitch in my two cents when I know a detail. *smile*)
For those of you who missed seeing it, frankly it was way cool. The kid in me was absolutely facinated by its appearance.
If this was December - January, I'd be impressed that the car ran at all.
IUR: But, this is different. Therefore it must be ridiculed and feared. Duh. We can't *change* the way we think. We must do things the same exact way we've always done them. Otherwise, we'd have to face our insecurities and actually DO something about them! And besides, where's the longbed version? God, how stoopid. Do they really expect people to want this thing if we can't haul water with it?
Long live the F-350 crew cab dualie with a 460 and 40 inch mudders!
(It's sarcasm, for those of you sitting there scratching yourself wondering what just happened.....)
Lucy ... I'm with you!! I was SO HAPPY to see this story in today's paper. I was driving to Delta Junction Wednesday evening and just passed Eielson when that thing flew by me. Area 51 crossed my mind! LOL! I picked up my cell phone to call someone but then thought ... yeah, right, who'd believe me? Too funny! As for you Negative Nancys ... geez ... let the guy have his 15 minutes of fame in peace.
Um, this is the new cars of the future. Wonder how much a small accident would set you back?
nighshade: This is something called a prototype. (repeat: pro-toe-typuh) They're used in something called "research" Research is when you have an idea that hasn't been done before by someone else, but you really think it will work. So what happens is something called "an experiment" That means you try to make your idea work. It may not work the first time. Or it may not work the 35th time. Or it may not work the 230523563rd time. But, if you keep trying, eventually it will work.
I know it's kinda scary! I know it's not what you are used to. But it's a good thing!
(more sarcasm, for those of you that missed it....)
we get tickets for not having working lights on our cars, this guy gets a news paper story. Great how the state of alaska is all about making life better for the residents isn't it? We'd never get away with something like that.
Sure it's an interesting car, but if you come up on it, around a corner like we did... well lets just say the guy is lucky. You'd think for a million bucks you'd get some tail lights.
The naysayers abound! Most of the time affordability is not the first issue in creating something new. 20+ years ago when I was first interested in solar it was not affordable to most - it was still in its infancy. Now look. Solar energy is becoming more and more cost effective as time goes by. Marcelo did a great thing. Good for him. If we all tried to do a little bit instead of heaping scorn on those who do, just think how much better off we would be.
"On the other hand, a million-dollar car that only carries one person, travels less than 70 miles a day, and can't run after dark is an excellent metaphor for the energy solutions the "save the planet" crowd would impose on us."
Boy! thats the enterprising spirit! Thats exactly the type of attitude that made America great! Way to look ahead into the future! This statement really addresses the energy problems that we are facing! I'm so glad that the Republican Party is the party of ideas! I think i'll renounce my ACLU membership and join today!
Sourdough is coming Monday to fill up my fuel tank!!! Thanks Sourdough, your customer service has always been exceptional.
I just love it when people try to make everyone else look ignorant. But I know it's an prototype. They've been trying to make good one for years now. Had some driven in Australia also. But the price for producing one doesn't make it marketable it's power source makes it undependable the body structure makes it unsafe. Using gas to power and having solar when it's there as a back up power supply might be more a reality. But why not spend a few mill. just say eco-friendly then the cash just flows....
Thank goodness for posters like KenWoods or patcaribou. There superior intellect comes to the rescue again. Some of the rest of us were getting carried away, joking about the project. Of course, nobody said that it was a stupid project, or evil. Still, we needed to be chastised.
It is poor taste to make a joke about environmentalism. It goes on the list with comments about gays (unless you are gay or liberal, or both), comments about race (unless you are a minority race or a liberal, or both), comments about independent women (unless...), comments about young Muslim men, comments about the homeless, and blah, blah, blah.
Obama has taken it to a new level. You're not supposed to mention his race, his religion, his friends, his middle name, or his stands on the issues.
Thanks Ken and pat, for reminding us of our limitations.
No problem. At least I made you think, if only just for a fraction of time.
Thank you, in return, for showing us your homophobic, racist, misogynistic, prejudiced thoughts.
The fact that you were joking about the project shows a lack of respect for science, free thought, experimentation, design, engineering and honestly, one of the things you hold very dear: freedom.
g'les
you so sassy!
glacierles -
don't forget - you can't talk about his wife either :)
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