Green Motorsports: First EV Finisher for Dakar Rally

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Third Time Was a Charm for Acciona EV

In its third attempt, the Acciona 100% Ecopowered 4×4 battery-electric car completed the grueling Dakar Rally in South America, finishing 53rd in its class. It became the first EV to complete a Dakar race.

Without consuming a drop of gasoline or diesel fuel or emitting a single gram of CO2, the Acciona team drove the 100% Ecopowered EV over the 5,600-mile rally course that stretched across the deserts and mountains of Argentina, Bolivia, and Paraguay in 111 hours.

Acciona, a Spanish energy firm, spent five years developing the battery-powered vehicle specifically to compete in the Dakar Rally.

Overcoming Weather & Competitors

Acciona EV
The Acciona EV was well-equipped to tackle the race’s challenges

The team managed to overcome the extreme weather conditions in Bolivia and northern Argentina where rain and mudslides wreaked havoc on the race. The weather caused several stages to be shortened or cancelled. Nearly a quarter of the vehicles failed to finish the rally.

The electric racer was equipped with a 340-horsepower synchronous electric motor that delivers 516 pounds-feet of torque, six fast-charging on-board batteries and a roof-mounted photovoltaic solar panel to recharge the vehicle’s primary power systems.

The Acciona team was thrilled by the victory.

“The odyssey is over,” said Acciona driver Ariel Jatón. “This year’s Dakar was very tough, with some very intense stages complicated by the weather, and the altitude in Bolivia.”

By finishing the race, Acciona proved that electric cars can prevail in the roughest road environment using zero-emission powered batteries.

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Larry Hall

Larry E. Hall is Managing Editor & Editor-at-Large at Clean Fleet Report. His interest and passion for automobiles began at age 7, cleaning engine parts for his father, a fleet manager for a regional bakery. He has written about cars and the automobile industry for more than 25 years and has focused his attention on “green” cars and advanced technology vehicles. Larry’s articles have been published by Microsoft’s MSNBC.com and MSN Autos as their alternative vehicles correspondent and Senior Editor at HybridCars.com. He is the founding president of the Northwest Automotive Press Association and a member of the Motor Press Guild.
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