In an extraordinary feat of engineering and perseverance, a solar electric truck sponsored by Gebrüder Weiss and operated by the Swiss team Peak Evolution has achieved a groundbreaking world record by climbing the western edge of Ojos del Salado, the world's highest volcano, reaching an astounding altitude of 6,500 meters above sea level in Chile.

The expedition, which began its preparations at Chile's Maricunga Salt Lake (at an altitude of 3,400 meters), involved transporting the electric truck from Switzerland to Chile via Rotterdam two months ago. The electric vehicle, based on a multi-purpose Aebi VT450 transporter, is powered by two 120 kW electric motors, featuring a 300 V nominal EcoVolta lithium-ion battery with a 90 kWh capacity and a range of 200 km.

The solar electric truck is equipped with four rooftop solar panels and 16 ground panels, generating a peak power of 7.4 kWp and enabling a range of approximately 150 km in about five hours. The innovative DC-coupled charging system, along with triple redundancy, ensures efficient power transfer, even in extreme conditions.

Patrik Koller, CEO and developer at Peak Evolution, expressed his pride in the team's achievement, stating, "Despite these extreme conditions, our specially developed vehicle managed to drive higher than any other e-vehicle - let alone a solar-powered one. We have been training for this moment for four years, so giving up was never an option."

Source: electrek.co