To give you an idea about future vehicles, you can check out the pictures and video at the following links (thanks to Catherine Hostert for the video of the wheel-less vehicle concept developed in China):
http://www.milliyet.com.tr/fotogaleri/36801-yasam-gelecegin-araclari-nasil-olacak-/1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQi_wjc22zg
In my previous article, I mentioned that alternative fuels are constantly being researched, and that besides gasoline, fuels like LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) and CNG (compressed natural gas) are in use, while countries like Brazil widely use ethanol for vehicles. You can read that article here:
http://serhansuzer.com/insanoglu-dogadaki-dengeyi-yeniden-nasil-saglayip-gelecegini-teminat-altina-alabilir/
I also listed the trend vehicles around the world are expected to follow current fossil fuel cars, hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles, and solar electric vehicles. In my opinion, solar electric vehicles will be the final point, and this technology will continuously develop.
I follow the latest developments in solar electric vehicles from many sources, but I especially recommend the website http://www.solarchargeddriving.com.
Solar electric vehicles are only now beginning to become an industry today. There is still a long way to go. Continuous improvements will be made in battery systems, solar cells, electrical circuits, motors, materials, and many other areas. This development will not only happen in land vehicles but also in sea and air transportation. Eventually, we will see vehicles powered by battery systems that maximize solar energy utilization (in sunny regions, they might not even need external charging), can travel far beyond the maximum distance fossil fuel vehicles can, and have zero carbon emissions. If you ask me how such rapid development can happen in every field, I’d say research and development must be prioritized, and at this stage, universities play a crucial role beyond private sector and R&D institutions.
About 45 days ago, Berker Beyazıt, captain of the ITU (for our international readers: Istanbul Technical University) Solar Energy Team (website: http://www.itugae.com) , visited me at my office. I’m not exactly sure how he found me, but what started with a simple email led to the foundation of a promising collaboration. He had come to discuss sponsorship for a competition they would participate in Australia (website: http://www.worldsolarchallenge.org). I told him that since our work is in CSP (Concentrated Solar Power), and solar electric vehicles fall under photovoltaics, I might not be able to engage deeply, but added that personally and as a company, we respect all solar energy technologies and wholeheartedly support those who want to work in this field. Although I couldn’t promise sponsorship at that time (we planned to talk again in January 2013), I expressed my moral support for their efforts. Following that meeting, he invited us to ITU for a test drive. I gladly accepted but said I’d arrange the visit once I gathered a group that could benefit from it.
After postponing it a few times, we finally made it on 6 October, a sunny Saturday morning around 10 AM, to ITU’s Maslak campus. The group I call “Solar Team” included Uygar Özesmi, former Greenpeace Director (who stepped down in late-August this year) and now Türkiye Director of change.org, Barış Doğru, Editor-in-Chief of EkoIQ magazine—an important voice in ecology and sustainability, “Solar Baba” Ateş Uğurel—one of the pioneers with the largest network in the solar energy sector, Ufuk Keser, partner at iRES, Serkan Koç—one of Türkiye’s best documentary filmmakers and journalists who has joined me at many events, and our communications director İpek Uralcan. At ITU’s Ayazağa gate, we were welcomed by Berker Beyazıt, captain of the ITU Solar Car Team.
A large and brilliant team of ITU students greeted us at the Maslak campus. They gave presentations in their fields. As someone who believes in supporting and empowering young people, I want to share these unsung heroes with you:
The students then introduced us to their demo programs. Honestly, I’ve never been good at racing games. I volunteered to try their demos and wasn’t very successful (I even told them the program has some issues with the sensation of speed). After a few tries, I accepted it, and we moved on to the real test drive.
Next, we moved from the presentation area on the Maslak campus to the parking lot. The parking lot was quite an interesting place. On one side was ITU’s stadium, where the ITU American Football Team was practicing during our test drive (yes, you heard right—American football has been gaining popularity at Turkish universities in recent years), and on the other side were elementary school students and their parents leaving ITU’s elementary school. In this unusual setting, I volunteered to take the first test drive in the parking lot. Many others in our group joined in afterward. To make it easier for us, we used the car without its top shell (the outer casing with photovoltaic cells) so it was open.
Here’s that moment:
When I was studying in Canada, I developed an interest in go-karting. We used to meet every two weeks to race go-karts. Driving this vehicle was basically like driving a go-kart—gas pedal with the right foot, brake with the left. Same setup. The ARIBA 5 is very quiet and can reach speeds up to 50 mph (80 km/h).
While other test drives were happening, an 8 or 9-year-old child from ITU’s elementary school and his mother approached us. This conversation took place:
Mother: What is this?
Serhan: It’s a solar electric vehicle. We’re currently doing test drives.
Child: Mom, is this a car?
Mother: Yes, dear, it’s a car.
Serhan (to the child): When you grow up and get to university age, study engineering, become part of this Solar Energy Team, and build cars like this.
Mother: Are these designed by ITU students?
Serhan: Yes. As you can see, very bright young people come out of Türkiye. Your son could be one of them.
Mother: Hopefully, God willing.
Serhan: Have a nice day. You’re always welcome here. (I said these words almost automatically because I felt a part of the Solar Energy Team and embraced the group, as I have always done.)
Mother: To you as well.
After a very enjoyable test drive session, we took one last photo with the car to immortalize the moment and end the day. Here’s the picture:
After exchanging best wishes to one another, we left ITU. Everyone in the group agreed that the excitement and positive energy of the young people at this event (you can find a video below, thanks to Serkan Koç) had a positive effect on all of us. Of course, this gave us yet another reason to be optimistic about the future. We left the Maslak campus through the Ayazağa Gate full of hope. We all have much more work to do in the solar energy sector!
Tag: ecology
