Solar Car Circles the Globe

Just in time for the December Poznan Climate Conference, Swiss inventor, Louis Palmer completed his round-the-world solar powered trip.

Palmer, a teacher on leave from his job, spent 17 months driving his own creation — a fully solar-powered car built with the help of Swiss scientists — through 38 countries. The two-seater travels up to 55 mph (90 kph) and covers 185 miles (300 kilometers) on a fully charged battery.

“This is the first time in history that a solar-powered car has traveled all the way around the world without using a single drop of petrol,” he said, adding that he lost only two days to breakdowns.