Illinois Solar Panel Manufacturer Becomes Electric Car Manufacturer
Wanxiang America Corporation is a solar manufacturer with a manufacturing facility in Rockford, Illinois. Some of the Illinois Solar School projects have solar panels manufactured in Rockford, Illinois. Wanxiang’s headquarters is in Elgin, Illinois. When I visited Wanxiang Project Manager Daniel Li recently he told me that Wanxiang had bought the Fisker Karma luxury electric plug-in hybrid car and that Wanxiang would start manufacturing the vehicles. What I found most interesting is that the top of the car is the world’s largest single piece solar glass roof panel. I did not drive the car but I did sit inside it and it is really a cool car. If anyone would like to see it and you are near Elgin, I would call Daniel and ask him if you can take a look. I would love for the car to visit a school or two in the area so that the students can see the solar panel on the roof of the car.
The range of the the Karma Luxury Electric Vehicle is 50 miles on one charge and 250 miles on one full tank of gas. You get the freedom to switch between plug in or fill up without “range anxiety.” But it is the design of the car that is one of its strongest selling points. It was named one of the “15 most beautiful cars of all time” by MSN Auto and the other 14
It was also named the 2009 Time Machine “Green Design 100 Award” and in 2011 Time Magazine named the car one of the 50 Best Inventions. In 2012 Auto Motor and Sport Magazine named the Karma the “Environmental Car of the Year” and Esquire Magazine named it “Most Gorgeous Debut of the Year” and finally Automobile Magazine gave it the “Design of the Year” Award.