He hasn't paid for fuel in 10 years, has never run out of charge, and was inspired by a famous race across the outback. Retired industrial engineer Ziga Dorkic wants to show you how it's done — for the Earth.
Heads turn as a high-pitched whirring sound zooms up the leafy main street of Haberfield in Sydney’s inner west.
Ten years ago he took out the Daihatsu Hijet’s engine and replaced it with ride-on lawnmower motors, batteries from laptops, and plugged it into his rooftop solar panels.
He was studying electronics at Strathfield when his professor asked him to help out with the solar racing car team at Meadowbank.
He got it second hand from an ad in The Trading Post newspaper for $100, then began turning it into an electric vehicle that would be powered by his rooftop solar.
He added 8,000 batteries from power tools and laptops, which hook up to a cable that runs down the side of his house from the panels when he charges the van out the front of his home.
At 75 years of age, the DIY enthusiast is showing no signs of slowing down — and neither does his whirring, red van.
The original article contains 625 words, the summary contains 160 words. Saved 74%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!
This is the best summary I could come up with:
Heads turn as a high-pitched whirring sound zooms up the leafy main street of Haberfield in Sydney’s inner west.
Ten years ago he took out the Daihatsu Hijet’s engine and replaced it with ride-on lawnmower motors, batteries from laptops, and plugged it into his rooftop solar panels.
He was studying electronics at Strathfield when his professor asked him to help out with the solar racing car team at Meadowbank.
He got it second hand from an ad in The Trading Post newspaper for $100, then began turning it into an electric vehicle that would be powered by his rooftop solar.
He added 8,000 batteries from power tools and laptops, which hook up to a cable that runs down the side of his house from the panels when he charges the van out the front of his home.
At 75 years of age, the DIY enthusiast is showing no signs of slowing down — and neither does his whirring, red van.
The original article contains 625 words, the summary contains 160 words. Saved 74%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!