Electric car is the first "zero emission" to finish the Dakar rally
The Acciona 100% EcoPowered rally car reached the end of one of the toughest events in the world without burning a drop of fuel and producing no emissions
The iconic Dakar rally (known as the Paris-Dakar Rally before its move to South America) is a grueling race that covers nearly 5,600 kilometers of rugged terrain, demanding maximum drivers and vehicles at all times. of competition. It's also a decidedly oil competition, with motorcycles, rally cars and trucks all vying for a chance to top the podium in their respective categories. But a few years ago, there was room in the rally for something entirely different: an electric vehicle.
The first two attempts, in 2015 and 2016, were not successful, but in early 2017 the vehicle Powers 100% EcoPowered it became the first zero-emission car to finish the Dakar. It didn't win the race or stand out (the team finished last in its category - 26% of all entries didn't even finish the event), but considering the incredibly challenging conditions of this rally, crossing the finish line was enough, and doing so, the vehicle and the team made history.
"The 4x4 vehicle, crewed by Ariel Jatón and Tito Rolón, completed the toughest motorized event in the world to cross the finish line in Buenos Aires - the only one of more than 18,000 vehicles in the history of the Dakar to complete the event without consuming a drop of fuel or emitting a single molecule of CO 2 ." - Activates Dakar
Built entirely in Spain, the home of Acciona (which is one of Spain's leading renewable energy and infrastructure companies), the car EcoPowered it is said to be "the most powerful electric car in the world" thanks to a 250 kW electric motor capable of producing 340 horsepower, along with six ultra-fast charging "lithium batteries" with a capacity of 150 kWh, and a panel of 100W solar board. With this combination of battery and engine, the vehicle can run for about 200 kilometers "in race conditions", with a 60-minute charge time to 'refuel' the batteries.
While this electric car is something far above what most electric vehicle enthusiasts need, researching and developing a strong, reliable electric vehicle that can charge in about an hour can be another nail in the coffin for oil vehicles.
Check out the video of Activate in motion.
Source: Treehugger
