87:, while the skeleton framework was constructed of steel tubing, similar to what might be used in lightweight aircraft. The car had a large curved frontal window for the driver to see through, and side windows of clear fiberglass. The vehicle had a photovoltaic power system rated at 1 kilowatt, which powered it to an average speed of 14 miles per hour (23 km/h). The car's roof-mounted solar array consisted of two rows of ten 36-cell solar panels that were joined, giving a total roof area of around 91 square feet (8.5 m).
1647:
262:
276:
393:. p. 186. "The first transcontinental trip by a solar-powered vehicle was completed by Hans Tholstrup and Larry Perkins in the Solar Trek, a custom car powered by a 1 kilowatt photovoltaic array mounted on the hood, roof, and trunk. In 1982, the Solar Trek drove from Perth to Sydney, Australia, covering 2,500 miles (about 4,000 kilometers) in less than 20 days."
1659:
215:, gathered to watch the Quiet Achiever pass by. In addition, the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport (CAMS) monitored the Quiet Achiever throughout its journey to ensure that only solar energy was used to power the vehicle. When the car arrived in Sydney, thousands gathered to watch it approach the Sydney Opera House. It completed a lap of the
19:
68:
76:
242:, a solar-powered racing contest, in Australia in 1987. The World Solar Challenge is widely considered to be the world championship of solar car racing. The Quiet Achiever itself is now in the collection of the
59:. In December 1982, the car, driven by Hans Tholstrup and Larry Perkins, performed the first manned transcontinental journey using only solar power, traversing Australia from west to east.
1552:
1229:
637:
356:
323:
555:
1034:
907:
136:, travelling over 2,500 miles (4,000 kilometers) in under 20 days. By contrast, the first gasoline/petrol powered car took 30 days to do the same trip.
1369:
1336:
1331:
665:
495:
1374:
1390:
742:
427:
1518:
1453:
1395:
892:
390:
148:
1523:
1286:
767:
1685:
1537:
1044:
902:
783:
403:
1488:
1014:
808:
757:
464:
140:
297:
1321:
176:
1608:
1588:
968:
727:
621:
243:
1498:
973:
658:
156:
360:
327:
1695:
1508:
1361:
1350:
1224:
1071:
1029:
1009:
559:
922:
897:
737:
204:
200:
139:
The Quiet
Achiever's route was a 2,560-mile (4,130-km) west-to-east course which started on 19 December 1982 in
1690:
1662:
1423:
1405:
1296:
1142:
1129:
1124:
1024:
100:
Hans
Thostrup initially had the idea of auto racing using solar energy because he was interested in conserving
596:
1513:
1433:
1311:
1281:
1039:
1019:
948:
834:
829:
798:
793:
582:
267:
196:
168:
1651:
1493:
1463:
1428:
1415:
1301:
1076:
877:
867:
762:
651:
226:
was obtained. This water was carried across
Australia, before finally being ceremoniously poured into the
216:
101:
502:
1468:
1458:
1438:
1291:
1114:
917:
720:
715:
239:
208:
207:, eventually ending at the Sydney Opera House. During the journey, thousands of spectators, including
128:
In
December 1982 and January 1983, Tholstrup, along with Perkins, drove the car across Australia from
1503:
1483:
1478:
1473:
1448:
1443:
958:
887:
732:
700:
1157:
1137:
1104:
912:
848:
788:
747:
67:
1152:
1099:
872:
752:
133:
1198:
105:
1219:
1214:
1147:
943:
882:
813:
803:
477:
469:
386:
617:
440:
1276:
1244:
1234:
705:
1188:
1119:
212:
83:
The Quiet
Achiever was hand-built by Larry and Garry Perkins. The body skin was made of
1598:
1573:
1239:
1091:
993:
983:
953:
710:
109:
48:
1679:
1260:
1183:
1173:
1086:
978:
695:
674:
281:
227:
52:
34:
1628:
1583:
1316:
988:
223:
172:
38:
75:
301:
1623:
1593:
1568:
1326:
963:
938:
530:
261:
180:
160:
1109:
1081:
859:
430:. Solar Energy – Green Lifestyle for You. 1 June 2008. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
257:
152:
84:
41:
481:
473:
222:
When the journey started at
Scarborough Beach, a bottle of seawater from the
1400:
1306:
1178:
275:
188:
184:
120:
sponsored the Quiet
Achiever project, which was labelled the BP Solar Trek.
238:
The success of the Quiet
Achiever's trek led Tholstrup to found the annual
18:
1613:
1603:
1578:
247:
22:
The Quiet
Achiever solar car during its 1982-3 transcontinental journey.
