Green, but not from Mars

Dixon drivers may have had to take a second look Saturday at the rather unusual vehicle passing through the downtown area. Dubbed the Xof1, the solar-powered car is making its way across the United States and Canada as part of a project to develop and build a solar car and set a new world record for driving distance. The catalyst for the project, Marcelo da Luz, was inspired to create xof1 after learning about the World Solar Challenge. On Friday and Saturday, the car made the rounds in Sacramento before heading to the Bay Area, passing through Dixon along the way. The otherworldly looking solar car uses photovoltaics cells to convert sunlight into electricity, then stores the electricity in batteries that power an electric motor, which drives the car.