Time to learn more about the star of the project. THE VEHICLE.
Battery
Li-Ion battery
Voltage: 300V nominal
Capacity: 90 kWh
Insulated, temperature regulated case
The battery is provided by the Swiss company EcoVolta. At high altitude the electric resistance of air decreases and the insulation gaps inside the power electronics would have to be widened. For that reason the nominal voltage was dropped from 400V to 300V. Three battery packs run parallel provide the redundancy in case one pack is damaged.
Motor
2 x 120kw synchronous motor
12’000 revs/min max.
65kg each, incl. inverter
The two powerful Bosch motors and the collective gearbox developed in-house form the core of the vehicle. Compared to the existing diesel vehicle, this unit is half the weight, 70% more efficient and 20% more powerful.
Tyres
Road tyres during the approach for minimum rolling resistance
Special 42” super Super Tacky Offroad tyres on the mountain
Very high demands are placed on the tires, because traction is the key factor for a successful outcome. Large contact surface, soft and robust rubber compound and a profile that works well on stone and sand are the most important properties.
Rope Winch
2 x 9t hydraulic winches
The two winches from Horn Tools can be attached to different positions on the vehicle and are used for securing in the terrain or for a possible recovery of the vehicle.
Box
Extra stiff, thermally insulated lightweight box for the transport of equipment and protected safe haven for the team
The special body is constructed of extremely light, rigid and heat-insulating composite sandwich panels. In order to avoid stress fractures during hard off-road use, all joints are made with adhesive only. The openings are equipped with safety glass. This custom-made product is realized in cooperation with 3A Composites, SIKA and Glas Trösch.
THE VEHICLE
200 km Range
240 kW Power
30.5 kNm Torque on the wheel
The expedition vehicle is based on a conventional multi-purpose Aebi VT450 transporter with combustion engine. It is driven by two electric motors with an output of 120 kW each. The transmission has been improved in efficiency and optimized for electric propulsion. This allows the performance data of the diesel version to be clearly surpassed. The energy is stored in an 90 kWh battery. For the planned market launch of the vehicle, the battery capacity can be scaled up to 140 kWh depending on requirements.
In addition to the electrification of the drive train, various adjustments will be made to the chassis of the vehicle for more ground clearance and better traction. A special lightweight body will also be developed and built. This serves to transport the entire equipment and as a place of retreat for the team in bad weather.
In order to secure the vehicle in the terrain, powerful cable winches are attached to the vehicle.
Solarchargers
5 x Studer Innotec VT65
Integrated MPPT
Max. power 4 kW each
Each solar charger is equipped with a maximum power point tracker to harness the most energy from the panels at any time. becaus there are five chargers every string of panels can have a different attitude towards the sun without losing any efficiency.
DC/DC Converters
3 x Brusa BSC614
Boost 24 V Solar side to 300 V Vehicle side
We designed a DC coupled charging system which is currently absolutely unique and greatly reduces energy losses due to transformation. It is over 90% efficient and provides triple redundancy in case of component failure.
Solar Panels
370 W peak power
22.5% Cell efficiency
4 panels mounted on the roof, 16 layed on the ground
The most efficient currently available Solar Panels on the market are used for the charging system. This gives us the best possible reliability and the best cost efficiency.
230 V AC Inverter
Studer Innotec AJ2400
Provides 2.4 kW of AC Power
To provide power for all the appliances like power tools, computers and filming equipment we need to provide 230V AC power.
THE SOLAR SYSTEM
10.7 kW Peak Power
42 m2 Surface area
5 MPP Trackers
Since the Ojos del Salado is located 300 kilometres away from civilization, the vehicle is supplied with solar energy. Therefore 8 m2 of PV modules are permanently installed on the roof for permanent supply and another 28 m2 are mobile during the sunny hours. The total output of the system with PV modules is 7.4 kWp. This means that a range of around 150 km can be generated in 5 hours.
