This Evonik wind explorer electric-powered car is amazingly inexpensive. The super lightweight car recently made the journey from the South of Perth through the rugged Australian landscapes using less than $15 in electricity. Just to put that into context, that's a journey of over 5,000 kilometers for the price of a cheap meal!
The car runs on re-chargeable lithium-ion batteries which produce enough energy to allow the car to travel between 280-360 kilometers a day. To be able to withstand the scorching temperatures of the open roads in Australia, the car needed to be made of tough stuff! Engineers created the car using 'rohacell' carbon fiber, making the car ultra lightweight and durable. One of the smartest things about this design is because the car was so lightweight, it was able to be pulled along for some of the journey by a large kite.
Photo Credits: designboom, corporate.evonik
Wind-Powered Electric Cars
This Electric Powered Car by Evonik Can Be Pulled Along by a Kite
Trend Themes
1. Wind-powered Electric Cars - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop lightweight and durable electric cars that can be powered by wind.
2. Rechargeable Lithium-ion Batteries - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Improve the efficiency and longevity of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles.
3. Kite-powered Transportation - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Explore the use of large kites to assist in the propulsion of vehicles, reducing energy consumption.
Industry Implications
1. Automotive Manufacturing - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Integrate lightweight materials and renewable energy sources into the manufacturing of electric vehicles.
2. Battery Technology - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Advance rechargeable lithium-ion battery technology to meet the energy demands of electric vehicles.
3. Alternative Transportation - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop innovative transportation solutions that utilize renewable energy and unconventional methods of propulsion, such as kite-power.