It looks like a flying saucer on wheels. But a solar-powered car that passed through Longview on Thursday could be the future for automobiles, according to its driver and designer, Marcelo da Luz.

The Toronto flight attendant is driving a winding route through the United States and Canada to raise awareness about solar technology.

His three-wheeled ride got plenty of stares on Highway 30 on Thursday while he was en route to Portland after an overnight stop in Longview.

“I lost count of how many cars got ahead and pulled over to stop and take pictures … One lady did that twice. I recognized her car,” said Laurie Flarity-White, a Wenatchee resident traveling behind da Luz in a safety van.

The XOF1 solar car operates completely on four lithium ion batteries charged by 763 solar cells covering the vehicle, Flarity-White said.

It’s designed by da Luz and cost about $500,000 to make, she said. Business and private sponsors have helped with those costs since building started in 1999.

Because he was driving and speaking with gawkers, da Luz was unavailable for an interview. On his Web site, he states, “I am not an engineer nor have any technical background (I am a flight attendant by profession with a background in marketing). I started the project with no budget.”

He does not report how he developed expertise to build the vehicle, but says he was motivated to prove that there is “technology available today that is clean and sustainable, all that we need is the political will.”

He adds: “The solar car is not the answer for our transport needs. However, it is a step in the right direction, it’s an incredible opportunity to further developed and explore new technologies. Just imagine, a car powered by sunlight will be crossing a continent.”

With fully charged batteries, the XOF1 can travel about 300 miles in one day and up to 130 miles in darkness, she said.

The vehicle has a reclining seat that’s custom-molded for da Luz.

“It’s very comfortable to him,” da Luz said. “He has a space blanket in there. It keeps him cool when its warm and warmer when it’s cold.”

The car’s top speed is 75 mph, but da Luz typically drives at 35 to 40 mph and avoids freeways.

“It’s too dangerous for him,” Flarity-White said.

Since starting his trip in Buffalo, N.Y., on June 12, da Luz already has broken the world record of 9,500 miles traveled by a solar-powered vehicle.

“Every day he drives it, he breaks another record,” Flarity-White said.

His journey has taken da Luz through the Northern United States, Canada and Alaska, where long summer days gave his car a lot of juice and prompted some UFO reports.

The driver and crew often stay in people’s homes in different cities they visit. Wednesday night, the group stayed with Dale and Ursula Bassett, who live in Longview’s Old West Side.

The couple said they’ve never seen anything like the car parked overnight in their garage.

“ I’m personally glad people are looking at other means, but I’m definitely not an environmentalist,” said Ursula, 80. “I just wonder what people think when they see it on the roads.”

For more information about the car and da Luz’s journey, visit his Web site at  www.xof1.com.