The Greenbird Project

A record-breaking vehicle

On the morning of March 26th, on the ‘dry’ Lake Ivanpah, The Ecotricity Greenbird driven by British engineer, Richard Jenkins smashed the world land speed record for wind powered vehicles. The Greenbird clocked 126.1 mph (202.9 km/h), eclipsing the old, American held, record of 116 mph , set by Bob Schumacher in the Iron Duck in March 1999 at the same location.

Drive like the wind

Greenbird is a glimpse into the future. A vehicle with no engine, no fuel and no pollution - but very fast. With it we intend to set two new world speed records powered only by the wind. Our aim is to demonstrate, through a speed challenge, the potential of wind energy to drive cars of the future. A future when there's no oil left to burn.

Why Greenbird?

The Greenbird is a highly-evolved vehicle that uses a combination of technology found ordinarily on aircraft and Formula 1 cars to achieve staggering speeds - with no engine in sight.

The chosen name is a nod to Donald Campbell's all-conquering Bluebird. Campbell made his record attempts in what historians will look back on as the golden age of fossil fuels - they were abundant, cheap and powerful, and nobody dreamt they might one day run out. He achieved incredible speeds in that golden age, using energy stores laid down by nature over millions of years

Fast forward 80 years to today, and we are coming to the end of the age of fossil fuels and the dawn of the age of Renewables - nothing less than a second industrial revolution. The Greenbird symbolises this historical watershed better than anything else.

Cars of the future won't be running on fossil fuels they will be running on Renewable sources of energy like the Wind. And with today's technology we can achieve incredible speeds, using only wind power. Campbell had his massive cubic capacity engines and energy dense fossil fuels - we have just the wind. But the wind will still be.

Why is Ecotricity involved?

There are three really big issues we have to face up to, to live post oil - how we power our homes, travel and feed ourselves. Three huge challenges for mankind in fact.

We've done a lot of work in the field of renewable energy, founding the world's green electricity movement and pushing the concept of wind energy over the last decade and a half. It's an issue with momentum now, not enough is being done, or fast enough - but it's got a foothold in our national consciousness. It's on its way.

We thought we'd look at transport next. Half of all the oil produced today is burned in ‘transportation' and three quarters of that by road vehicles (the rest by planes and ships) - that's an incredible amount of fuel and something we take so much for granted; the ability to hop in a car and go pretty well anywhere, very quickly and relatively cheaply. How we get around post oil is one of the really big issues we have to face up to. We think the answer is wind powered cars!

We like to push boundaries. We love innovation and wind energy in all its forms. Greenbird to us is a serious message wrapped in something quite fun.

What's next?

Greenbird Project

Now we've got the land speed record under our belt we plan to smash the ice record! Our next attempt will be in Winter 2009 - when the Greenbird team will return to Montana USA for the next big ice challenge.

Keep checking the Greenbird site for news and updates. You can subscribe to an RSS feed, too – to ensure you get the latest info.

Wind-powered electric car

We’re working on a second generation wind powered car, one that you could actually drive to work or go shopping in...we’re building it right now. Actually it’s an electric car, charged from the wind - but not just any electric car, one to smash the stereotype. An out and out sports car. Capable of 0 to 60 faster than a V12 Ferrari, able to top 100 mph for sure - and do 150 miles on one ‘tank’. All with zero emissions.

We're making this car with technology available in the world today. Throwing down the gauntlet to the big car companies: Our message to them is "If we can do it, and we're just a tiny electricity company - why the hell can't you?"

We've posted several videos of the car progress on zerocarbonista.com, which is Dale, our MD's blog. Join us in the very healthy debate!