Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - August 2010 to February 2011, or 80 days of travel time to tour the world using only solar energy: the Zero Emissions “race” that finished in Geneva Thursday 24 February has shown it can be done.

Four cars left the United Nations building in Geneva last 16 August, with the UN Environmental Programme waving off the drivers and providing a kind of home to return to, today.

The three vehicles that completed the race covered 28,000 kilometres and 16 countries. A fourth team had to drop out in Berlin for technical reasons.

The project was the brainchild of Switzerland’s Louis Palmer, the first person to circumnavigate the world in a solar power vehicle.

The race itself was not so much about speed as about energy efficiency. The winners were declared at the UN Palais building in Geneva Thursday:

third place, Team Trev

second Team Vectrix

the winner: Team Oerlikon Solar. Zero Emissions Race: 80 days, 28,000 km ad 16 countries later, back in Geneva (photo, Zero Emissions Race)

“This prize makes Zerotracer officially the most efficient and reliable electric vehicle,” the Zero Emissions web site noted after the prize ceremony. “The teams were presented trophies made from granite and crystal from the Grimsel region of Switzerland.”

The race has spawned offspring with the public invited to join a Zero Emissions Europe race from 3-25 September 2011.