Solved - NEH 2767: Viking 29 Electric Hybrid TPV-powered car - 1997

[Carnut]

What's this, by whom, from when - for 1 point?:

ANYONE FOUND GIVING ANSWERS OBTAINED BY USING GOOGLE SEARCH BY IMAGE MAY BE BANNED FOR AN INDETERMINATE PERIOD!

[Carnut]

Experts?

[moltogatto]

Porsche engined?

[Carnut]

Porsche engined?

No!

[Carnut]

Professionals..

[Allemano]

electric?

[Carnut]

electric?

Yes.

[Allemano]

Viking 29 by Vehicle Research Institute of Western Washington University.


Is it from 2009    1999    1997?

[Carnut]

Viking 29 by Vehicle Research Institute of Western Washington University.


Is it from 2009    1999    1997?

That's the car, yes.
Apparently it's the world's first thermophotovoltaic-powered car (bet you didn't know that..!)

Thermophotovoltaic (PTV) energy conversion is a direct conversion process from heat differentials to electricity via photons! (Sounds more like a story from Star Trek to me..!)

It's difficult to ascertain exactly when this car was built, and it was still being shown as a novelty in 2009.  But below is an extract from a paper published on 6th August 1997:

QUOTE
Viking 29 is being built under a U.S. Department of Energy contract by the Vehicle Research Institute (VRI) at Western Washington University and JX Crystals of Issaquah, WA to demonstrate a thermophotovoltaic (TPV) generator. The 10 kW TPV generator being developed for use in a vehicle makes use of gallium antimonide (GaSb) photovoltaic (PV) cells surrounding a central emitter heated by a compressed natural gas flame to 1700 Kelvin. The infrared photons generated activate the PV cells to produce electricity which maintains a charge in the battery. Preliminary emission testing has shown that this generator is 50 times cleaner than an equivalent internal combustion engine (ICE).
UNQUOTE

Here's the unmodified puzzle photo and a rear view:

[Allemano]

That's why I had to correct the date twice... 

However if you google "Viking 29 AND 1997" you got some reliable results.