Overview
Greenbird is a wind‑powered land vehicle that set the world land speed record for sail‑powered vehicles on 26 March 2009 at the dry bed of Ivanpah Lake, Nevada, United States. The vehicle achieved a peak speed of 126.1 mph (202.9 km/h).
Design and Construction
The craft was engineered by British inventor Richard Jenkins and is sponsored by the renewable‑energy company Ecotricity. Unlike conventional sail‑driven land vehicles, Greenbird employs a rigid vertical wing—similar to an aircraft’s wing—to generate thrust. The vehicle’s structure is primarily composed of carbon‑fiber composite materials; metal components are limited to the wheels and the bearings for the wing. Its total mass is approximately 600 kg.
Record Achievement
Greenbird’s record run demonstrated that a wind‑powered vehicle could travel at speeds three to five times greater than the ambient wind speed, owing to its lightweight construction and aerodynamic shape. The achievement broke the previous sail‑vehicle land speed record of 116 mph.
Development History
The Greenbird is the fifth iteration in a series of wind‑driven land vehicles built by Jenkins over roughly ten years. Earlier attempts were conducted in locations including Australia, Britain, and the United States, but suitable weather conditions had not been attained until the Ivanpah Lake attempt.
Significance
The vehicle’s success illustrated the potential for high‑performance, fossil‑fuel‑free transportation technologies and contributed to research on aerodynamic efficiency and renewable energy applications in land‑based vehicles.
