Man Builds 8-Seater Solar Bike Car

If you have seven kids...you need an SUV. There is no other choice...it's the American way...right?

Well, unless you're amazing ecogeek Brent Hatch. Then you go and get a used pedal-powered tourist mover for $2,000 and deck it out with some solar panels and an electric motor, and call it the SUV of the future. It might not be as fancy as some solar cars we've seen...but it's a heck of a lot more practical.

Brent says the decision was made after he and his wife realized they were paying more than $700 per month for gas. It's certainly a lot slower than your average minivan, but for dropping the kids off at school and running errands around town it seems to be tremendously effective. The device has four sets of pedals and three small solar panels. If the batteries drain and the sun isn't shining, he can plug it into a wall socket. Or just bust out his ever-growing calf muscles and power his way home.

Is it from the future or the past? I'm not sure...but that doesn't mean I don't kinda want one. Check out this local news segment on Brent and his car if you're extra curious..

Via Engadget and the Ventura County Star

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Cool Idea
written by Josh, April 28, 2008

That sounds like a cool idea for daily life, as long as there isn't much bad weather to mess it up. It's like taking the idea of biking to work to the extreme.

Specifications?
written by Niels, April 28, 2008

Is it possible to add some technical details? What is the range? Max. speed and capacity of the batteries? Is it possible to drive it with muscle power only or is muscle power used to power the batteries too?

wow
written by Ben, April 28, 2008

It's obviously not something for everyone, but HOLY CRAP THAT'S COOL. smilies/cheesy.gif

Details
written by Chris V, April 28, 2008

$2000 for the bike. How much for the electric engine, solar panels, and installation?

Further, how fast does this puppy go? This is great, but if you're only going 4mph, it's not so cool.

Car/Auto Social site
written by Autocar-Live, April 28, 2008

I have submitted your article to http://www.autocar-live.com which is a social site about cars where users submit car/auto articles they like and vote for articles that others submitted and they like.