AUTONEWS

The most efficient solar electric car in the world travels 4000 km with 30 euros

For more than 20 years, an engineering team at the University of New South Wales in Australia titled Sunwift has been betting on the development of solar-powered cars. The energy captured through the panels is converted and used in electric motors.
Although solar-powered vehicles are not a priority for manufacturers, the reality is that they are still the subject of scientific research. And the Australian team wanted to prove that the technology could be a hypothesis for the future, presenting the most efficient electric car in the world.
After a year of development, Sunwift has built a Violet solar electric car that travels 4100 kilometers for less than 30 euros. Violet is the sixth automobile of this team from the University of New South Wales.
The electric car began to circulate on the road in September 2017 and when consuming energy it looks like a "homemade toaster". Limited to 130 km / h, this Australian car powered by solar energy has panels mounted on the roof, ensuring an autonomy of 800 km. Obviously it also includes the help of the energy accumulated in the batteries.
Electric motors
The Violet incorporates electric motors that generate about 7 kW of power. That way, the electric car does not need more than 9.5 horses. With a total weight of 400 kg, one third of the weight of a normal car for the same dimensions, the chassis of the Violet is a carbon fiber monocoque. Future of Sunswift Violet
In 2019, the Australian team will present the Violet in the Bridgestone World Challenge in the category of "Solar Cars". But before moving forward, Sunswift had to prove its efficiency and beat the previous world record, which was set at 5.5 kWh per 100 km.
In six days, Violet maintained the average consumption of 3.25 kWh of electricity per 100 km, traveling around 4100 km for 27.50 euros.
As a matter of curiosity, this amount of energy used by the electric car is the same energy used daily in a common dwelling. Thus, it is concluded that Violet is 17 times more efficient than a gasoline-powered car.