Russia's Experimental New Solar Car Model Gets Special Test Run in Sunny Sochi

We're moving to Sochi now. The first Russian sunmobile "SOL" has been tested there today. Its max speed is 75 mph. It has a futuristic design. It's designed only for race competitions.

We're going to learn the details from Danila Makhalin. He's joining us. Here he is.

— Greetings! The sunmobile looks fantastic. What is it made of and how does it work?

— Greetings from Sochi.

 

While our soccer team is enjoying the historic success, here on the autodrome in Sochi, we've had a milestone event as well. This is a kind of technological breakthrough. Test drives of the first Russian sunmobile have been carried out. Here it is right behind me. It's called "SOL". At first, we even didn't understand those were test drives since we heard no noise. It is almost soundless. You can only hear some barely audible drone, that's it. It was unusual for the driver David Markozov who tested the car. Let's listen to his feedback.

David Markozov, SMP Racing: "Emotions are high because I'm a racing driver, you know, and first of all, when we get into a car, we put on a helmet and we put in earplugs before that. Since the motor noise is pretty intense. But here you don't need that. I mean, you put on a helmet, you're driving and hearing nothing. The car is unexpectedly controllable. And you look at the fuel level all the time, but there's no fuel needed. It's sun-chargeable. It's just genius".

You can hear it was something new for the driver to test such a car, which is capable of reaching 75 mph. You can't tell by appearance it's a car. It looks more like a small spaceship. The main point we pay attention to is the solar batteries placed on the upper part of the car body. They show that the point here is the solar energy. Let's listen to driver Markozov again.

David Markozov, SMP Racing: "I saw it yesterday for the first time. I thought they were going to launch me into the sea like in a bathyscaph. It looks like, you know. It was made for the sake of the aerodynamics. Because they are getting prepared for some competitions. As far as I know, they shall drive 1,850 miles using the solar energy".

According to experts and some drivers, such cars are oriented on fans of motorsports in the nearest future. It should be pointed out that such a car shall be suitable only for the places, where there are a lot of sunny days. We're in Sochi now, where it fits perfectly.

— Back to you in the studio.

— Thank you. Danila Makhalin from Sochi, where the first Russian sunmobile was tested today.