Hybrid cars are all the rage these days. Most use a combination of gas and electric power to boost fuel economy and reduce emissions. But what about drivers that want to emancipate themselves from the gas pump completely? Well, you’ve either got to buy a pricey all-electric vehicle, or you’ve got to build your own hybrid. So that’s just what 55-year-old Tang Zhenping, a farmer from a small village outside Beijing, decided to do.
For a mere 10,000 yuan (around $1,600), Zhenping built a hybrid electric vehicle that he claims can reach speeds of at least 40 mph and travel almost 90 miles on a single charge. Looking like a cross between a go-cart and soap-box derby car, the vehicle is powered by batteries and two sets of electric generators. The car’s engine is built from the scrap parts of a motorcycle and electric scooter, while its steering wheel, upholstery and headlights all come from a Chinese-made Xiali hatchback.
According to Zhenping, large fan installed in the front and a pair of solar panels in the back help supply power by charging either the battery or generator, depending on which isn’t being used at the time. He claims the turbine means his car’s battery – which would otherwise need to be recharged daily – only requires charging every three days. If it’s true, this has to be one of the world’s first solar and wind-powered electric cars, but there are some auto experts who have their doubts about the claim that the car is wind-powered. As this UK news outlet reports, “critics say that any power generated by the turbine would be outweighed by the energy expended in propelling the vehicle forwards.”
Still, there’s no denying that the car is impressive. How many of us could go build a pedal car from scratch, nevermind a hybrid that utilizes multiple sources of power? Exactly.
Photo Credit: Still taken from BeijingCream YouTube Video