Test drive a solar car for a change

KOCHI: Ever heard of a car that moves on solar energy? The idea may be novel,  but Syed Muzakkir Ahmed, 57, from Bangalore has come a long way to Kerala with his prototype of a ‘car’ to explain that it is possible. This car can save you from all the worries that the petrol and diesel price hikes cause.   Aiming to curb pollution and in an effort to check depletion of ozone layer,  Ahmed has developed what he calls the “concept of a revolutionary solar car”- a dream he hopes to realise very soon.The car, which is facilitated by a 240-watt solar panel and a battery to  recharge with a small amount of electrical energy, is at present stationed   outside the Matha Tourist Home at Kaloor.  The car can run at least 25 km per hour before it is charged in the sun for at least  2-3 hours. With an overall riding capacity of 40 km without break, Ahmed expects the  solar car to be a hit.  “People are always willing to accept  new ideas if they helps them in the long run.  But, unless government supports such feasible  innovations, these concepts will remain only on paper,” Ahmed says. The car which does not need any registration or licence is expected to capture the imagination of the young and the old alike.  “It may be slower but is definitely cost effective,” he adds. For his efforts, Ahmed was  awarded the APJ Abdul Kalam Parisara Prashastha Award by the Karnataka Government in 2006. He is in Kochi to explain tostudents the possibilities and benefits of using a solar car.  ‘Solar Ahmed’, as he is fondly called in Bangalore, is a strong believer of change. “I was always inviting trouble by thinking out of the box. I believe  that one can solve problems only by inviting troubles,” Ahmed says. His innovations have always been inspired by the success of the Wright brothers. “Today people ride on Concorde and Airbuses, an idea that was foreign when Wright brothers developed the first aircraft. It took years for such concepts to become realities, but in the end their inventions carved a  significant role in today’s world,” Ahmed says.