California man builds his own solar-electric vehicle
By Darren Murph 
posted Apr 26th 2008 2:37PM
posted Apr 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?
I'm sorry, but am I the only one who watched the video? One if them is named "Phelecia Hatch" Anybody else find that a hilarious?
It's a vagina..not a clown car, dammit.
Very streamlined for high-speed. If a strong gust of wind comes along, he's toast.
How can you fit 7 kids and 2 adults in it?
cmon.... seven kids isnt that bad! my neighbor's family has 14!!!!!!!!!!
ha is that guy mormon? cuz 7 kids is alot.....
~
There once was a horn-dog named 'Brady'
Who had *seven* kids with his lady
Now he buses this Bunch
With a solar-packed punch
Well, except when it's night or it's shady...
~
Bless you sir, bless you.
Spirit and Opportunity would be proud!
I think its an interesting idea, I don't think the designer had any real interest in making this vehicle fashionable. The guy shouldn't be ridiculed because it looks ugly. Least he's got it out there and I'm sure someone could improve on it.
The are two main reasons for an automobile:
- To get your ass from point A to point B
- To be a status symbol for the type of person you are (luxury for the rich, fast for the young and stupid)
His device gets the 1st one done, and saves him money - mass produce it and we'll all just use them to get around town and stick it to the oil companies
Simple
Yes, seven kids is a lot. You save a lot though if you don't educate them all. My grandma had 8 kids (it would have been 10 but the twins died in infancy) and they all survived to adulthood to breed their own (except for the youngest daughter of my grandma who is living on her own trying to come to terms with what happened.)
You save money if you don't send them all to school. Educate the three eldest, then let the four others help out at home. Let them learn organic farming. Then when the three already have established themselves and can afford it, send the four remaining siblings to distance learning school via the Internet or correspondence courses. Or train them as professional organic farmers.
I think this 7-kid family would save more by investing in garden soil and growing their own food first. Of course, that would make them the laughing stock of Pasadena, but it seems they already are the laughing stock of the Internet. If they get really good at organic farming, they can make it a family business - then use Daddy's invention to hawk around their home-grown vegetables.
This could be the start of something big....
"This could be the start of something big...."
That's what she said.
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