Irrespective of what certain Republican political representatives say, global warming is not a conspiracy theory. The ice-caps are melting and baby penguins and polar bears are soon going to lose their habitats. As pollution levels steadily increase around the globe and in India, there is a pressing need for sustainable and eco-friendly development.

In response to the current state of the environment, the Indian Space Research Organisation has delved head-first into developing and propagating various technological resources that use renewable energy and are environmentally conscious. The latest development in the works is a solar electric hybrid car, made exclusively from in-house resources. The engine is designed to run on lithium ion batteries, developed entirely by ISRO.

“We are ready to transfer this technology and make India’s automobile industry one of the most technologically advanced in the world. Our prowess in space technology has been shown time and again, and with this new innovation, the space organisation is now set to take the country to a new high!”, said a source working closely on the project, to India Today.

The design has already been tested during a pilot drive that took place at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram. A solar panel is proposed to be placed on top of the car for charging purposes, and some of its other features include a gearbox and electronic controls. The primary priority at this stage in the project is minimising the costs of production and the car itself to make it more accessible to larger public audiences.

Apart from the eco-friendly car, ISRO has also been working on numerous other sustainable projects, including a solar calculator app, that helps people install solar panels. With ISRO investing efforts in pushing for a more renewable way of life, India is one step closer to severing all dependence on fossil fuels.

Feature Image Credit—Tech News Inc.