Project Ecarus
New member
It does. But since we want to hit the road as soon as possible we need to use technology that's already readily available today. Who knows, maybe one day we'll build a fuel cell version
Building a solar-powered off-road truck (based on a 712M Pinzgauer)
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Project Ecarus
New member
Couldn't have said it better - no easy solutions! We're finding new challenges every day. But we also have breakthroughs every once in a while, which keeps us going. The solar rig consists of very light-weight flexible panels (not glass ones) which brings down the weight considerably. We will need plenty of space to deploy it but we are designing a system that will be relatively easy and quick to set up for two people. Will keep you posted as the design evolves!
Project Ecarus
New member
That's part of the plan
Project Ecarus
New member
Thank you! We actually attended the launch of the Solar Impulse plane, what an amazing project. To answer your question about charging, we'll have the option to use DC fast charge (80% in under an hour) and plug into regular AC sockets (several hours, probably mostly overnight). Flexibility is crucial on the road so though the goal is to travel as autonomously as possible, there will be situations when plugging in will be the only way to go.
Project Ecarus
New member
Thank you! We're finishing up the test vehicle at the moment, looking forward to sharing more details once we've taken it for a spin
shade
Well-known member
Aside from the possible drag of panel deployment & packing, I think you're going to surprise some people with how well the trip goes.
You probably already have a tracking solution in mind, but sharing your route via a Garmin inReach would be a fun way for us to keep up with your progress.
Superduty
Adventurer
For me, traveling at night seems like a bad option. Isn't seeing the scenery one one of the big factors of overland travel?
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shade
Well-known member
Agreed.
Spending a day evangelizing while charging would seem a better fit with their mission. Working out the schedule will be a challenge unknown to petro powered travelers.
Alloy
Well-known member
It does. But since we want to hit the road as soon as possible we need to use technology that's already readily available today. Who knows, maybe one day we'll build a fuel cell version
My friend runs a Efoy 140.
Technical Data - EFOY fuel cells by SFC Energy
Here you can find the technical data of our EFOY fuel cells 80 and 150.
www.efoy-comfort.com
Efoy parent SFC has an industrail division which is where he bought his.
SFC Energy AG | Smart Fuel Cell Solutions for Clean Energy » SFC Energy AG
SFC Energy AG | Smart Fuel Cells ✓ Stationary & Mobile Energy ✓ Power Management Solutions ✓ Globally leading ✓ ISO-Certified ► Discover now.
www.sfc.com
Project Ecarus
New member
A quick update about where we are with our solar-electric conversion: while we're building the cabin and solar rig onto our 6x6, we're simultaneously developing the electric drive in a 4x4 - this is to avoid bottlenecks. We're very excited about the 4x4 prototype, which is now up and running. We're still fine tuning the set-up but so far the performance is pretty impressive.
We posted a full recap (incl. video) here: https://projectecarus.com/blog
There's still a heck of a lot to do but this is a big step in the right direction! Thank you all for your input, much appreciated. You're right, we'll only travel short distances day by day - and lots of time in and around camp. We are okay with that. We'll be travelling with a pre-schooler so long drives aren't really on the books for us anyways. And since we want to do lots of off-roading, driving by night would be the exception, when we're trying to make miles on tarmac. We're curious about discovering a different pace of travel and really getting to know each area we visit. No doubt this means lots of planning ahead. I guess we'll have plenty of time for that while the batteries recharge
We posted a full recap (incl. video) here: https://projectecarus.com/blog
There's still a heck of a lot to do but this is a big step in the right direction! Thank you all for your input, much appreciated. You're right, we'll only travel short distances day by day - and lots of time in and around camp. We are okay with that. We'll be travelling with a pre-schooler so long drives aren't really on the books for us anyways. And since we want to do lots of off-roading, driving by night would be the exception, when we're trying to make miles on tarmac. We're curious about discovering a different pace of travel and really getting to know each area we visit. No doubt this means lots of planning ahead. I guess we'll have plenty of time for that while the batteries recharge
TantoTrailers
Well-known member
That thing sounds soo cool speeding by! Awesome project for sure, keep up the good work. Excellent videos too
Project Ecarus
New member
Thanks for the pointer. Wow, these fuel cells are produced not too far from where we live, actually. We'd love to know more abut your friend's experience!My friend runs a Efoy 140.
Technical Data - EFOY fuel cells by SFC Energy
Here you can find the technical data of our EFOY fuel cells 80 and 150.
Efoy parent SFC has an industrail division which is where he bought his.
SFC Energy AG | Smart Fuel Cell Solutions for Clean Energy » SFC Energy AG
SFC Energy AG | Smart Fuel Cells ✓ Stationary & Mobile Energy ✓ Power Management Solutions ✓ Globally leading ✓ ISO-Certified ► Discover now.
Project Ecarus
New member
Hi everyone, we have more updates about our project. We've been testing the prototype, both on and beyond the tarmac, and we're glad to report that it thoroughly exceeds expectations. Lots of fun to play around in the rugged landscape around the workshop with a Pinzgauer that has >1000 Nm of torque, >400 horsepower and a lower centre of gravity (due to the weight of the 85 kWh battery pack). Below are a few pictures from one of our outings. We've also put together a short video about our experiences so far, which you can check out here: www.projectecarus.com/blog
