Solar Taxi Around The World in 18 months

Upcoming events:Sept: Hartford (14.) Boston (15. - 17.) Lake Champlain (18.) Montreal (19. - 21.) Ottawa (22.) Montreal (23.) Trois Rivieres (24. - 25.) Montreal (26.) / Nov.: Berlin (end of November) / Dec.: Poznan, Poland, World Climate Change Conference, 3. - 12. December
Solar Taxi crews goal:
They have just one aim: at least 50,000 km, 40 countries, 18 months and 5 continents…all the way around the world, from west to east. They start and finish in Lucerne.



Solar Taxi Presentation Video Clip "Through the Nullarbor"[Between Norseman, Western Australia and Ceduna, South Australia](above)

Videos of Solar Taxi round the world route in chronological order.(Scroll Down)

Fifty per cent of the energy comes from the solar cells on the trailer while the remaining comes from solar cells fed into the electricity grid and accessed via power sockets en route. Solar taxi has maximum range of 400kph and a top speed of 90kph.

The 35-year old Swiss adventurer, Louis Palmer is taking his solar-powered car on a world tour to promote conservation. The aim is to be at least 50,000 km, 40 countries, 18 months and 5 continents.

He is dismal with signs of global warming that he came across in his travels inspired him to build his solar car.In his previous travels through all continents, by bicycle, ultra light airplane and a car and saw first hand the devastation wreaked by global warming, from deforestation, floods and mass evacuations from the Amazon Rainforest area to droughts and famine in Africa and Afghanistan. Palmer says the many signs of global warming that he came across disturbed him. “The weather has changed so drastically in almost all the 60 countries.

Palmer started his world tour on July 3, 2007 in Lucerne, Switzerland and traveled across Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Serbia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. From Dubai, he shipped the solar car to Mumbai. Arrived in India the container finally has arrived, and we broke all records by clearing the container at customs within one day ...19.10.2007. Continued to Bali, Indonesia for World Climate Conference.
Solar taxi arrives in Whangarei, New Zealand on 11.01. Sydney, Australia on 30.01.2008. Solartaxi has arrived in Singapore from Perth on 25.03.2008.


2008 itinerary
The next big cities are:Bangkok (9.4.), Vientiane, Kunming (18.4.), Shanghai (12.5.), Beijing (21.5.), Seoul, Osaka, Tokyo, Vancouver, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Chicago, New York, Montreal

His vehicle named ‘the solar taxi’ which he build with the help of 12 university students, several Swiss companies and a German manufacturer of solar cells. Palmer envisions a future where solar cells will adorn rooftops of houses so that people can charge their car batteries. The solar taxi is equipped with luxurious, leather-covered bucket seats guaranteeing both fun and comfort. The person in the passenger seat too can drive the vehicle as the steering slides across horizontally.

This project will certainly set a world record of being the first motor vehicle powered by non-fossil fuel to drive around the world.



"Solar Taxi" Arrives in India Nov7, 2007


Solartaxi (Australia)30.01.2008


Swiss adventurer arrives in Singapore in Solar Taxi 25.03.2008

Melaka.Kuala Lumpur,Shah Alam-Malaysia

From Singapore to Melaka (Malaysia) 29.03.2008 Melaka,Malaysia.Louis Palmer said that the “Solartaxi” could reach speeds of up to 90kph.“Without sunshine, it can go for as long 300km and with sunshine, for about 400km.“On a cloudy day or during the night, the vehicle runs on the energy saved on the grid,” he added. Solartaxi arrived in Malaysia! Stops in Melaka, official reception in MITC, press conf., invited to wedding ceremony, and a little tour to Melaka historical places VIDEO VIA From Melaka to Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)31.03.2008 Petronas towers in Kuala Lumpur 31.03.2008 Shah Alam Sepang F1 Racecourse 02.04.2008 Q-Cells is setting up its new factory in Kuala Lumpur. We met the team and visited the construction site. Q-Cells hopes to go into production here by the end of this year. Then we went to the Sepang Formula 1 Racecourse and raced the solartaxi. Q-Cells Established in 1999, Q-Cells is the world's largest manufacturer of photovoltaic (PV) modules. Its core business is the development, production and marketing of high-quality mono- and multicrystalline photovoltaic cells. Since commencing production in 2001, Q-Cells has grown rapidly and now employs more than 1000 people at its site in Bitterfeld-Wolfen, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Q-Cells has developed the performance of its cells as well as its technological production processes. Q-Cells is also developing additional important technologies through partnerships for the commercialization of these technologies. How is a solar cell produced - Q.CELLS video Clip

Welcome to Bangkok! 09.04.2008- 13.04.2008 Meeting the Energy Minister Bangkok's Center World Shopping Center

Vientiane, Capital City of Laos 13.04.2008 A Pomegranate Shower for New Year in Laos Temple in vientiane Laos Luang Prabang, World Heritage Town 15.04.2008 One of the world's most fascinating places, Luang Prabang, lies in the middle of the Laos mountains on the shore of the Mekong River. Over the mountain of Laos