1618:
113:
144:
192:
164:
129:
74:
66:
17:
462:
Tholstrup, Hans (November 1983). "Across
Australia by Sunpower".
643:
79:
The Quiet Achiever team working on the car's photovoltaic array.
647:
117:
56:
404:"William Cobb demonstrates first solar-powered car model"
525:
523:
1561:
1545:
1536:
1414:
1383:
1360:
1349:
1269:
1253:
1207:
1166:
1064:
1057:
1002:
931:
858:
847:
822:
776:
688:
681:
618:
BP Solar Trek vehicle known as 'The Quiet Achiever'
638:Pictures of the Quiet Achiever during its journey
33:, was the world's first practical long-distance
468:. Vol. 164, no. 5. pp. 600–607.
1553:List of countries by photovoltaics production
1230:Solar-Powered Aircraft Developments Solar One
659:
580:Crossing a Continent on the Wings of the Sun
8:
104:. He and Larry Perkins were inspired by the
51:, with the Australian-made car developed by
1035:Photovoltaic thermal hybrid solar collector
1542:
1357:
1061:
908:Copper indium gallium selenide solar cells
855:
685:
666:
652:
644:
351:
349:
347:
345:
147:on 7 January 1983. The trek went through
108:, a solar-powered miniature car built by
1370:Grid-connected photovoltaic power system
550:
548:
428:"More Key Steps in Photovoltaic History"
423:
421:
55:and his brother Garry; and sponsored by
1337:Victorian Model Solar Vehicle Challenge
1332:Hunt-Winston School Solar Car Challenge
289:
47:The project was promoted by adventurer
71:The Quiet Achiever under construction.
143:, a suburb of Perth, and finished in
7:
1658:
1375:List of photovoltaic power stations
558:. Snooks Motorsport. Archived from
359:. Snooks Motorsport. Archived from
326:. Snooks Motorsport. Archived from
112:which was publicly demonstrated in
1391:Rooftop photovoltaic power station
794:Polycrystalline silicon (multi-Si)
743:Third-generation photovoltaic cell
324:"The Quiet Achiever – The vehicle"
151:near Perth before passing through
14:
1396:Building-integrated photovoltaics
893:Carbon nanotubes in photovoltaics
799:Monocrystalline silicon (mono-Si)
300:. FirstCarNow.com. Archived from
1657:
1646:
1645:
768:Polarizing organic photovoltaics
274:
260:
903:Cadmium telluride photovoltaics
784:List of semiconductor materials
1015:Incremental conductance method
809:Copper indium gallium selenide
758:Thermodynamic efficiency limit
1:
1322:South African Solar Challenge
969:Photovoltaic mounting system
622:National Museum of Australia
244:National Museum of Australia
974:Maximum power point tracker
441:"BP Solar Trek description"
1712:
1225:Solar panels on spacecraft
1072:Solar-powered refrigerator
1030:Concentrated photovoltaics
1010:Perturb and observe method
789:Crystalline silicon (c-Si)
219:in 18 minutes 45 seconds.
116:, United States, in 1955.
1641:
923:Heterojunction solar cell
898:Dye-sensitized solar cell
738:Multi-junction solar cell
728:Nominal power (Watt-peak)
624:. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
531:"History of Solar Energy"
1406:Strasskirchen Solar Park
1297:American Solar Challenge
1143:Solar-powered flashlight
1130:Solar-powered calculator
1125:Solar cell phone charger
814:Amorphous silicon (a-Si)
496:"Report on solar energy"
381:Anzovin, Steven (2000).
1312:Frisian Solar Challenge
1282:List of solar car teams
1040:Space-based solar power
1020:Constant voltage method
949:Solar charge controller
835:Timeline of solar cells
830:Growth of photovoltaics
385:. H.W. Wilson Company.
268:Renewable energy portal
124:Trans-Australia journey
102:non-renewable resources
1686:Solar-powered vehicles
1302:Formula Sun Grand Prix
1134:Solar-powered fountain
1077:Solar air conditioning
878:Quantum dot solar cell
868:Nanocrystal solar cell
763:Sun-free photovoltaics
599:. Affordable-solar.com
501:. SEIA. Archived from
217:Mount Panorama Circuit
80:
72:
23:
1292:World Solar Challenge
1115:Photovoltaic keyboard
1045:PV system performance
918:Perovskite solar cell
716:Solar cell efficiency
586:June 1983 pages 50/51
240:World Solar Challenge
234:Influence after event
209:the indigenous people
78:
70:
21:
1562:Individual producers
1270:Solar vehicle racing
959:Solar micro-inverter
888:Plasmonic solar cell
733:Thin-film solar cell
701:Photoelectric effect
640:. Snooks Motorsport.
