The four-wheeled solar-powered vehicle—created by students—proved that it can keep up with a high-tech Tesla Model S, the only one of its kind in South America.

The EOLIAN project was launched in 2007 as a student project, guided by the Departments of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering at the University of Chile—an initiative supported by the Institute for Complex Engineering Systems—with the aim of serving as a breeding ground for innovators. The story, which began about seven years ago with the construction of EOLIAN 1, will reach a milestone this coming November when EOLIAN 4—the first two-seater off-road solar car in Latin America and the Caribbean—competes in the 2014 Atacama Solar Race.

By then, the investment will have reachthe not-insignificant sum of about 100 million pesos. It’s a sum well worth it for a vehicle designed as an alternative to gasoline-powered cars, capable of traveling long distances—as it will in the first race of its kind in the north, where it will cover some 1,200 kilometers.

“This isn’t a tricycle—it’s a four-wheeled car. It doesn’t need to be towed when there are problems on the track. The goal is to get closer and closer to a car for everyday use. We believe it has the potential to become a commercial vehicle,” says Rodrigo Palma, Director of the Energy Center and a researcher at the Institute for Complex Engineering Systems.

What Is the EOLIAN 4 Like?

How does the EOLIAN 4 work? It uses photovoltaic cells that convert solar radiation into electrical energy, with a total power output of 900 W in full sunlight. It uses lithium-ion batteries and two motors with a maximum power output of 7 kW (9.3 hp), 55 Nm of torque, a range of 400 kilometers, and a top speed of up to 100 kilometers per hour. Since it does not burn fossil fuels, it emits no CO2, so its carbon footprint is very low.

Now that the solar panels, the suspension system, and the basic fairing have been tested, the EOLIAN 4 is almost ready—not only for the most important solar race in Latin America, but also to travel across Chile from Arica to Santiago, visiting various schools to demonstrate the benefits of using solar energy.

The project team, coordinated by researcher Rodrigo Palma along with a team of professionals from the Energy Center and the DIE (José Antonio Marín, Mónica Zamora, Vladimir Ovalle, Bernardo Severino), is made up of students, staff, and faculty members from the departments of Electrical, Mechanical, Industrial, and Commercial Engineering, as well as Industrial Design and Graphic Design. Its development was made possible thanks to the support of research centers and companies that have recognized the potential of new technologies and their positive impact on the country.