Wind Powered Cars – Set to Replace the Prius?
A Chinese farmer has recently invented a revolutionary new car which is set to help reduce the impact of engine emissions in a country which has overtaken the USA as the world’s largest automotive market; over 40,000 new cars take to the roads of China every day which has had a significant impact on the environment in terms of increasing acid rain and photochemical smog levels.
Tang Zhenping is the mind behind the wind powered car which can reach a top speed of 70mph. The car uses a ‘Frankenstein-like mash-up’ engine which amalgamates parts from a motorcycle and electric scooter engine. The key to the revolutionary car lies in the turbine on its nose which kicks into action once the car reaches speeds over 40mph, which will generate pollution free power for the battery.
Toyota Prius - Image Courtesy of Toyota Motor Europe (Creative Commons License)
Whilst this car is not an answer to the dwindling fossil fuel levels, it does pose an interesting viewpoint on using sustainable energy to further develop existing designs of hybrid cars.
The Toyota Prius is one of the most popular choices of hybrid cars, and over 2.5 million units have been sold worldwide to date, and has celebrity clientele including; Leonardo DiCaprio, Orlando Bloom, Gwyneth Paltrow, Owen Wilson, Julia Roberts, Dustin Hoffman, and Natalie Portman to name but a few.
The battery life of the Prius is also a great asset to the car, with recent tests showing that there is minimal degredation of the battery in a car that has done over 200,000 miles compared with a Prius that has done just 2,000 miles. A replacement battery can be obtained from Toyota for prices in the region of £1,500, or reduced price batteries can be found at other suppliers for a couple of hundred pounds, meaning that you can keep your car going for a lot longer.
The Prius also boasts a 7-seater model which means that larger families can benefit from a reduced carbon footprint when doing the school run or going on a road trip together.
The need for sustainable energy to be used in cars is more important than ever, and whilst the Toyota Prius leads the way, especially with their next generation models, a bit of ingenuity from inventors like Mr Tang will help to create better and more efficient cars in the future, and may also bring a new breed of cars to rival the popularity of the Prius.
With the amount of hot air that comes out of Hollywood, I’m sure a celebrity endorsement or two for a wind powered car will be on the cards.
Written by Brendan on May 16th, 2012 with no comments.
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