Global Zero Emissions Car Race Launches

Australian, Swiss and German motor teams are involved in a global car race with an energy-efficient twist: all are hoping that this will be the first carbon neutral motor race in history.

The purpose of the Zero Race Adventure – which began on 16 August - is to send the world a message: green technologies are viable, capable of transporting people across the furthest distance imaginable and this travel doesn’t ultimately have to produce any CO2 emissions whatsoever.

“We want to show that we have solutions”, the organiser of the race – Louis Palmer – told news agency AFP. “There is climate change, petrol is coming to an end – everybody knows. But we have the solutions, like electric cars or renewable energy.”

Zero Race

Zero Race participants will travel through no less than 150 major cities – Berlin, Los Angeles, Shanghai and Moscow among them. The carbon neutral race itself takes place over a 30,000 kilometre course and, while in Mexico, the cars will take in the 2010 United Nations Climate Change Conference event.

The Zero Race builds on Mr Palmer’s own epic solar-powered car drive in 2008, which covered a distance exceeding 54,000 kilometres and lasted 18 months.

‘The success of Zero Race depends on the number of people reached and inspired enough to take action towards a more sustainable way of life”, Palmer added in a press release issued on 16 August.

‘The Zero Race is very much about showing realistic ways towards a cleaner and greener future for the planet and its people.”

Zero Emissions Motor Race

The electric cars involved in the zero emissions motor race will be custom-made, twin seat designs capable of covering a minimum of 250 kilometres per battery charge.

They include designs such as the German Vectrix scooter and Switzerland’s Zerotracer and they will use dedicated electric car recharge points along every stage of the course.

Electricity produced by wind and solar plants will be fed into national grids, offsetting associated transport emissions to bring them back down to zero.

Continual updates on the race’s progress are being published online at www.zero-race.com

Image supplied by Zero-Race.com

See also:

Drive to Reduce Formula One Racing Emissions

Japan's Challenger Wins Global Solar Car Race

Tesla Roadster Electric Car Sets Distance Record