Tired of going fuel station? Worried about fuel price hike? Don’t worry you will find Solar powered motorcycle in near future. Tony Danger Coiro a 19 year old student of Purdue University has made street legal solar powered motorcycle that has top speed of 45 MPH (72 KMPH). The motorcycle will run 25 miles (40 Kilometer) with single recharge. The recharge will cost a penny for a mile (27 paise/Kilometer).
Tony converted 1978 Suzuki motorcycle which he bought for $ 50 (Rs. 2,500) into Solar powered motorcycle. He spent $2,500 (Rs. 1,12,500) for redesigning and retrofitting which includes photovoltaic panels and other necessary tools and parts. It took six month him to install solar panels on the motorcycle.
He has received preliminary patent for the finished product. The lead acid batteries that get power from the bike’s solar cells can also be charged by plugging into household current. Coiro along with two other solar-power vehicle enthusiasts has started the Purdue Electric Vehicles Club to help like-minded students expand environmentally friendly transportation options.
When asked about how the bike performs Cairo said “The riding experience is surreal. I get instant, silent, constant acceleration that outpaces urban traffic. It’s like riding a magic carpet.”
He also said that gas is not in infinite supply, so we need to go to another energy source in the future. They are not the solution to our energy problems, but they will be an increasingly bigger piece of the puzzle. We need to go to another energy source in the future be it nuclear fusion or fission, solar or wind. He also added that electric vehicles are four to five times more efficient than internal combustion an engine, that’s a big difference. Internal combustion engines are not the solution to our energy problems, but they will be an increasingly bigger piece of the puzzle.
Coiro is not stopping here he is already designing a 100 bhp motorcycle that will travel up to 100 miles (161 Kilometer) per charge and with top speed of 100 MPH (161 KMPH). This motorcycle will even take more energy from sun. The all-wheel-drive bike would include motors in each hub and no drive trains. About this new motorcycle he said that Purdue Electric Vehicles will encourage enthusiasm for, and knowledge and development of, electric vehicles by students and the community.
Coiro is planning to launch a company after his graduation that will develop electric vehicles. Eventually he wants to launch a not for profit energy company.
– Mahavir Kothari
