Clemson University students, in collaboration with BMW, have developed a fully functional electric vehicle prototype called Deep Orange 17, nicknamed Luminetta. This two-door coupe is designed to generate more energy than it consumes during a typical urban commute.
Key Features
The vehicle combines over 1,700 photovoltaic cells, an exceptionally lightweight chassis, aerodynamic design, regenerative braking, and intelligent drivetrain controls. The solar system can continue generating electricity even when portions of the panels are shaded.
The students modeled the vehicle under different environmental and solar conditions in four cities: Greenville, South Carolina; Frankfurt, Germany; Madrid, Spain; and Mumbai, India. Using a hypothetical daily commute of 12 miles, the researchers found that the vehicle could generate enough surplus solar energy to provide an average of 31 additional miles of driving range across the four locations.
Research and Development
The project represents a different approach from simply installing a small solar panel on an electric vehicle to power accessories. For Deep Orange 17, solar generation is integrated into the vehicle’s overall energy strategy.
BMW challenged the students to determine whether the vehicle could become energy-positive based on how people actually use cars, rather than relying exclusively on standardized driving cycles.
Original reporting: The Dallas Express — read the source article.
