Vacuum Celeb Dyson Wants to Build Solar-Powered Cars

Did you know Britain has a "most famous inventor"? Neither did we, but Sir James Dyson's creation intrigues us.

Dyson — best known for inventing the trendy/overpriced "bagless vacuum cleaner" that made him a fortune — envisions a future of solar-powered electric cars, collecting energy with either solar panels or a solar power source at home you could plug your car into. He sees photo-voltaic panels as the clean future of the automobile, going so far as to boldly predict that in 10 years plug-in electric vehicles will outnumber gas-powered ones.

You can excuse us for being a bit skeptical since we're still waiting on Chevy's Volt and evidence that battery technology can deliver the same kind of speed, range and convenience as standard gasoline engines.

Still, we so badly want to believe Dyson, and some of his innovations give us a glimmer of hope. (Have you seen his hand dryer?) The Dyson Digital Motor that made his fortune in vacuums weighs half what a similarly sized motor does, and with the aid of a computer chip turns faster than a Formula One racecar. Dyson thinks he can apply the technology to cars.

Powering a car is somewhat different than a vacuum cleaner, but we'll hold out hope that Dyson will provide the kind of improbable breakthrough he envisions.

Dyson Working on New Generation of Fast, Green Cars (The Independent)

Comments

[AmeriKKKA]

Dyson needs to lay off the drugs and go clean. Solar technology has been around for decades and yet have to be used in consumer vechicles. I dont think another 10 years will change the ratio of plugins to gasoline vehicles unless plugins will cost the price of a standard HOnda Civic. Regarding solar engery though, What will happen if you park your car in a garage and it doesnt receive sunlight to charge up? How about a dark cloudy day?

[hitman1970]

Some of what he suggests is using a solar array at home to harness energy that can be transferred to a plug in hybrid. Is this car design or charging station design?

[LM]

Actually, as I just wrote in the McCain blog, solar power is about to reach parity with fossil-fuel-based energy production. So, this is not so far off.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/06/business/06solar.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

In fact, Germany, which received as much sunlight as some of the cloudiest US states, is a leader in solar generation. It's coming - watch out!

[Mart]

I dunno about this idea, but his hand dryer is BRILLIANT. If he can do something half as innovative with vehicles then he is heading in the right direction...

[Chevy Volt Guy]

Maybe GM should hire him a consultant to make more cars that Suck! All joking aside, the guy is a genius of sorts and he has the know how to make a good thing like the Chevy Volt better.

Learn more about the Volt at http://www.chevy-volt.net

Leran more about Dyson at your local Macy's