Alaska Police Pull Over Solar Powered Car, Think It’s a UFO

Written by Andrew Williams
Published on September 9th, 2008
12 Comments
Posted in Offbeat, Solar power

It’s not all about Sarah Palin in Alaska you know. The latest news from the last frontier (or should that be the final frontier?) is that Alaskan police have pulled over a solar-powered car, which they mistakenly identified as a UFO.

For almost two years, Canadian Marcelo da Luz has been driving his solar-powered car, the Power of 1 (Xof1 for short) across North America in an attempt to set a world distance record for a solar vehicle. When he reached Alaska earlier this week, the admittedly off-the-wall looking car was spotted by a concerned citizen, who dialled 911 to report a UFO sighting. Alaskan police quickly took off in hot pursuit, and pulled poor Marcelo over for interrogation.

Luckily for the bemused Canadian solar pioneer, the police decided not to take the matter any further although, amazingly, this is the seventh time that saucer-shaped vehicle has been pulled over during its odyssey across Canada.

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Image Credit – AutoBlogGreen

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12 Responses to “Alaska Police Pull Over Solar Powered Car, Think It’s a UFO”

  1. Ryan G Says:
    September 9th, 2008 at 8:36 pm

    That’s a Prius, surely. Erm. Ok maybe not.

    We (UK) get calls to the emergency services for far more idiotic situations, such as ‘I can’t open this bottle’.

  2. Wait a second... Says:
    September 9th, 2008 at 10:42 pm

    How in the world can it be a UFO if it’s not FLYING.

    Isn’t that a prerequisite for an unidentified …flying… object?

  3. Ken B Says:
    September 9th, 2008 at 11:28 pm

    Lol Yea, it is to be expected. We are time travelers, moving forward one second at a time towards our personal futures.

    When I was a small lad I read all sorts of Science Fiction. Si Fi was new, advanced and kind of scary as I read of future wars and automated body amour, weapons of the mind, technology, trips to / from Mars.

    Solar powered cars; Doors that auto open, space flight, Mars colonization… Wow. It is almost like the authors of my childhood were perhaps kind of physic. An electric car shaped like a UFO would definitely draw attention. One day soon; all transportation will be electric or human powered so get used to it!

    Your BCBud,
    Ken

  4. Cheryl Says:
    September 10th, 2008 at 4:48 am

    Well maybe if he hadn’t made it look like the Starship Enterprise….

    I think they were looking for Scottie or maybe a Vulcan named Spock. :-)

  5. HomeEnergyTv Says:
    September 10th, 2008 at 5:19 am

    Really great story and very handsome car!

  6. Uncle B Says:
    September 12th, 2008 at 7:38 pm

    Great story, reflects Alaskan intelligence well. The reference to the governor was a very small way to get the name out so Obam, Obama, Obama to you!

  7. Paul Says:
    September 12th, 2008 at 8:09 pm

    I’m a little concerned with the individual that made the call about the UFO. Maybe the police should visit that individual. Second, why can’t American car manufactures come up with something like this model?

  8. design Says:
    September 13th, 2008 at 1:43 am

    Alaskan Police pulled over this solar powered car because someone called 911 and said it was a UFO!

  9. Total Solar Energy Says:
    October 9th, 2008 at 10:19 am

    lol. great story. it DOES look like something out of a movie though

  10. redmoose Says:
    October 21st, 2008 at 6:11 am

    Uncle B said on September 12th, 2008 at 7:38 pm
    Great story, reflects Alaskan intelligence well.

    Gee, Uncle B, I guess in your haste to insult Alaskans I guess you missed the fact that the stop in Alaska was the SEVENTH time the saucer had been pulled over “during its odyssey across Canada.” Does that indicate that the Canadian cops are 6 times as stupid as you seem to think the Alaskan cops are? Also, if his trip was supposed to be across Canada, how did he end up in Alaska? No TomTom, I guess!

  11. Tom D. Says:
    November 23rd, 2008 at 1:13 pm

    The person who called the police must have his or her head stuck you-know-where. The stupidity of the average “observer” is, as usual, mind boggling. If the non-techies ever get a real foothold in government then we’re all doomed.

  12. ImageM Says:
    February 24th, 2009 at 11:24 pm

    IT is a true sign of the intelligence of Uncle B and readers of his ilk, whose perception of Alaska is entirely guided by “easterly blogs” written by detractors of Palin and all things wild. Alaska is made up of mostly people from all 5o states and over 300 countries in the world. Folks come here to make their own mark, rather than sycophantically parroting party propaganda.
    I bet UNcle B could survive up here without some milktoast and much handholding.
    MOre innovation and invention has come out of Alaska in the past 50 years than the rest of this country combined.