An electric truck has climbed the world’s highest volcano using only solar energy, setting a new altitude record for an electric car. The Swiss team called Peak Evolution sponsored by the Austrian transport and logistics company Gebrüder Weiss made it 6,500 meters above sea level on the volcano in Chile.
The expedition EV is based on an Aebi VT450. It’s otherwise powered by an internal combustion engine, but was converted for electric operation. The conversion included equipping the vehicle with two electric motors with an output of 120 kW each and a battery of 90 kWh that gave a range of 200 kilometers.
The electric platform proved to work well. A noticeable difference from vehicles with internal combustion engines is that the engine power does not decrease at high altitude as a result of the thinner air. The team consisting of three experienced mountaineers could then ascend unhindered along the extreme terrain.
– Despite these extreme conditions, our specially developed vehicle managed to drive higher than any other electric vehicle. We’ve been training for this moment for four years, so giving up was never an option, says Patrik Koller, CEO and developer at Peak Evolution.
During the entire trip, the vehicle relied on electricity from its own solar energy production. It had four solar panels on the roof and 16 panels that could be laid out on the ground. They provided a charging power of 7.4 kW, which meant that it was possible to charge with a mileage of around 150 kilometers in around five hours. The solar energy was transferred using a DC charger and there was also a 230-volt AC inverter on board so the team could charge their own equipment.
Check out the video below for this amazing new record.
