CZECH REPUBLIC: Solar powered car stops in Prague on its journey round the world

A Swiss car designer and environmentalist has set out on his long term dream of travelling around the world in a solar powered car to promote the dangers of global warming. As part of his journey Palmer has stopped in Prague to show off his car. A man on a mission to spread the dangers of global warning, Swiss environmentalist Luis Palmer has stopped in Prague on his journey around the world in a solar-powered car. Palmer visited the Czech capital on Wednesday (July 11) to show off the environmentally friendly vehicle he has called the "solartaxi". The aim of his journey is to showcase various solutions, projects and organisations that work to fight global warming. It has taken three years for Palmer's dream of creating and then travelling around the world in such a vehicle, to come to fruition. "When I was 15 years old I wanted to drive around the world already then with a solar car," Palmer said. "But, I was sure you know, when I'm going to be 30 years old then everybody is going to drive only solar cars, because there is big problems with petrol, there is global warming, there is pollution and we do not have so much petrol. And you see now I am 35 years old and nobody is driving a solar car," Palmer added. The solartaxi can transport two people and has a nine metre solar panel on the roof, and an accompanying trailer which produces enough electricity to travel 15,000 kilometres a year. "I want to show for the first time in history that a car powered with solar energy, renewable energy, can drive around the world. And I want to show that there are solutions against global warming like this," Palmer said. The solartaxi is silent, it does not pollute the environment in any way, and it costs around one euro to travel 100 kilometres. The car can reach a maximum speed of 90 kilometres an hour, but to achieve ideal battery capacity it is recommended to travel at 50 kilometres an hour. Palmer's trip around the world started in his hometown Luzern on July 23rd, and is set to continue from Prague, through to Brno and Vienna. The 15 month long trip will take Palmer through Turkey, the Middle and Far East, Australia, America and then back through Africa to Europe, covering 50,000 kilometres, and 50 countries in 5 continents. For those interested in following Palmer's journey, the website www.solartaxi.com provides all the latest information.

ITN Source | July 13, 2007

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