Solar Powered Car Avoids High Fuel Prices

After a week in which oil prices soared to another record high, millions of Americans will be hitting the road for the Memorial Day weekend and paying more than ever before to get to their destination.

According to AAA, the average price of gas hit $3.79 Sunday.

One Boise man is so fed up with depending on gas, he created a new way to get around.

John Weber is not feeling pain at the pump, because he hasn't bought gas for his vehicle in over a year.

“For me the higher it goes, that's fine, it doesn't affect me very much," said Weber.

It doesn't affect him because he doesn't use gas to power his Geo Metro.

"People stop me all the time. They're like, do you really buy no gas? And I'm like ‘no, don't buy any gas,’" said Weber.

Instead, he built his car to be powered by sunlight.

The car is one of only a handful of solar-powered cars in the Treasure Valley and can be charged using its solar panels, or by plugging it into a power source.

"I'm just kind of doing my own thing," said Weber.

The soft-spoken and quiet Weber says he isn't avoiding the pump to make a statement, he was simply sick of depending on something he couldn't control.

"I don't like to be dependent on big global corporations to get my needs met, I like to get my needs met locally," said Weber.

And as for the solar car, Weber says it's not something he will depend on for long.

"I'm going to sell the car and just be car free, just have a bicycle," said Weber.

It is just another step in his quest to be fuel free.

Weber says he doesn't have a family, so it's easier to go without a car. He says it is possible to do, even when you are transporting more than just yourself.

When he does have a family, he plans on still only using a bike to get around.

Weber's car was one of the alternative vehicles featured at a show focused on going green - the Idaho Green Expo.

Over the course of the weekend, more than 15,000 people gathered at the Boise Centre on the Grove for the expo debut.

Around 160 exhibitors showed their earth-friendly goods, gave presentations and answered questions to encourage the people of the Treasure Valley to be more earth conscious.

"The ultimate purpose for it is to teach people how to live their lives in a sustainable way so that they don't use all the resources that are now available, so that we don't use up the resources that are available for our children and our grandchildren in the future," said Bruce Poe, Idaho Green Expo president.

Organizers say they are already planning the expo for next year.