Solar Taxi in Beijing

From Laos to China 18.04.2008 Great welcome in Kunming 20.04.2008 Solar taxi has arrived in China! The team in Kunming Across Southern China 24.04.2008 Across Southern China From Nanning to Guangzhou, China 28.04.2008 Welcome to a city of 10 million people Guangzhou! 8 million city of Shenzhen Shenzhen 30.04.2008A great welcome in Xinyu 04.05.2008 Xinyu railway station front In Hangzhou 08.05.2008 Where the Silk Road ends Hangzhou Hangzhou frontpage From Hangzhou to the PV Expo in Shanghai 10.05.2008 PV Expo Shanghai Shanghai boat ride Magley Shanghai Transapid Xuzhou fastest in the world From Shanghai to Xuzhou 10.05.2008 On Mount Taoshan 17.05.2008 Confucius statue in Mount Taoshan Beijing 17.05.2008 Tienanmen Place in Beijing Forbidden City to Tianjin: By bye China! 17.05.2008 Forbidden City tTianjin Tianjin Port to Inchon Korea

Welcome to Seoul, the Soul of Asia 01.06.2008 Seoul skyline SOLAR TAXI IN SOUTH KOREA 02.06.2008 China is behind him and South Korea is his next destination, but Louis Palmer is having problems. The authorities have never seen a three-wheeled electric vehicle and don't want to give him a driver's licence. And then there's this ringing in his ear. Next morning the mysterious "HM" is on the phone again. "Louis, I have bad news. Customs want payment. Would 70, 000 dollars be okay?" Then the Swiss Embassy calls. "Mr Palmer, please send us your insurance certificate immediately. It's going to be hard to get you a licence to drive in South Korea, but we'll keep trying!" Interesting days in the S(e)oul of Asia 05.06.2008 City Hall Seoul In the Demilitarized Zone between North and South Korea 10.06.2008 Demiltarized Zone From Seoul to Busan 12.06.2008 seoul to Busan Make electricity out of rubish! 17.06.2008 "I came back to Seoul for two reasons: First of all I had to check my ear in the Severance Clinic. And second: Let's visit the biggest garbage dump in the world!" world's largest garbage dump is in Seoul The solartaxi is on the ship and on the way to Canada 20.06.2008 to Vancouver

The plan to travel across Japan together had to be cancelled at the last minute after being told they couldn't enter Japan with the Solar Taxi.

Starting North America with a Canada Day Parade 02.07.2008 An unforgettable experience, we joined the Canada Day Parade in Northern Vancouver, together with the Vancouver Electric Vehicle Association. Canada offers great nature and wide open landscape, so we don't want to miss the opportunity to visit the world famous resort called Whistler. Canada Day Parade in Vancouver Welcome to the USA 05.07.2008 made it to Seattle From Seattle to Northern California 10.07.2008 They are now surfing down the wild Oregon Coast to California. Nice sunshine, great scenery, big fun! From Seattle to Portland and Davis: These days are ment to be pure driving,and no events. But in Portland I get sick with a fever and cough, so we end up stuck in Ty's house. After two nights in Portland, I decide to go on with the tour, feeling a little bit better. The great scenery offers a greater outlook... Upcoming events

Video-22.08.2008 Episode 22: Los Angeles/ From Merced to Los Angeles 24.07.2008

16.07.2008- San Francisco: Berkeley- Going down Lombard Street 28.07.2008- Sunset Boulevard Los Angeles 29.07.2008 From LA to San Diego - The Aptera (electric vehicle): 30000 Dollar, 100 miles range, so far 3400 are ordered. 01.08.2008 Solartaxi goes to Vegas! 04.08.2008 Solartaxi makes it to Monument Valley 08.08.2008 from Moab to Carbondale, Colorado-Unique scenery south of Arches Nt. Park, Utah, USA 10.08.2008 Across the Rocky Mountains to Denver: Vail Pass, the highest point of their world tour! 14.08.2008 From Boulder to Nebraska through wide flat lands. 20.08.2008 Chicago- Downtown Chicago 24.08.2008 Visiting General Motors -Appearance at the Detroit Morning Show at FOX. Solar Taxi crews were pretty much surprised to get a warm welcome at General Motors, the company which is known to have shredded all their electric vehicles after they were successfully introduced some years ago. But GM has learned in the meantime, and Solar Taxi crews have also learned that in the area of Detroit, FORD has stored 700'000 cars that they can not sell. The automobile industries all over the world are worrying about the next economical crisis, and specially the American manufacturers are busy looking into solutions that may save them, otherwise they could go down like Titanic. 27.08.2008 They make a break in Toronto-Have fun at the CNE in Toronto! 29.08.2008 Niagara Falls-last stop in Canada!

06.09.2008 Washington - 2 Billion dollar a day goes from the US to foreign countries for oil. A message to Capitol Hill. Solar Energy is available! On the 6th Avenue, New York, 07.09.2008

Source: Solar Taxi Homepage

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