U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for August 31

WASHINGTON -- Aug. 31, 2015: Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

SOLAR ROLLER

Profile America — Monday, August 31st. The 1950s may be recalled for many now-quaint things, but it was also a decade with antecedents for our current technological pursuits. On this date in 1955, William G. Cobb of the General Motors Corporation demonstrated the world's first solar-powered car. This vehicle didn't take the world by storm because it was a model a mere 15 inches long. The first solar powered car that could actually be driven was unveiled in 1962; a 1912 Baker electric car was fitted with nearly 11,000 individual solar cells on the roof to power the vehicle. Now, more than 50 years on, a fully practical solar-powered car remains a goal, but manufacturing automobiles, mostly powered by internal combustion, is a nearly $110 billion a year business in the U.S. Profile America is in its 19th year as a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau.

Sources: Kane's Famous First Facts, 5457

1962 version: First Solar Car