The first all-electric car has completed the Dakar Rally – one of the most difficult endurance rallies in the world, covering 5,600 miles across Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay.
Spanish energy firm Acciona, which develops renewable energy infrastructure projects, developed the car especially for the rally. The vehicle is equipped with a 250kW synchronous electric motor, equivalent to 340 horsepower, and six lithium batteries, with a 150kWh capacity, that can be plugged in independently for a faster charge. The roof also hosts a small 100-Watt photovoltaic panel.
It’s third time lucky for the Acciona team, who failed to complete the race in their first two attempts, but this year managed to overcome extreme weather conditions, with rain and mudslides wreaking havoc and nearly a quarter of the vehicles failing to finish. Pilot Ariel Jaton said: ‘The odyssey is over. We are thrilled to have reached the finish line, particularly in an electric car.’
