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Incredible invention: Youtuber develops electric vehicle covered by 9 solar panels, guaranteeing practically infinite autonomy and changing the game of sustainable mobility. Find out how it works!
Solar energy, despite its many applications, is still underutilized in the automotive sector. However, an inventor named Drew, from the Drew Builds Stuff, is challenging this scenario with the creation of a electric vehicle powered by solar panels, capable of recharging itself automatically and achieving autonomy that borders on infinity. Video of the vehicle available below.
Drew, known for his creative inventions on YouTube, has developed an electric vehicle that uses solar panels to continuously recharge its batteries. He combined recycled elements and simple technology to bring the vehicle to life. project, which uses two electric motors from bicycles, reused disc brakes, two Red Odo LiFePO4 24V 100Ah batteries and three photovoltaic modules.
The design of the electric vehicle, with a metal tube structure and a futuristic appearance, is reminiscent of a 21st century tank.
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The solar panels, with a total power of 175 W, are installed in a foldable section, allowing their position to be adjusted according to the location of the sun. This flexibility ensures better use of sunlight throughout the day.
The electric vehicle performed impressively
Drew ran a test to check the vehicle's capacity. Initially, he used a single solar panel on the hood, but realized that the vehicle's consumption of approximately 1.200 watts required an expansion of the power source.
To get around this obstacle, he built a trailer equipped with flexible solar panels, weighing about 3 kg each, significantly increasing the efficiency of the loading.
During a bright sunny day, the electric vehicle consistently generated 1.350 watts of power, remaining self-sustaining until clouds covered the sky. As sunlight began to wane, power output dropped to 350 watts, and by sunset the battery was completely drained.
Even with these limitations, Drew managed to travel approximately 250 kilometers, far exceeding the average range of a conventional battery, which would be 55 to 70 km.
He believes that under ideal conditions, with constant sunlight, it would be possible to reach up to 480 kilometers or more, paving the way for theoretical infinite autonomy.
Limitations found in the project
While Drew’s results are impressive, he acknowledges the challenges of this type of vehicle. To achieve maximum range, he needed to keep the car’s weight to a minimum, eliminating elements that would increase energy consumption, such as air conditioning, structural reinforcements for crumple zones, and batteries that could withstand high highway speeds.
Another crucial factor for vehicle performance is the variation in weather conditions. The vehicle's range depends directly on the amount of sunlight available, which varies according to geographic location and climate. In countries with little sunlight, such as regions with harsh winters or long periods of rain, the viability of a solar vehicle becomes limited.
The future of solar energy in vehicles
While infinite range is still a purely theoretical concept, Drew is a firm believer in the potential of solar energy as a practical power source for future automobiles. The project, despite its limitations, serves as a proof of concept, demonstrating that it is possible, at least in part, to harness solar energy to create more self-sustainable vehicles.
Their work reflects an optimistic view of the future of electric mobility, which can increasingly benefit from renewable energy sources. However, there is still a long way to go before this technology becomes viable on a large scale.
If you're interested in Drew's invention, the full video is available on his YouTube channel, where he details the vehicle's construction process and the tests performed. It's worth checking out to better understand how solar energy could eventually revolutionize the automotive industry.
