One-Molecule Car with Motor

Late last year, Rice University scientists presented their one-molecule car that looked and acted much like the chassis of a 4-wheeled car. Now they've taken it to the logical next level and added a motor.

From the article, 'The nanocar consists of a rigid chassis and four alkyne axles that spin freely and swivel independently of one another. The four buckyball wheels that were used in the original version of the nanocar drained energy from the motor and were replaced with spherical molecules of carbon, hydrogen and boron called p-carborane. Initial tests carried out in a bath of toluene solvent found that the motor rotates as designed when it's struck by light. Follow-up tests are underway to determine whether the motorized car can be driven across a flat surface.'