Bruce Springsteen has bought 12 of his guitars over the years, and frequently drops in. These unconventional researchers say one of the main reasons for building Genesis is to stretch the public perception, to show motorists such vehicles are possible, and in turn to persuade major car manufacturers to mass produce them. And Genesis is real. It is no make-believe Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. That's the point of entering the Tour de Sol.
Cars take several days to drive the distance, making overnight stops along the way.
But judges scrutinize the inner workings and performance of each entry, and that is the real competition. This is the twelfth annual tour, which was started to showcase solar and electronic vehicles, but now features vehicles with a smorgasbord of alternative engine technologies. Ford was so impressed with New Jersey's success in last year's tour that when it came time to build Genesis the auto maker donated a prototype aluminum body that it has been developing. Many of the parts of the car also are made of aluminum, titanium, or magnesium. Close the door of Genesis and the sound is thin, not the resonant thud of a door full of steel.