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Written by Marcelo Da Luz
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Saturday, 26 July 2008 |
Xof1 Solar Car heads
to the North Pole!
Almost.
XOF1 FIRST SOLAR CAR NORTH OF 60
MAKING HISTORY WITH EVERY TURN OF THE WHEEL
Home-Made Solar Car enroute from Buffalo, NY to Inuvik, NWT and back -
10,000 Miles to Set World Long Distance Record for a Solar Powered Vehicle.
Pellys Crossing, Yukon. With the halfway point of Inuvik within a few days reach, Marcelo da Luz and support team are thrilled with the performance of XOF1 Solar Car. A former flight attendant, Brazilian born Marcelo da Luz first began building the car in his garage nine years ago. Now he’s almost at the halfway point of the new world distance record for a solar-powered vehicle. The route: a round-trip journey from Buffalo, New York to Inuvik, Northwest Territories- located 2 degrees above the Arctic Circle and at the terminus of the infamous Dempster Highway. Along the way da Luz hopes to raise awareness about the viability of solar energy and inspire others to accomplish their dreams in a positive way to benefit mankind and the environment. 'If I can go this far in a homemade car, just think of what big companies like General Motors can do.' da Luz says.
While his car may be homemade, da Luz is quick to point out that many people helped him build it. In the last 9 years, over twenty companies and a whole team of volunteers have provided parts, supplies, time, and labor to the project. 'It’s amazing,' says Mario Bilusic, an electrician who volunteered to build the car’s high-tech battery-monitoring system, 'When we started, I wasn’t sure if we could really do it, but seeing the car now, it looks so alive.'
The car is a sight to see. With its sleek, aerodynamic shape and domed visor, it looks more like a spaceship than an automobile. At just 2.95 feet tall, it’s probably the smallest car to ever attempt such an enormous journey. Its inventor says that’s a good thing. 'It wasn’t built to be a practical car,' says da Luz, 'It was built to set the record.' He says the strange shape allows it to run on minimal energy, which means it will still work on a cloudy or overcast day. It can even run at night on energy stored in its twenty-six lithium-ion batteries.
Even more impressive is the fact that the Power of One project, as it is aptly named, still lacks a major sponsor. Most solar car teams attempting such a journey are funded by universities and have crews of a dozen or more specialists. The self-funded Marcelo da Luz is traveling a bit lighter: he has a team of four volunteers - none of whom are a mechanic. The team will be leaving Dawson City, YT sometime after July 23 and sun willing, reach Inuvik a few days hence before retracing its route back to Buffalo, NY. For more information and updates, visit www.xof1.com.
"inspired by the sun, motivated by the environment"
To keep up with Marcelo's tour visit his website and news updates.
 
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 17 February 2009 )
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