The development of solar powered vehicles has been an ongoing endeavour since the 1970s. As the world becomes more environmentally conscious, there has been an increasing interest in sustainable energy sources such as solar-powered vehicles. Solar energy has been one of the most promising renewable energy sources, and researchers have been working on harnessing this energy to power vehicles such as solar powered vehicles. In this article, we will explore the development of solar-powered vehicles, the challenges that have been faced, and the future prospects of this technology.

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Curiours to know about history of solar powered vehicles? 

The first solar-powered vehicle was built in the 1950s by William Cobb, an American engineer. Cobb’s design used a small motor and a solar panel to power the vehicle. However, it was not until the 1970s that serious efforts were made to develop solar-powered vehicles. The oil crisis of the 1970s sparked interest in alternative energy sources, and solar energy was seen as a potential solution to the problem.

In 1977, the first World Solar Challenge was held in Australia. The race was designed to promote research into solar-powered vehicles and involved teams from around the world. The winner of the first challenge was a vehicle developed by a team from the University of New South Wales, which traveled 4100 kilometers from Darwin to Adelaide using only solar power.

The 1980s and 1990s saw significant progress in the development of solar-powered vehicles. In 1986, General Motors unveiled the Sunraycer, a solar-powered vehicle that won the World Solar Challenge that year. The Sunraycer was powered by 8000 solar cells and had a top speed of 67 miles per hour. The success of the Sunraycer inspired further research into solar-powered vehicles.

One of the main challenges facing the development of solar-powered vehicles has been the limited amount of energy that can be generated by solar cells. Solar cells have a low power density, meaning they cannot generate as much power as traditional gasoline engines. This has made it difficult to build solar-powered vehicles that are as fast and efficient as gasoline-powered vehicles.

Another challenge has been the cost of solar panels. While solar panels have decreased in recent years, they are still more expensive than traditional engines. Moreover,  this has made it difficult to build affordable solar-powered vehicles for the general public.

The weight of solar panels has also been a challenge. Solar panels can be heavy, making building lightweight, energy-efficient vehicles difficult. In addition, the space required for solar panels can limit the space available for passengers and cargo.

Despite the challenges, there have been significant advancements in developing solar-powered vehicles in recent years. In 2013, the Dutch company Lightyear unveiled a prototype for a solar-powered car that is capable of traveling up to 500 miles on a single charge. The car, called the Lightyear One, has solar panels integrated into the roof and hood of the vehicle.

In 2015, the first solar-powered plane, Solar Impulse 2, completed a historic round-the-world flight. Moreover, the plane was powered by 17,248 solar cells and had a top speed of 87 miles per hour.

In 2018, the University of Cambridge unveiled a solar-powered racing car called the Helia. Moreover, the car was powered by four square meters of solar panels and had a top speed of 50 miles per hour.

In addition, major car manufacturers, such as Toyota and Hyundai, have also invested in the development of solar-powered vehicles. Toyota has developed a solar-powered Prius, which uses solar panels on the vehicle’s roof to provide additional power to the car’s battery. Hyundai has also developed a solar-powered vehicle, the Sonata Hybrid, which uses solar panels on the