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Sun-powered world of luxury
The Egyptians knew the importance of the sun, celebrating the return of their sun god, Ra, with daily incantations and incense-burning rituals. As our fossil fuels grow scarcer, we are also discovering new ways of using the power of the almighty sun Solar power is becoming commonplace in electricity generation, but it is some of its luxurious applications that are full of eastern promise and surprise. The solar-powered car owes its existence to the photovoltaic cell, a tiny piece of silicon which transfers the power of the sun to the batteries. The photovoltaic cell made its appearance in the United States in 1954. Pioneering work by Daryl Chapin, Calvin Fuller, and Gerald Pearson at the Bell Labs harnessed the power of the sun for the first time and development progressed from there on.
Australia was one of the pioneering grounds for the technology to be tested out. In the early years of automobiles, the races were between the laboratories where research and development took place, as has been the case with solar cars throughout their short history. Hans Tholstrup and Larry Perkins opened up solar-car racing when they went on an epic Solar Trek from Perth to Sydney, Australia in 1983. The vehicle resembled a 16-foot open boat. It travelled 4052 km in 20 days, at an average speed of 23 km/hour. From these small beginnings, real progress has been achieved, as was seen at the latest Geneva Motor Show in March.
In sun-drenched climates, these cars could really be the way forward in avoiding the volatility of oil prices and their eventual demise. The latest in automobile solar technology was among the stars at the Geneva Motor Show. Despite the global recession, top-end-of-the-range cars are enjoying great popularity and limited editions add to the wow factor of these dream machines.
The Swedish car manufacturer Koenigsegg and NVL Solar AG have joined forces to create the NVL Quant; a marriage of power and energy has resulted in a four-seater solar electric car. This car is proof that cutting-edge supercars can combine speed, comfort, and enjoyment with environmental integrity.
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