Eolian Áuriga-Enel X Project:

• The Eolian Áuriga, Enel X prototype, is an unprecedented vehicle weighing 500 kilograms that can reach a speed of 90 km/h within a 1,000 kilometers range.
• The Eolian Áuriga will be the ElectroRuta Enel X project's ambassador.  The sixth's model of its kind will travel around Chile to install 1200 charging points from Arica to Punta Arenas, spreading the importance of electromobility and renewable energies in the country.

Santiago, December 3, 2021 – After more than three years of work, Latin America's first four-passenger solar car was presented this morning. This is the Eolian Áuriga-Enel X prototype, a joint project between Universidad de Chile's Physical and Mathematical Sciences Department and Enel X, promoting innovation and developing new technologies to expand electromobility throughout the country.

The activity took place at Enel X's Smartcity Santiago Technology Center, located in Ciudad Empresarial de Huechuraba. Among the participants were the Undersecretary of the Environment, Marcelo Fernández; Enel X's general manager, Karla Zapata; and Universidad de Chile's Physical Sciences and Mathematics Department Dean, Francisco Martínez. The latter discovered and presented the new solar prototype, built and produced by an interdisciplinary team of students, professors, and Enel X's electric mobility team's advice.

“Once again, our students prove their commitment to sustainable growth based on science and technological innovation, clearly indicating where an advanced country should go. They manage to overcome great challenges with great commitment and sense of public purpose, for which we at Universidad de Chile are very proud”, said the Physical and Mathematical Sciences Department's Dean, Francisco Martínez.

The Eolian Áuriga-Enel X is a light vehicle weighing 500 kilos with a 3.72m2 roof of solar panels that feed two 2kW motors each, allowing it to reach speeds of up to 90 km/h. Moreover, this vehicle can travel 1000 kilometers on a full solar charge or a range of up to 700 kilometers without solar charge.

“This agreement between academia and private enterprise has allowed us to share knowledge and experience in the service of technological development to achieve surprising practical results such as this solar car prototype, with levels of autonomy not yet reached by commercial electric vehicles. The enthusiasm shown by students, together with our support, gives us the motivation to continue promoting ambitious projects like this one”, said Enel X’s general manager, Karla Zapata.

The Eolian Áuriga-Enel X is charged with solar and electric energy from the 1,200 electro-power stations included in the ElectroRuta Enel X project, installed throughout the country from Arica to Punta Arenas. This will allow the solar vehicle to travel through Chile's different, promoting electromobility and renewable energies in transportation.

Marcelo Fernandez, Undersecretary of the Environment, stated that “Chile has set itself the ambitious goal of becoming carbon neutral and climate resilient by 2050 to face the impacts of climate change. And electromobility is the pillar to achieve this, representing approximately 17% of the reductions needed to reach this goal, which is why these national projects are very relevant and will undoubtedly serve as a boost to promote clean technology".

Creating the sixth version of the four-seat Eolian Áuriga Enel X solar car, the first of its kind in Latin America, will bring us closer to a vehicle that can be used in people's daily lives.

Eolian's history

The Eolian team is made up of students and former students of Universidad de Chile's Physical and Mathematical Sciences Dept. (FCFM). Specifically from the departments of Electrical Engineering; Mechanical Engineering; Industrial Engineering; Chemistry, Biotechnology and Materials; and Computer Science. Also from the Architecture and Urbanism Dept. and the Institute of Communications and Image.

The group was formed in 2007 with the Eolian 1 model, the first solar car in Latin America built to participate in the World Solar Car Championship in Australia, an event in which they obtained 14th place. Four years later, with aerodynamic, structural, and maneuverability improvements, the Eolian 2 was built, a version that achieved 2nd place in the Atacama Solar Race.

In 2012 came the Eolian 3, which had the same construction guidelines as the previous version, matching what was achieved in the Atacama solar race with a new second place. Two years later, a two-person car was chosen to make a prototype more similar to a regular car.

From the learnings of its predecessors, Eolian Fénix was born, an improved version that in 2017 completed the Santiago-Arica challenge, traveling almost 2,000 kilometers, setting a precedent in solar cars for Chile and the Carrera Solar de Atacama.

ElectroRuta Enel X

It is the most ambitious electromobility project in Latin America, presented in 2020, installing 1,200 charging points throughout Chile. Make it possible to travel more than 5,000 kilometers from north to south, guaranteeing the autonomy and continuity of circulation of electric cars in the country.

About Enel X

Enel X is the Enel Group's global business line that accelerates innovation and drives the energy transition. Enel X, a world leader in advanced energy solutions, manages demand response services, with some 6 GW of total capacity and 124 MW of storage capacity installed worldwide, as well as some 175,000 recharging points for public and private electric vehicles available globally.