Solar supercar

01 August 2008
The first ever road-legal, solar-powered car to attempt the journey from Lands End to John o'Groats stopped off at Lathom during its maiden run.

Pilkington has supplied the car's complex panoramic windscreen as part of its sponsorship of the Cambridge University Eco Racing Team, which plans to compete in the 2,000-mile 2009 World Solar Challenge across Australia.
The team's futuristic creation, which visited Lathom halfway through its week-long, 1014-mile trip from end to end of the UK, is a prototype for the eventual competition car. Parked outside the European R&D centre's front door, it echoed the format of the building's solar canopy with its upper bodywork almost entirely covered by photovoltaic cells.
The CUER team, all engineering students, used their visit to tour the PACE facility, where the windscreen was developed, and to discuss the project with Pilkington engineers.
"I was very impressed by the car's performance," said Chris Davis, Global Automotive R&D programme director. "When I first heard what they were planning to do, I thought it was a bit of a pipe dream and I was quite amazed that they completed this first trip on schedule.
"I understand that they had to take it up very steep hills on a trailer but even so, this first prototype is road-legal and capable of speeds up to 50 mph and that is some achievement."