The Quest for a Super-Light Electric Bike Powered by Solar Panels

It's not exactly Ed Begley Jr.'s self-satisfaction-powered go-cart, but it's close: an ultra-green electric bike so festooned with solar panels it looks like it fell off of the International Space Station.

The Solar-Cross concept cycle is a one-off invention from Terry Hope, a former schooner engineer who lives near Vancouver, British Columbia. Hope cobbled together the earth-loving thingamajig from a mountain bike, a 1,000-watt motor, yards of wire and black tape, and 32 photovoltaic cells weighing about 5 pounds together. He claims that the resulting 48-pound ride is the "world's lightest hybrid solar vehicle." The cost for all the components is roughly $500; just don't ride under any low bridges, or you might have to ante up some more for repairs.