Solar Vehicle Goes Around the World: Arriving at Environmental Charter High School, Lawndale
Lawndale, CA - July 18, 2008 - Louis Palmer, a Swiss solar pioneer and inventor, is completing an ambitious plan to travel around the world in a solar-powered vehicle called the “Solartaxi”. The Solartaxi is arriving at Environmental Charter High School (16315 Grevillea Ave, Lawndale, CA 90260) on July 21, 2008 at 1:00 PM. The name “Solartaxi” is an invitation for people around the planet to take a ride on solar energy and solar technology to a cleaner, nonpolluting future.
Environmental Charter High School (ECHS) and The Green Ambassadors are pleased to host the arrival of Louis Palmer, a true Ambassador of Peace, Solar Energy and Clean Technology for the planet Earth. After setting off from his Swiss hometown of Lucerne on July 3rd last year, his journey around the world will last one and a half years, taking passengers along the way, travelling over 40 countries, and totalling about 50,000 km. The aim of Palmer’s project is to show that solutions to combat global warming are available. He is going to start his North American leg in Vancouver on Canada Day, July 1st, and will arrive at Environmental Charter High School on July 21. He will visit the innovative small college prep campus for 4 hours from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm before continuing his tour. On July 22, UCLA will host Louis Palmer in his solar powered vehicle the Solartaxi.
“I have not paid a single cent for gasoline after driving two thirds around the world so far!” says Louis Palmer, the Swiss adventurer and solar pioneer. On July 3, 2007 he set off with his Solartaxi on this pioneering journey in Lucerne, Switzerland. Bertrand Picard, who is planning to fly around the world ina solar plane Solar Impulse in 2011, was the first passenger on board the Solartaxi, accompanying Palmer on the first stage of his journey. In times of depleting resources, high fuel prices and global warming, Louis Palmer of Lucerne is looking for alternative transportation technologies. The Solartaxi was designed and built by four Swiss universities: HTA - Technik & Architektur - Hochschule Lucerne, ETH - Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, University of Applied Sciences, Aargau and University of Applied Sciences, Berne. His mission: to make people more aware of climate change. He will travel 50,000 km with solar electricity.
The Solartaxi consists of a solar vehicle and trailer with high-efficiency solar cells from Q-Cells. The vehicle is powered by 100% solar energy on its 50,000 km-journey around the world. 50% of theenergy comes from its own solar cells on the trailer; the other 50% are produced, certified and fed into the power grid from the roof of the Swisscom building in Köniz and accessed via power sockets whileen route. The Solartaxi thus uses electricity from 100% renewable energy and releases no emissionsinto the atmosphere. On his promotional trip, Palmer wants to demonstrate that sustainabletechnologies are already perfectly suited for everyday use and that they can even be used to go around the world.
Take a ride in the Solartaxi during its visit to ECHS
The solar-powered vehicle has space for an additional person. Palmer makes use of this space to give various passengers a ride along the way - which is why the vehicle is called a taxi. The Solartaxi, which travels at a maximum speed of 90 km/h on its three wheels, is equipped with luxurious, leathercovered bucket seats guaranteeing both fun and comfort. The Solartaxi has the unique ability to allow either the driver or the passenger to drive the vehicle as the steering slides across horizontally. This is also helpful when the driver sides changes from right to left as is the case in several countries along the way such as England, Japan and Australia. The Solartaxi is accompanied by a conventional vehicle driven by the German student Thomas Gottschalk. The accompanying vehicle is needed as it carries everything needed for a trip around the world. Going east - and enjoying 40 countries along the way Louis Palmer set off eastwards on July 3, 2007 via Germany where he visited his main sponsor QCells. Via Eastern Europe, the Middle East, India, Indonesia, New Zealand, Australia and the Far East, he will arrive in Vancouver at the end of June. In Vancouver, a number of organizations are assisting on the trip logistics, including the Vancouver Electric Vehicle Association. His goal is to cover at least 50,000 km and to visit 50 countries and 5 continents. The project partner for this initiative is Presence Switzerland - an institution whose mission it is to present Switzerland abroad - together with the Swiss Embassies that are organising welcome events along the route. Travel between continents will take place by ship. If everything works out, the Solartaxi will set a world record, namely the first motor vehicle not powered by fossil fuels to drive around the world on normal roads.
For more information on the journey, click here.
Environmental Charter High School is honored to be one of the stops on Louis Palmers Tour
ECHS, an innovative college prep charter school serving the south bay, is honored to be one of the stops on Louis Palmers Tour. ECHS mission is to provide a rigorous college prep curriculum that extends learning beyond the classroom so all students graduate with the knowledge values and skills to become life long learners and quality stewards. Married with our mission is the Green Ambassador Mission which to create change agents of their communities. Consequently, ECHS grads matriculate with the problem solving and communication skills necessary to tackle the most difficult challenges of our future. With 90% of the class of 2008 having been admitted to four year colleges and universities across the United States, ECHS is confident our graduates will become tomorrow’s leaders!