As the world increasingly seeks sustainable solutions for transportation, innovations in solar-powered vehicles are paving the way for an eco-friendly future. These advancements are not only reducing carbon footprints but also revolutionizing how we view mobility across various platforms.
All Aboard the Solar-Powered Train
All aboard: The world’s first solar-powered train has a surprisingly long history. This 1949 railcar was restored by the Byron Bay Train company in 2013 and fitted with rooftop solar panels two years later. It runs emission-free trips between the town center and a beach in Byron Bay, Australia.
Breakthroughs in Solar-Powered Electric Vehicles
Sunny side up: Student team TU/ecomotive from the Eindhoven University of Technology developed a solar-powered EV that captures carbon dioxide. The concept car — called Zem — stores CO2 in specially designed filters.Star power: Another project from Eindhoven University of Technology, the “Stella Vita” camper van traveled 2,000 kilometers (1,242 miles) around Europe without stopping for fuel or plugging in to charge. The campervan was designed to be light and aerodynamic, and was fitted with solar panels that allowed it to travel up to 600 kilometers (373 miles) each day.
Transforming Mobility in Style
Winging it: Nicknamed the “SolarButterfly” because of its “wings” covered in 80 square meters of solar panels, this mobile home can charge the car that tows it. Currently embarking on a four-year world trip, the team behind the SolarButterfly plans to spotlight 1,000 climate change solutions and pioneers, to inspire more people into action.A world first: It’s not just one-off projects that are unplugging from the grid: the world’s first production-ready solar car is here. Launched this month, Lightyear 0 features solar panels across its roof, enabling drivers to travel 44 miles a day without charging. It doesn’t come cheap, though: one of the launch models will set you back €250,000 ($262,000).
From Land to Sea and Beyond
Spaced out: Inspired by fighter jets, Aptera’s spaceship-like car wouldn’t look out of place in a sci-fi film. With solar panels covering the roof, its aerodynamic shape reduces energy use by 30% compared to other electric and hybrid vehicles, allowing around 40 miles (64 kilometers) of solar-powered driving every day — which Aptera says could help reduce a car owner’s carbon footprint by over 14,000 pounds of CO2 per year.Racing ahead: While Aptera and Lightyear are racing towards a market-ready solar-powered car, Sunswift is speeding towards another goal: the world record for fastest solar-powered vehicle. The project, led by a team of engineering professors and students at University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, has been building solar-powered vehicles since 1996 and hopes its latest vehicle, Sunswift 7, will live up to its name.
Sailing into a Sustainable Future
Plain sailing: It’s not just road transport getting fully on board with low-impact mobility. Soel Yacht’s solar-powered vessels offer a greener way to travel the seas. Its latest model, Soel Senses 62, has 44 solar panels fixed to the roof, generating all the power this yacht needs to cruise around the coast.A new wave:Silent Yachts has harnessed the power of the sun in its zero-emissions, ultra-quiet vessel that has limitless range. With no need to fuel up at ports, the luxury Silent 60 yacht can traverse oceans.
High-Flying Innovations
Shooting for the stars: From the seas to the skies, solar-powered transport is taking off. In 2016, the Solar Impulse 2 circumnavigated the globe without using any fuel, charged instead by 17,000 solar panels. Purchased in 2019 by US-Spanish startup Skydweller Aero, the company plans to turn the plane into the world’s first commercially viable “pseudo-satellite.” Using solar power, it will be able to stay in the air for months.
Everyday Solar Applications
Take a bike: Solar panels aren’t just for the luxury sector. In 2016, Sushil Reddy set off around India on a custom-built solar-powered electric bicycle, and now hosts events every year through his outreach project SunPedal Ride to spark conversation about sustainable solutions. His latest adventure was a journey around the USA in 2021.City solar: In 2019, Reddy created a solar-powered tuk-tuk to complete the “Golden Quadrilateral” route in India between Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, and Chennai. Tuk-tuks are a hugely popular mode of transport in urban India, and Reddy hoped the retrofitted electric tuk-tuk, which was partially powered by solar panels, would demonstrate various ways to decarbonize public transport.
Advancements in Public Transport
Fuel-free commutes: There are moves towards a brighter future in public transport, too. In Hong Kong, the Kowloon Motor Bus Company (KMB) has equipped over 100 double-decker buses with solar panels, which it claims reduce fuel consumption by up to 8%. KMB aims to have 2,000 solar-powered buses on the road by next year.
