How It Started

Mission

Because we want to make a difference!

The past three decades have helped shape the concern for a sustainable future. The oil crises of the 70's, the urban air pollution of the 80's and the ozone layer of the 90's have ignited us to seek alternatives to a complex problem.

This project presents an opportunity for individuals from various backgrounds to come together to promote the use of clean and sustainable energy and inspire others to do the same.

Our generation has the power and the knowledge to make a difference in the preservation of our world. We need to take responsibility and develop the will to make things better. It would be a great reward to achieve a balanced co-existence with nature and pass the legacy on to the next generation, who would one day view our history as a positive chapter in the legacy of mankind and mother earth.

The challenge of the project alone motivates us. Constructing the car, the distance to cross, the diverse weather and terrain; breathtaking, beautiful and unique landscape across the route. All this creates a great adventure.

It is an amazing project to be part of, and a personal challenge for all individuals involved. It is our contribution to change the world one sunshine (ray) at a time.

That's why we say we are; "inspired by the sun, motivated by the environment". Hope you will be too!

History

The Power of One (xof1 for short) project was officially created in the Spring of 1999 by Marcelo da Luz.

The idea was sparked in 1987 by the prestigious WSC (World Solar Challenge), the original plan was to build a solar car to compete at the WSC. The idea was left on the back burner for many years and later evolved into a different challenge; to cross the North American continent from the east coast starting in St.John's, NL (the most easterly point in North America) to the west coast in Victoria, BC, following the Transcanada highway for most of the way and set a distance record.

In January of 2002 an Australian team drove around Australia 13,055 kms. So, the Xof1 project crossed Canada twice in order to set a new distance record of 16,000kms.

One by-product of the project was that it set a new world record in distance traveled by a solar car. However, other world records will be disputed along the way, such as the solar car driver that spent the most time driving. Once the mission is accomplished, the solar array will disconnected. This will turn the car into an electric car, and the team will attempt to drive the furthest distance traveled by an electric car on a single charge.

The Xof1 project makes a genuine effort to share all of its information with anyone interested. The project is open to anyone to participate and learn. The team members come from different backgrounds and nationalities, some members contribute from their native country, making Xof1 a very unique and special project. Xof1 hopes to inspire individuals and communities to become excited about their dreams and to believe that anything is possible.

The diversity of its team members makes Xof1 a global project as well it reflects the international environmental concern for a sustainable future. This project makes no allegation that the solution for transport needs is the solar car but instead promotes the quest for alternatives to a complex problem.

The name "The Power of One", was chosen because it reflects the idea of the domino effect, individuals alone can not change the world but can inspire others to come together to help make change happen. It's also a mathematical equation X at the power of one, thus the logo. The color blue represents the sky or infinity, the yellow represents the sun, the little person represents us and the number one the domino effect.