The New Childrens Encyclopedia

ELECTRIC CARS

259

Microcab

Useful for short journeys

O

Top speed 130 mph (210 km/h)
O

Range 250 miles (400 km)
O

Made in US

The Tesla is designed for people

who love ordinary cars but want

them to be environmentally

friendly as well. Its

powerful electric

motor can

accelerate almost

as fast as a gas-

driven Ferrari!

Tesla roadster
Fast, quiet, and less polluting

The life car

Stylish and speedy fuel-cell sports car

O

Top speed 85 mph (140 km/h)

O

Range 200 miles (320 km)

O

Made in United Kingdom

Built from lightweight aluminum, this

Morgan uses five times less energy than

an ordinary steel-bodied car. It speeds

from 0 to 60 mph (0 to100 km/h) in 7

seconds!

O

Top speed 40 mph (64 km/h)

O

Range 50–100 miles (80–160 km)

O

Made in United Kingdom

Fuel cell cars are being used as taxis

in Birmingham, England. They are

incredibly light and can travel for

100 miles (160 km) before they need

to stop and refuel.

O

Top speed Less than 20 mph (30 km/h)

O

Range 20 miles (30 km)

O

Made in Japan

Suzuki has created a single-seater

electric pod that is great for short

journeys. Two of the Pixy pods can

sit in a fuel-cell coach that recharges

them as it moves. The larger coach

can go on longer journeys.

Suzuki pixy

Three-wheeled, low-speed city car

O

Top speed 75 mph (120 km/h)
O

Range 60 miles (110 km)
O

Made in France

This solar car has no engine or

fuel cell. Instead, it’s covered in

solar panels with lenses on top.

These capture sunlight, turn it

into electricity, and store it

in batteries.

Venturi Astrolab
High-performance car powered by sunlight

 TESLA

ROADSTER

The Tesla’s rear wheels

are powered by an

electric motor and

batteries at the back.

TECHNOLOGY

Few electric cars are 100

percent eco-friendly, because

their batteries have to be charged

using electricity. Most electricity still

comes from power plants

burning dirty fuels. These

make pollution and add to

global warming.

7

/^7 

O
 100 percent electric.

O
 Powered by 6831 laptop batteries.

O
 The lithium-ion battery pack takes

three and a half hours to charge.

O
 Burns no oil.

O
 Accelerates from 0–60 mph

(0-100 km/h) in only 4 seconds.

TESLA ROADSTER

Batteries

Electric

motor

Air cooling pipe