On June 5, the 40th World Environment Day, the Winston Wong Bio-Inspired Ice Vehicle (BIV) was premiered at the Magic School of Green Building at National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) for a 3-month exhibition. The BIV was the bio-fueled vehicle that completed the first land-based transantarctic expedition between November 25 and December 17, 2010.

NCKU President Hwung-Hweng Hwung, Hung Jen Group's Chair Winston Wang, Moon-Regan Transantarctic Expedition Co-Leader Andrew Regan and Tainan City Major William Lai jointly launched the exhibition.

"Environmental protection is not only a world issue, but it is also a research field eagerly promoted by many nations and places," said Hwung-Hweng Hwung. "The successful expedition in the Antarctica has validated the breakthrough in biofuel vehicle's development and furthered energy saving."

NCKU welcomes this landmark vehicle exhibition because the University has played a significant role in terms of environmental reservation, President Hwung said.

NCKU has ranked the first in Taiwan and the 19th in the world with its outstanding alternative energy research achievements, and recently the NCKU Research Center for Energy Technology and Strategy has been recognized by the Ministry of Education's second-phase "Five Year, 50 Billion" project.

Winston Wang, an alumnus of the Imperial College London who generously sponsored the BIV, said that NCKU and Imperial College London are very much alike especially in scientific and energy achievements. He is confident that the exhibition will lead to future collaborations between the two institutions.

Tainan Mayor William Lai also commented that the exhibition is a historical moment in Tainan because it contributes to the promotion of bioenergy development in the city and establishes a bridge of friendship between Tainan and London.

The exhibition of the BIV at NCKU was made possible by the joint efforts of Winston Wong and Chung-Chih Lee, former President of NCKU Tainan Alumni Association and an old friend of Wong.

The Moon Regan Transantarctic Expedition crossed the entire continent of Antarctica and back with the Winston Wong Bio-Inspired Ice Vehicle, which is the first bio-fuelled vehicle to reach the South Pole, in 2010.

The BIV is the lead vehicle of the expedition that braved the coldest, driest, windiest environment and is proven to deliver more horsepower. It is light, 4.5 meters in length, 4.5 meters in width and about 700 kg in weight and it can reach a maximum speed of approximately 135 km per hour.

The exhibition of the BIV will lead to a follow-up series of academic cooperation between NCKU and Imperial College London and that between Tainan and London. The first will be an international conference on biomedical, energy and smart city to be held at NCKU in September, 2011.

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