Could the Solar Bug bring the sun to the car market?

Steve Titus is among those entrepreneurs trying to create and market an affordable, renewable-energy vehicle – a step beyond gas-electric hybrids.

from the November 15, 2007 edition

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"Americans are interested in innovation, and Detroit has not delivered," says Jack Hidary, chairman of SmartTransportation.org, a nonprofit corporation that tries to increase the awareness and availability of clean technology. "It is people like Titus in their garages who are the ones making innovation happen."

Titus, who is based in Bozeman, Mont., has 25 years of experience bringing alternative-power products to market, working with more than a dozen businesses that range from medical equipment to lasers. About seven years ago, he got tired of driving to the gas pump, paying high prices, and watching the geopolitical clashes over oil in the Middle East.

He began working on designs for a car in his spare time, and 18 months ago, he quit his job at Big Sky Laser Technologies to work on his project full time. He has spent $100,000 – "all the savings from my retirement account," he says – experimenting with body design, braking, batteries, lighting, controls, and safety features.

After exhibiting his latest prototype, he has 53 orders, and seven dealers have signed up to sell his cars. Multiple-unit buyers such as the Walt Disney Co. and the government of Aruba have also expressed significant interest. The 900-pound two-seater is currently being offered for about $15,000.

"Last year, people told us they wanted a cooler body, sexier wheels, better seating, more mileage, and faster speeds," says Titus. "We gave it to them, and interest is exploding."

Of course, challenges remain in selling the cars to a broader audience. The distance that such a vehicle can travel in one trip is well under 100 miles. And although the top velocity for the cars has increased, they still don't reach highway speeds. In fact, for the solar power to work best, the vehicle needs to travel at a low or medium speed. Other hurdles include how to manufacture and mass-market the vehicles.

Still, of 150 exhibits at the Alternative Car and Transportation Expo last month in Santa Monica, Calif., the Solar Bug was the "highlight of the show," according to Ron Gompertz, founder of Eco Auto Inc., a car dealer.

Some industry experts see a growing potential for such entrepreneurial ventures. "The interest in photovoltaic use in cars is making great headway in other countries such as Japan and Germany, but is still somewhat behind in the US, where consumers still want quite a bit of power and size and comfort," says Denise Chiavetta, leader of the technology foresight program at Social Technologies, a global research firm.

But some US consumers can hardly wait for more innovation. Take Cara Lee, an architect in Santa Monica who has owned a gas-electric hybrid Toyota Prius for six years. She now wants something that uses no gas.

"I like that this [Solar Bug] costs very little to buy and run, parks easily, can take me back and forth to work, and do quick errands," she says. "But mostly, I like that it charges by the sun."

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