A new record has just been set by three Swiss adventurers, who drove an electric truck on the slopes of Ojos del Salado (Chile), the highest active volcano in the world.
David Proeschel, David Koller and Patrick Koller have much to be proud of. They managed to drive the Terren, an electric truck powered by solar energy, to 6,500 meters above sea level. A truly breathtaking height, which no electric vehicle has yet reached. Yet another feat to enter in the register of solar vehicles, like the Stella Terra which ventured into the Moroccan Sahara. Two rooms, two atmospheres, but two feats to salute. Prototypes, which we hope, will help develop solar power in the automotive sector, so that it is not limited to powering luxury vehicles like the Lightyear 0.
A hostile environment
Ojos del Salado is a volcano located on the border between Chile and Argentina, known to be the highest active volcano in the world. In fact, it peaks at around 6,893 meters above sea level. It is a unique place of its kind, of stunning beauty, but also a highly unfavorable environment for vehicles:
- High altitude: even if the Terren, as an electric vehicle, is not affected by the depletion of oxygen, the very low temperatures put a strain on the batteries.
- Difficult terrain: we are far from asphalt, and the terrain of Ojos del Salado is harsh, rocky, uneven and very often covered with snow or ice. Driving there is very difficult.
- Isolation and limited access: due to the geographical location of the volcano, a mechanical breakdown or accident would be one of the worst events imaginable. Suffice it to say that the vehicles that venture there must be very reliable.
- Volcanic activity: certainly, the volcano is considered to be sleeping, but this does not mean that geothermal activity is zero. Fumaroles and other toxic gas-based delights are part of the landscape.
The Terren, a unique design for extreme challenges
The Terren was entirely designed by a company specializing in the engineering of agricultural machinery and heavy equipment. It is a unique vehicle, based on the Aebi VT450, an all-terrain transporter. It can travel 200 kilometers thanks to its single 90 kWh battery. To recharge, it integrates a series of solar panels on its structure, which allow it to gain autonomy.
Equipped with a 380 horsepower engine, it is an unrivaled cross-country skier. A production version is even planned for the future, with a higher capacity battery (140 kWh).
Pushing the limits of electric
The previous altitude record for a vehicle was held by a specially prepared ID.4 GTX, which successfully climbed the 6,008 meter Uturuncu volcano in Bolivia. The SUV still reached a remarkable height of 5,816 meters! Rather remarkable for a vehicle that is absolutely not designed for such use.
The Terren has therefore far exceeded this record; it must be said that its armada of solar panels played a central role in its success. Basically, they cover an area of 8 m2but it can deploy others, like a pair of wings, to reach 28 m2. Once this extension is in place, it can gain up to 150 km of autonomy from the moment it is exposed to the sun for 5 hours. At these altitudes, the latter hits very hard, which allowed the Terren to fully exploit this energy.
The Swiss team and Terren brilliantly demonstrated that solar electric vehicles also have their say in extreme conditions. Let us not forget that the exploitation of this energy for vehicles is currently only in its infancy. Considering this context, this feat is all the more impressive. Congratulations to these three pioneers!
Source : Clean Automotive
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