The SUNCAR Family is the practical everyday vehicle in the SUNCAR fleet. Equipped with a range extender, an internal combustion engine powered by bioethanol, this vehicle covers daily distances electrically and only long distances using bioethanol. This enables weight reduction in electric vehicles. With the solar panel, energy generation was made independent of the grid, further increasing the range.
Technical Data
| Vehicle Type | Skoda Octavia |
| Power | 120 kW |
| Torque (Motor) | 280 Nm |
| Speed (Motor) | 12000 rpm |
| Acceleration (0-100 km/h) | 8 s |
| Speed | 140 km/h |
| Electric Range | 120 km |
| with Range Extender | 800 km |
Range Extender
The range extender is a single-cylinder engine powered by bioethanol. This allows the car to achieve higher efficiency due to its lower weight than if the energy for the entire range came from a battery charge. The internal combustion engine is not mechanically coupled to the drivetrain and can therefore always be operated at maximum efficiency. Efficiency can be further increased by utilizing the heat contained in the exhaust gas. Second-generation bioethanol is used as fuel. This is produced from waste wood and therefore does not compete with food production.
| Power | 26 kW (35 hp) at 7250 rpm |
| Type | Otto Engine |
| Cylinders | 1 |
| Principle | 4-Stroke |
| Displacement | 325 ccm |
| Fuel | 2nd Generation Bioethanol |
| Efficiency | 39% |
Solar Roof
To further increase the range, the vehicle’s roof was equipped with a solar cell. For this, the roof had to be raised and a housing for the solar cells and the associated technology had to be constructed. The solar cell has a maximum output of 333 W.