37:powered entirely by
29:, also known as the
1158:Solar traffic light
1138:Solar-powered radio
1105:Solar-powered watch
913:Printed solar panel
748:Solar cell research
465:National Geographic
1194:The Quiet Achiever
1153:Solar street light
1100:Solar-powered pump
873:Organic solar cell
753:Thermophotovoltaic
721:Quantum efficiency
533:. Elementsolar.com
383:Famous First Facts
298:"First Solar Cars"
134:Sydney Opera House
81:
73:
27:The Quiet Achiever
24:
1696:1982 in Australia
1673:
1672:
1637:
1636:
1532:
1531:
1345:
1344:
1220:Mauro Solar Riser
1215:Electric aircraft
1148:Solar-powered fan
1053:
1052:
944:Balance of system
932:System components
883:Hybrid solar cell
843:
842:
804:Cadmium telluride
35:solar-powered car
31:Holden Solar Trek
1703:
1661:
1660:
1649:
1648:
1543:
1384:Building-mounted
1362:PV power station
1358:
1287:Solar challenges
1277:Solar car racing
1245:Solar Challenger
1235:Gossamer Penguin
1062:
856:
706:Solar irradiance
686:
668:
661:
654:
645:
625:
615:
609:
608:
606:
604:
593:
587:
578:
572:
571:
569:
567:
562:on 23 March 2012
552:
543:
542:
540:
538:
527:
518:
517:
515:
513:
507:
500:
492:
486:
485:
459:
453:
452:
450:
448:
437:
431:
425:
416:
415:
413:
411:
400:
394:
379:
373:
372:
370:
368:
363:on 23 March 2012
353:
340:
339:
337:
335:
330:on 23 March 2012
320:
314:
313:
311:
309:
304:on 14 April 2012
294:
284:
279:
278:
270:
265:
264:
1711:
1710:
1706:
1705:
1704:
1702:
1701:
1700:
1691:1982 in science
1676:
1675:
1674:
1669:
1633:
1557:
1528:
1410:
1379:
1352:
1341:
1265:
1254:Water transport
1249:
1203:
1189:Solar golf cart
1162:
1120:Solar road stud
1049:
1003:System concepts
998:
927:
850:
839:
818:
772:
677:
672:
634:
629:
628:
616:
612:
602:
600:
597:"Solar History"
595:
594:
590:
579:
575:
565:
563:
554:
553:
546:
536:
534:
529:
528:
521:
511:
509:
508:on 13 June 2010
505:
498:
494:
493:
489:
461:
460:
456:
446:
444:
439:
438:
434:
426:
419:
409:
407:
402:
401:
397:
380:
376:
366:
364:
355:
354:
343:
333:
331:
322:
321:
317:
307:
305:
296:
295:
291:
280:
273:
266:
259:
256:
236:
213:Nullarbor Plain
126:
98:
93:
65:
12:
11:
5:
1709:
1707:
1699:
1698:
1693:
1688:
1678:
1677:
1671:
1670:
1668:
1667:
1655:
1642:
1639:
1638:
1635:
1634:
1632:
1631:
1626:
1621:
1616:
1611:
1606:
1601:
1599:Solar Frontier
1596:
1591:
1586:
1581:
1576:
1574:Hanwha Q CELLS
1571:
1565:
1563:
1559:
1558:
1556:
1555:
1549:
1547:
1540:
1534:
1533:
1530:
1529:
1527:
1526:
1521:
1519:United Kingdom
1516:
1511:
1506:
1501:
1496:
1491:
1486:
1481:
1476:
1471:
1466:
1461:
1456:
1454:Czech Republic
1451:
1446:
1441:
1436:
1431:
1426:
1420:
1418:
1412:
1411:
1409:
1408:
1403:
1398:
1393:
1387:
1385:
1381:
1380:
1378:
1377:
1372:
1366:
1364:
1355:
1347:
1346:
1343:
1342:
1340:
1339:
1334:
1329:
1324:
1319:
1314:
1309:
1304:
1299:
1294:
1289:
1284:
1279:
1273:
1271:
1267:
1266:
1264:
1263:
1257:
1255:
1251:
1250:
1248:
1247:
1242:
1240:Qinetiq Zephyr
1237:
1232:
1227:
1222:
1217:
1211:
1209:
1205:
1204:
1202:
1201:
1196:
1191:
1186:
1181:
1176:
1170:
1168:
1167:Land transport
1164:
1163:
1161:
1160:
1155:
1150:
1145:
1140:
1135:
1132:
1127:
1122:
1117:
1112:
1107:
