This is the Trev two-seat electric powered car. Trev was designed and constructed by staff and students at the University of Australia. It weighs only 300 kg(661 lbs.) and can travel 150 km (93 mi.) of city driving on a full charge. This car competed in the famous World Solar Challenge in 2007, which is held in Australia and covers 3020 km (1988 mi.). Trev completed the race in just 6 days, traveling at an average speed 80-90 km/hr (49-50 mph). With energy costs at $0.18 per kWh, powering the Trev cost $0.2 per mile. The cost of powering the car for the entire race was only $33. That is the same as 1 tank of gas in my Chevy Impala; and there is no way I could travel 2,000 miles on 1 tank of gas.
If the car was recharged using wind or solar power, it would have finished the race with zero emissions. Because time was a factor, a diesel generator was used instead. This car is a huge leap in an emerging industry of electric vehicles. With two big releases of electric cars this year, big auto makers are starting to show their interest in cars that run on energy sources other than petroleum. These cars will be charged using fossil fuel electricity sources for the most part, but that's because we haven't found economical ways to power a house using alternative fuels. Houses and cars in the future being powered by green energy will greatly reduce our emission levels. This wont halt global warming in it's tracks, but it is a step in the right direction. Public opinion seems to be driving industry leaders to change their ways of production and consumption. With the attitude of "sustainability" becoming more popular, I think things will only get better from here.
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