Rising fuel costs have pushed electric vehicles (EVs) to the forefront but having an eco-friendly electric vehicle is still a work in progress. EVs powered by solar electricity seems to slowly gain ground as an eco-friendly money-saver option, thanks to Radio DJ Mark Goodier, who has become the first Briton to run a car power-driven by sunlight.
Goodier uses 12 solar panels to generate electricity. These panels are put up on the roof of his house in Hampstead, North London. The panels efficiently produce enough electricity to charge his car. Surprisingly, he also has some electricity left over to be sold to National Grid. Thus, Mark Goodier very easily manages to complete his 20-mile daily journey free of cost.
His electric Nissan Leaf takes eight hours for one full charge and runs with a speed of 90 miles per hour. The solar panels cost $20,685.35 and have been installed by Dean Keeling from British Gas. Government has decided to pay him $1,985.79 per year for 25 years. Goodier is more than happy about the fact that he no more has to visit petrol stations. He feels great when he realizes that he is actually contributing towards a greener environment in his own small way.
