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How to Make a Mini-Solar Powered Car

Some futurists predict that everything from vehicles to homes to manufacturing plants will one day be able to run on the power of the sun alone. With a few easily obtainable parts, a little knowledge and some friendly guidance, you can experiment with and learn about solar power in your own home by building a small, solar-powered car.

Things You'll Need

4- by 6-inch balsa wood plank
6-volt 10- by 6-cm solar board
Power drill
Hobby glue
Two 2-volt DC hobby motors (and hardware)
Four small rubber hobby tires
One 8-inch thin metal rod

Instructions

- 1
  Drill two holes near one end of the balsa wood plank to accommodate the terminals of your solar board. Lay the solar board flat on the balsa wood so the terminals are exposed underneath. Glue the edges of the board̵7;s underside down.
- 2
  Mount your hobby motors on opposing sides of the balsa wood plank near the end where the solar board is located using the included mounting hardware. For now, leave their wires unconnected.
- 3
  Lay the balsa wood plank solar-panel-down on your workspace, and lay the 8-inch metal rod across the unused end of the plank so that 2 inches of metal rod stick out on both sides of the plank. Glue it down securely across the entire length of the rod, excepting the two extruding axles.
  
  Thread two of the hobby tires onto these axles and secure them with their included hardware.
- 4
  Attach the last two hobby tires to the shafts of the DC motors and secure them. Flip the entire construction over and connect the terminals of the solar panel to the wires of the motors, positive to positive and negative to negative.
- 5
  Take your solar-powered car outdoors in bright sunlight and set it loose on a large, flat surface.

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