1102:
1097:
1094:
1092:Solar backpack
1089:
1084:
1079:
1074:
1068:
1066:
1059:
1055:
1054:
1051:
1050:
1048:
1047:
1042:
1037:
1032:
1027:
1022:
1017:
1012:
1006:
1004:
1000:
999:
997:
996:
994:Synchronverter
991:
986:
984:Solar shingles
981:
976:
971:
966:
961:
956:
954:Solar inverter
951:
946:
941:
935:
933:
929:
928:
926:
925:
920:
915:
910:
905:
900:
895:
890:
885:
880:
875:
870:
864:
862:
853:
845:
844:
841:
840:
838:
837:
832:
826:
824:
820:
819:
817:
816:
811:
806:
801:
796:
791:
786:
780:
778:
774:
773:
771:
770:
765:
760:
755:
750:
745:
740:
735:
730:
725:
724:
723:
713:
711:Solar constant
708:
703:
698:
692:
690:
683:
679:
678:
673:
671:
670:
663:
656:
648:
642:
641:
633:
632:External links
630:
627:
626:
610:
588:
573:
544:
519:
487:
454:
432:
417:
395:
374:
341:
315:
288:
287:
286:
285:
271:
255:
252:
235:
232:
149:Southern Cross
125:
122:
110:General Motors
97:
94:
92:
89:
64:
61:
49:Hans Tholstrup
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1708:
1697:
1694:
1692:
1689:
1687:
1684:
1683:
1681:
1666:
1665:
1656:
1654:
1653:
1644:
1643:
1640:
1630:
1627:
1625:
1622:
1620:
1617:
1615:
1612:
1610:
1607:
1605:
1602:
1600:
1597:
1595:
1592:
1590:
1587:
1585:
1582:
1580:
1577:
1575:
1572:
1570:
1567:
1566:
1564:
1560:
1554:
1551:
1550:
1548:
1544:
1541:
1539:
1535:
1525:
1522:
1520:
1517:
1515:
1512:
1510:
1507:
1505:
1502:
1500:
1497:
1495:
1492:
1490:
1487:
1485:
1482:
1480:
1477:
1475:
1472:
1470:
1467:
1465:
1462:
1460:
1457:
1455:
1452:
1450:
1447:
1445:
1442:
1440:
1437:
1435:
1432:
1430:
1427:
1425:
1422:
1421:
1419:
1417:
1413:
1407:
1404:
1402:
1399:
1397:
1394:
1392:
1389:
1388:
1386:
1382:
1376:
1373:
1371:
1368:
1367:
1365:
1363:
1359:
1356:
1354:
1348:
1338:
1335:
1333:
1330:
1328:
1325:
1323:
1320:
1318:
1315:
1313:
1310:
1308:
1305:
1303:
1300:
1298:
1295:
1293:
1290:
1288:
1285:
1283:
1280:
1278:
1275:
1274:
1272:
1268:
1262:
1259:
1258:
1256:
1252:
1246:
1243:
1241:
1238:
1236:
1233:
1231:
1228:
1226:
1223:
1221:
1218:
1216:
1213:
1212:
1210:
1208:Air transport
1206:
1200:
1197:
1195:
1192:
1190:
1187:
1185:
1184:Solar roadway
1182:
1180:
1177:
1175:
1174:Solar vehicle
1172:
1171:
1169:
1165:
1159:
1156:
1154:
1151:
1149:
1146:
1144:
1141:
1139:
1136:
1133:
1131:
1128:
1126:
1123:
1121:
1118:
1116:
1113:
1111:
1108:
1106:
1103:
1101:
1098:
1095:
1093:
1090:
1088:
1087:Solar charger
1085:
1083:
1080:
1078:
1075:
1073:
1070:
1069:
1067:
1063:
1060:
1056:
1046:
1043:
1041:
1038:
1036:
1033:
1031:
1028:
1026:
1023:
1021:
1018:
1016:
1013:
1011:
1008:
1007:
1005:
1001:
995:
992:
990:
987:
985:
982:
980:
979:Solar tracker
977:
975:
972:
970:
967:
965:
962:
960:
957:
955:
952:
950:
947:
945:
942:
940:
937:
936:
934:
930:
924:
921:
919:
916:
914:
911:
909:
906:
904:
901:
899:
896:
894:
891:
889:
886:
884:
881:
879:
876:
874:
871:
869:
866:
865:
863:
861:
857:
854:
852:
846:
836:
833:
831:
828:
827:
825:
821:
815:
812:
810:
807:
805:
802:
800:
797:
795:
792:
790:
787:
785:
782:
781:
779:
775:
769:
766:
764:
761:
759:
756:
754:
751:
749:
746:
744:
741:
739:
736:
734:
731:
729:
726:
722:
719:
718:
717:
714:
712:
709:
707:
704:
702:
699:
