"Tindo", an electric bus in Adelaide Australia, is charged entirely by electricity produced by solar panels on the city's bus station. (Photo provided by Adelaide City Council)

ADELAIDE, Australia -- If you think you can only think small – as in small EVs – when you think solar-charged, think again.

Down Under in Australia, the City of Adelaide is running one of its public fleet buses entirely on sun – and has been doing so for nearly two years.

Solar energy generated by a PV system installed on the roof of the Adelaide Central Bus Station charges the batteries for Adelaide’s electric bus, “Tindo.”

The PV system on top of Adelaide's bus station has produced 125,000 kWh of electricity since it went online in February 2008, or enough solar energy to offset 122778 kg of carbon.

Built by New Zealand company Designline International, Tindo uses 11 Zebra modules for energy storage and has a range of 200 kilometers (124 miles) between charges in average city driving conditions.

Vehicle features include a regenerative braking system and air-conditioning. Tindo can carry up to 42 passengers, with 25 standard seats, two seats especially designed for disabled passengers, and room for 15 standing passengers.

A completely emissions free bus that runs off the sun -- now that’s we at SolarChargedDriving.Com call a true Magic Bus!

For more information and more pictures, go to:
http://www.adelaidecitycouncil.com/environment/solar/tindo-solar-bus.html

Below is a video about Tindo produced about a year ago by "Supreme Master TV," an Asian news outlet. It's interesting, but occassionally meanders into a PR piece for the City of Adelaide.