California man builds his own solar-electric vehicle
By Darren Murph 
posted April 26th 2008 2:37PM
posted April 26th 2008 2:37PM
Although Brent Hatch's homegrown solar-electric whip looks eerily similar (read: just as ugly) to the SUNN solar car kit, this one was actually created without the help of any pre-packaged parts or sophisticated schematics. After his gas bill rose well over $700 a month (he and his wife have seven kids, after all), he decided to purchase a rather unsightly eight-seater bicycle and figure out a way to enable roof-mounted solar panels to power an electric motor. Nah, the top speed isn't very impressive, and you certainly wouldn't want to head out on I-5 with it, but it sure makes picking up the offspring from their nearby school a whole lot less painful on the wallet. Check out the video in the read link for more.[Thanks, Dave]
I'd be embarrassed to get picked up from school in that.
That's OK - I'd be embarrassed to have you as my kid
Personally i don't care what you think of me I'm just stating my opinion on the article. Your probably just pissed that i posted before you could post "FIRST COMMENT."
Hang on Rik, let me get this straight, you wouldn't be embarressed being picked up in that?
I hope I don't have the same fashion sense as you...
Less than I would being picked up in some gas guzzling humvee or other ludicrous planet killer
It's OK to kill the Earth as long as it's fashionable. Duh. *rolls eyes*
So basically, slap a big Apple logo on it, right?
there are better energy efficient ways of transportation that a huge electric bike. For instance take the bus.
Personally, I'd find it mad cool to go driving in that jalopy- sure, it may be sorta weird lookin, but think about how much fun it would be! (as long as it doesn't rain or something)
That's pretty impressive. I think I do just fine with my bike though, no batteries involved.
You have 7 kid and a wife and you do just fine with your bike? wow... Must have some monster huge pegs on that sweet sweet machine.
Yup, it's like a human pyramid going down the street.
To have 7 kids and still have a wife, you BETTER have a monster huge peg!
Wait, what were we talking about?
3x3-seater bike, anyone? ;-)
SEVEN KIDS
I've been places where the average family size is like 10, with one or two families of 13 children.
..but I draw the line at 4. 4 kids, you're done, imo ;)
...they couldn't go all chinese about that, but they could certainly work it into tax law.
Retroactive abortion is an option, you know.
calm it down ladies.
Woah, flashback to Honey I Shrunk the Kids.
Eliminating children would prove to be much more efficient at lowering bills AND lowering your carbon footprint.
ha-ha chicken......i resent your comment...MICROSOFT FLAME WAR....ohh so there's no Microsoft involved ....yessssss
well, if we humans continue to overrun the planet causing sufficient environmental damage most of the population will die, maybe all of us. in a few thousand years the plant will return to normal and have forgotten all about us.
Perhaps a solar-electric child remover would be more effective?
OR maybe Allah will decide it's the Day of Judgment and time to end the Earth.
Just throwin' it out there. Not forcing it on anybody before you work yourself up in a fit.
Allah will do what Jesus tells him to!
eliminating you would lower the carbon footprint too. why won't you do that instead ?
2 out the last 3 stories have been from CBS2... hmmm....
So when do we see the instructable for this?
It' looks too tall and narrow, so the center of gravity is quite high. And your knees are the crumple zones, but I guess safety isn't really a problem because you're never going fast enough to have a crash..
Just because you top out at 25 mph doesn't stop someone else from hitting you doing 60. I guess it's no more dangerous than riding a bicycle.
If any of his kids are injured or worse in this thing, Dad is going to burn in a very special part of Hell.
Penny-wise, pound-foolish.
But, will it blend?
Or play Doom?
but will you shut up with your doom comments
So someone somewhere thought "Solar powered car that plays doom"...ermm yesssss
i wouldve just bought a old golf cart, wired up some solar panels on the roof and call it a day
dont think thatd work unless you modified it . most of the power seemsd to coming from thier peddling.
these parents need to stop fucking.
It's called sterilization.
Your proposed solution isn't feasible.
In soviet russia..!
I think its rather cute... (don't kill me people!!!)
But if I made it I would have it haptic feedback, GPS, 3G, bigger LED backlit Screen, glossy black from top to bottom, non-removable battery... etc... just like the 'new' iphone... then I would get Steve Jobs to ride it and make him see how 'fun' and 'useful' it is.
they don't have much money...
they should now
they went from 700 a month to 18 every two months was it for a new tire
granted they must still use the car now and then
jesus dude, u are so stupid. we get it u hate apple, i dont care go ahead and keep hating it. but dont bring it up when the story has NOTHING to do with apple. when it comes up go right ahead. its people like you that make me sick
geez ian... just meant as a light joke dude... you don't strike me as being a particularly big apple fan, but i take your point... sorry if i offended you THAT much...
im just sick of people bring up topics that dont apply to the subject on hand, especially the whole apple thing.
I have to post a comment to log in, I guess. And submit it twice for it to appear.
The first thing that comes to mind is "damn lucky Southerners being able to drive things like that." Here in midwest Alberta that thing would be useful maybe 6 weeks a year, the rest of the time it'd be too damn cold.
That being said, if I lived in California, I'd love to have one... but I'd put some panels or something on it to make it less ugly. :-p Functionality > beauty, sure, but appearance is still important.
These people live in my city, I see them all over town in this thing. They are trying to maintain their popularity after the "No Cussing Club" thing (Dr. Phil). These people make me sick and he uses this piece of crap to shamelessly self promote the fact that he is a real estate agent, an auto detailer, a dentist, a painter, an author, and motivational speaker. That is no joke. I have never thought being green could be so obnoxious.
He sounds like a Jack of all Trades/Master of None thrown in with a mix of Ned Flanders. Bad times. I feel sorry for South Pasadena.
What would have been more green would have been using a condom. Or at the very least the tried-and-true pull out. Seriously. He wouldn't need to be paying $700 for gas if he didn't have to transport so many kids. Interestingly enough his wife's name "Phelecia" reminded me of "phallus." A self-fulfilling prophecy? But I digress.
Seven kids?? Don't they have a TV?