The First Solar Powered Car Debuted in 1955
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WASHINGTON --Aug. 31, 2014: Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:
RUNS ON SUN
Profile America — Sunday, August 31st. The 1950s may be recalled for many now-quaint things, but it was also a decade with antecedents for our current technological pursuits. On this date in 1955, William G. Cobb of the General Motors Corporation demonstrated the world's first solar-powered car. This vehicle didn't take the world by storm because it was a model a mere 15 inches long. The first solar powered car that could actually be driven was unveiled in 1962; a 1912 Baker electric car was fitted with nearly 11,000 individual solar cells on the roof to power the vehicle. Now, more than 50 years on, a fully practical solar-powered car remains a goal, but manufacturing automobiles, mostly powered by internal combustion, is around an $80 billion a year business in the U.S. You can find more facts about America's people, places and economy from the American Community Survey at Sensus.
Sources: Kane's Famous First Facts, 5457
