The exhibition of the Eolian I solar car at the 2014 Conicyt Technology Fair, which is taking place today and tomorrow, October 7, at the Plaza de la Constitución, has been a success.

Visitors, including many schoolchildren, have had the opportunity to learn more about its history, characteristics, and autonomy thanks to the explanations provided by the students and researchers in charge, who are constantly addressing the questions and concerns of those interested.

“The solar car has sparked a lot of interest among children and seniors, who have come up to ask everything from what it is to how far it can travel, how fast it goes, and where it has competed. It has helped educate people about the potential of solar energy in the country,” said José Antonio Marín, one of the project leaders.

The presentation of the Eolian to the community provides an opportunity to tell visitors that this is the first solar-powered car in Latin America and the Caribbean, created in 2007 by students of electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, and industrial design; and that work is currently underway on a fourth version, which will seat two people, have four wheels, be capable of traveling 350 kilometers per day at an average speed of 70 km/h,h, and will travel from Arica to Punta Arenas to promote the use of solar energy in Chile.

The booth featuring the two-seater solar car, the Eolian 4—sponsored by the University of Chile’s School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences and Serc Chile—is one of 26 technology-related projects being showcased at this fair, all of which aim to find cures for diseases, make better use of natural resources, assist people with disabilities, disseminate scientific knowledge, and optimize production processes.