Solar-Powered Taxis Are No Folly

Jake Cotreau and Matt Coda met in an entrepreneurship class at the College of Charleston in South Carolina, where they first hatched the idea for what would become Golden Sun Taxi.

"We were trying to write a business plan," Coda says, "and we realized it was something we could actually pursue after graduation."

And in June 2014, less than a month after the two graduated, Golden Sun Taxi, a solar-powered golf cart taxi service, began operating in nearby Folly Beach, just outside Charleston. Sometimes called "one of the last real American beach towns," Folly Beach has a pier, a lighthouse, and one of the oldest surf shops on the east coast.

Coda and Cotreau originally wanted to service downtown Charleston, but the city has regulations against golf carts and low-speed vehicles transporting people as a business. "So we shifted our sights to Folly Beach," Cotreau says, "and people immediately loved the concept. Our 'solar carts' are eye-catching, and each month last year we saw an increase in calls, rides given, and revenue. We hope to demonstrate to Charleston and other markets that it's viable and really works."

Many customers use Golden Sun if they're going out for drinks and want to leave their car keys at home. "Folly Beach is a hotbed for bachelor/bachelorette parties, and people love that they can fit their whole group into our 8-seater carts," Coda explains. "We can fit up to 21 people at a time into our three carts. Folly is the only place in the Charleston area where you can actually get married on the beach, and we love helping out couples and their wedding parties on their big day."

Below, groomsmen on their way to a beach wedding, with Coda at the wheel.

Kids also love riding in the solar carts, and this year Golden Sun has started offering island tours, with guides pointing out fun and interesting facts about local history, wildlife, and current happenings in Folly Beach and Charleston.

The concept for solar-powered golf carts arose from a gap that Coda and Cotreau perceived in the market for short-distance transportation, and a lack of customer service from existing options.

"We wanted to create an experience that was memorable and changed people's idea of what a transportation company could be," Cotreau says. "Golden Sun was founded on the core values of sustainability, safety, and customer service. Our original business plan used eco-friendly, zero-emission low-speed vehicles (LSVs), and when we found that using solar panels on golf carts was an option, it was a no-brainer."

"We're not aware of another transportation company that actually has solar panels on their vehicles," says Coda. "There are other electric golf cart/LSV taxis, but none that harness the sun. It's really important for small and big businesses alike to show that solar is feasible and using renewable energy is economical. In time, we believe consumers will catch on and start using renewable power as a regular practice."

Renewable energy and sustainability are built into the company's mission statement. "This is important because it's a way to show others that it's a viable way to run a business and it's economically feasible," Cotreau says. "You can make money while having a positive impact on the planet. It starts with small companies like ours, and in time bigger companies will take notice."

Golden Sun isn't yet 100 percent dependent on solar power, as the carts need to be plugged in to recharge their batteries at night. "The solar panels are capable of fully charging the batteries," Coda says, "but the amount of use the carts get means we have to supplement the solar power with some regular electrical charging or the carts would die. But our electric bills are tiny, and not having to buy gas is a huge money saver."

Getting the solar panel manufacturer and the vehicle manufacturer to work together and build something they had never built before was difficult, and there were other problems that inherently come from doing something for the first time. But Coda and Cotreau say it has been -- and continues to be -- 100 percent worth it.

"More and more, Golden Sun gets customers who don't even have a specific destination, "Cotreau says. "They just want to ride around the island because we're solar-powered. Lots of people, both riders and passers-by, ask to step up on the cart to see the panels better. The majority of our riders know very little about solar power; it certainly can be a talking point. Hopefully they leave their ride with a better understanding of how solar works."

Cotreau and Coda are aiming to expand the business to more locations in the Charleston area, and ultimately through franchises nationwide. They are fervent believers that in the not-too-distant future the majority of automobiles will be electric, and most of the energy powering transportation will come from solar. Solar and battery technology are still in the early stages, they point out, and as the price drops and efficiency increases for solar panels and batteries to store the energy, they believe there will be a shift away from non-renewable energy sources.

"There's only one Earth," Coda says. "We cannot continue to pollute it without suffering the consequences. It's essential that businesses show the world that solar and other renewables really do make economic sense. Once businesses, big and small, are able to show that solar power works and it's not a gimmick, then consumers will follow."