Eco Factor: Scooter powered by solar electricity.
Serving in Vietnam left Linda Carter with back injuries, heart problems and diabetes, which made her rely on an electric scooter to take her out whenever she wanted to. Like most electric vehicles, the scooter offered a limited range of 10 miles before it needed a recharge, which took several hours, keeping Linda at her home.
The solution was decided by Linda herself, who wanted to depend not on the electric grid but on the abundant solar energy, which could make her scooter travel more without needing a recharge. With expert help she managed to modify her six-year-old vehicle to run on solar energy, which during a sunny day can work endlessly as its batteries are continuously recharged by the sun. Apart from powering the scooter, the energy harnessed by the canopy is also used to charge Linda’s mobile devices.
The $2,500 green makeover makes use of a plastic device as a solar panel on the scooter’s canopy, which contains strips that absorb energy from the sun. All the energy is stored in a battery that lies under the seat of the scooter. Apart from solar electricity, the batteries can also be charged the conventional way. Linda is now trying to get the word out to others who depend on power scooters to get around.
Via: Lehighacrescitizen
