Solar Vehicles: Innovative Transportation Designs Powered By The Sun (PHOTOS)

From The Daily Green's Jim Motavalli:

Everybody likes the idea of solar-powered vehicles, but it's easier to imagine as science fiction than it is to make real. But when an airplane recently took a 24-hour solar-powered flight - and landed safely - it got everyone fired up again. So here's a look at various forms of transportation driven by the sun - none of them ready for commercialization just yet. But the dreaming is getting closer to reality.

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Solar Powered Cars

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The 11th semi-annual World Solar Challenge (first run in 1987) takes place in Australia next October, and it's a cross-country race for whimsical solar vehicles that are like giant solar panels with wheels. There's a sporadic U.S. version, too, the American Solar Challenge (run last June), and it's a great challenge for college teams and other contenders to get something across the finish line. In production cars, solar can run the cigarette lighter or something equally undemanding. You can get a panel on the Toyota Prius (America's most fuel-efficient car, at least until electric cars hit the road later this year) as part of the Solar Sunroof Package (it keeps the interior cool). Toyota's Wade Hoyt told The Daily Green that only 15.4% have ordered that option since the 2010 Prius was introduced in May of 2009. The upcoming Fisker Karma, a high-performance electric sports car akin to the Chevrolet Volt, also has a rooftop solar panel from U.S. Quantum, designed to produce about 130 watts and, like the Prius, run a fan to cool the interior (and replenish an on-board battery). Check out these electric cars you can buy now. (Photo: World Solar Challenge)

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The 11th semi-annual World Solar Challenge (first run in 1987) takes place in Australia next October, and it's a cross-country race for whimsical solar vehicles that are like giant solar panels with wheels. There's a sporadic U.S. version, too, the American Solar Challenge (run last June), and it's a great challenge for college teams and other contenders to get something across the finish line.

In production cars, solar can run the cigarette lighter or something equally undemanding. You can get a panel on the Toyota Prius (America's most fuel-efficient car, at least until electric cars hit the road later this year) as part of the Solar Sunroof Package (it keeps the interior cool). Toyota's Wade Hoyt told The Daily Green that only 15.4% have ordered that option since the 2010 Prius was introduced in May of 2009.

The upcoming Fisker Karma, a high-performance electric sports car akin to the Chevrolet Volt, also has a rooftop solar panel from U.S. Quantum, designed to produce about 130 watts and, like the Prius, run a fan to cool the interior (and replenish an on-board battery).

Check out these electric cars you can buy now. (Photo: World Solar Challenge)

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