. SOLAR POWER: Sun-powered car completes first around-the-world trip (12/05/2008)
The first solar-powered car to travel around the world finished its trip yesterday at the U.N. climate talks in Poznan, Poland. The small two-seater, hauling a trailer of solar cells and carrying chief U.N. climate official Yvo de Boer, arrived with the message that clean technologies are available now to halt global warming. "This is the first time in history that a solar-powered car has traveled all the way around the world without using a single drop of petrol," said Louis Palmer, the 36-year-old Swiss schoolteacher and adventurer who made the trip. "These new technologies are ready. It's ecological, it's economical, it is absolutely reliable. We can stop global warming." Palmer began his trip 17 months ago in Lucerne, Switzerland. The 32,000-mile (52,000-kilometer) journey took him through 38 countries. Along the way, he has given rides to about 1,000 people -- including officials like New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon -- to convince them of the technology's viability. The vehicle, which was developed by scientists at Swiss universities, runs noiselessly. It can travel up to 55 mph (90 kph) and covers 185 miles (300 kilometers) on a fully charged battery (Vanessa Gera, AP/*San Francisco Chronicle*<http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/12/04/international/i042737S76.DTL>, Dec. 4). *-- KJH* _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