697:
696:Photovoltaics
694:
693:
691:
687:
684:
680:
676:
675:Photovoltaics
669:
664:
662:
657:
655:
650:
649:
646:
639:
636:
635:
631:
623:
619:
614:
611:
598:
592:
589:
585:
584:
577:
574:
561:
557:
551:
549:
545:
532:
526:
524:
520:
504:
497:
491:
488:
483:
479:
475:
471:
467:
466:
458:
455:
442:
436:
433:
429:
424:
422:
418:
406:. History.com
405:
399:
396:
392:
391:0-8242-0958-3
388:
384:
378:
375:
362:
358:
357:"The Journey"
352:
350:
348:
346:
342:
329:
325:
319:
316:
303:
299:
293:
290:
283:
282:Energy portal
277:
272:
269:
263:
258:
253:
251:
249:
245:
241:
233:
231:
229:
228:Pacific Ocean
225:
220:
218:
214:
210:
206:
202:
198:
194:
190:
186:
182:
178:
174:
170:
166:
162:
158:
154:
150:
146:
142:
137:
135:
131:
123:
121:
119:
115:
111:
107:
103:
95:
90:
88:
86:
77:
69:
62:
60:
58:
54:
53:Larry Perkins
50:
45:
43:
40:
36:
32:
28:
20:
16:
1663:
1650:
1629:Yingli Solar
1609:Sungen Solar
1584:Motech Solar
1538:PV companies
1499:South Africa
1317:Solar Splash
1193:
1058:Applications
989:Solar mirror
849:Photovoltaic
613:
601:. Retrieved
591:
581:
576:
564:. Retrieved
560:the original
535:. Retrieved
510:. Retrieved
503:the original
490:
463:
457:
445:. Retrieved
443:. NMA.gov.au
435:
408:. Retrieved
398:
382:
377:
365:. Retrieved
361:the original
332:. Retrieved
328:the original
318:
306:. Retrieved
302:the original
292:
237:
224:Indian Ocean
221:
177:Peterborough
173:Port Augusta
138:
127:
99:
82:
46:
39:photovoltaic
30:
26:
25:
15:
1624:Trina Solar
1569:First Solar
1509:Switzerland
1489:Netherlands
1327:Tour de Sol
1025:Fill factor
964:Solar cable
939:Solar panel
860:Solar cells
556:"The Route"
230:at Sydney.
181:Broken Hill
161:Cocklebiddy
141:Scarborough
96:Development
63:Description
42:solar cells
1680:Categories
1546:By country
1416:By country
1351:Generation
1261:Solar boat
1110:Solar Tuki
1096:Solar tree
1082:Solar lamp
1065:Appliances
689:Technology
583:Main Roads
254:References
153:Coolgardie
85:fiberglass
1424:Australia
1401:Solar Ark
1307:Solar Cup
1199:Sunmobile
1179:Solar car
777:Materials
482:643483454
474:0027-9358
189:Narromine
185:Wilcannia
106:Sunmobile
1652:Category
1614:Sunpower
1604:Solyndra
1579:JA Solar
1514:Thailand
1434:Bulgaria
682:Concepts
248:Canberra
205:Katoomba
201:Bathurst
157:Norseman
1664:Commons
1619:Suntech
1494:Romania
1464:Germany
1429:Belgium
1353:systems
823:History
211:of the
132:to the
114:Chicago
91:History
1469:Greece
1459:France
1439:Canada
851:system
480:
472:
389:
197:Orange
169:Ceduna
145:Sydney
1594:Sharp
1504:Spain
1484:Japan
1479:Italy
1474:India
1449:China
1444:Chile
603:7 May
566:7 May
537:7 May
512:7 May
506:(PDF)
499:(PDF)
447:7 May
410:7 May
367:7 May
334:7 May
308:7 May
193:Dubbo
165:Eucla
130:Perth
605:2012
568:2012
539:2012
514:2012
478:OCLC
470:ISSN
449:2012
412:2012
387:ISBN
369:2012
336:2012
310:2012
203:and
1589:REC
246:in
1682::
1524:US
620:.
547:^
522:^
476:.
420:^
344:^
250:.
199:,
195:,
191:,
187:,
183:,
179:,
175:,
171:,
167:,
163:,
159:,
155:,
118:BP
57:BP
44:.
667:e
660:t
653:v
607:.
570:.
541:.
516:.
484:.
451:.
414:.
371:.
338:.
312:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.