A German engineered vehicle called ‘Wind Explorer’ has managed to travel 5000km across Australia, using a combination of lithium batteries, a wind turbine and a large kite of all things.
We all know how crafty solar and electric car makers can get when it comes to traversing across the wilds of the Aussie continent, but this marks the first time that a largely wind-powered car has taken up the challenge and survived to tell the tale. The article mentions that the onboard wind turbine can generate enough wind power for a “daily distance between 250 and 400km”, while the kite sail assists with propulsion of the 200kg ultra-lightweight chassis (when loaded with the batteries).
If you’re still interested in racing renewables, be sure to check out the World Solar Challenge, held each year in Darwin, and continues down to Adelaide, bringing in contestants from around all the world – eager to run on little more than the sun’s precious rays for over 3000km.
[Via EnergyMatters]