In China, a multi-organizational collaboration effort resulted in the construction of the country’s first totally solar electric vehicle (SEV). The vehicle was created in five months by a cooperation of 42 enterprises and three institutions.
Tianjin-based IAT Automobile Technology created the “Tianjin,” an electric vehicle that is fueled solely by solar energy and claims to utilize no fossil fuels or external power sources, making it totally emission-free.
The vehicle is more than 13 feet (4 metres) long, over six feet (1.7 metres) broad, and six feet (1.8 metres) tall, weighing 2,250 pounds (1,020 kg). Even after removing the navigator’s seat, it is spacious enough to accommodate four passengers.
The driver’s compartment is up front and consists of little more than a huge touchscreen display.Conspicuously missing in action is a steering wheel since the car is reportedly equipped with Level 4 autonomous driving. The EV has a solar module area of 8.1 square meters and generates a maximum of 7.6 kWh of electricity per day on a sunny day.
It has a proven range of 74.8 km and is powered by a battery pack with an energy density of 330 Wh/kg and an undetermined pack capacity.
The model has a peak speed of 79.2 kilometres per hour and saves 25 kilos of carbon emissions for every 100 kilometres traveled. The automobile has 47 sophisticated technologies, some of which are at the forefront of the industry, with fundamental components provided by Tianjin-based enterprises.
The vehicle is still in the prototype stage, but the team plans to mass produce them eventually.
While the concept of a solar-powered automobile is still in its infancy, solar-powered Mini EVs have the potential to make a significant difference in the developing world. Since electric infrastructure is either non-existent or unreliable in these regions of the world. This makes charging EVs difficult, limiting their use. Solar-powered Mini EVs, on the other hand could be a game-changer.
Reference- CNEVPost.com, Interesting Engineering, Clean Technica, Inside EVs