The world’s highest volcano, a team trying to reach the summit using a solar-powered e-truck, an attempt at a world record: these are the essential components of a high-profile project that is about to get started in the Chilean Andes. The three men from Switzerland forming the Peak Evolution Team want to conquer the summit of Ojos del Salado using their solar-powered truck specifically developed for this purpose. At a height of 6,893 m, it is the highest active volcano on earth. As the team’s main sponsor and logistics partner, Gebrüder Weiss will make a considerable contribution to the success of the project. The logistics company has just dispatched the sophisticated vehicle and all the expedition equipment to Chile by sea freight. The next destination after its arrival will be Ojos del Salado. If the team reaches the summit, this would be a new world record. Never before has a vehicle climbed that high.

"Due to its limited payload capacity, this solar-powered vehicle cannot yet replace a conventional truck, but it shows a completely new direction in which we will be able to move with alternative drives in the future," says Frank Haas, Head of Corporate Brand Strategy & Communications at Gebrüder Weiss. The solar-powered multi-purpose vehicle has more traction capacity than an average 40-ton semi-truck and could be used especially in rough terrain. Gebrüder Weiss has already sponsored a number of projects of this kind. "Being the oldest logistics company in the world, we feel committed to helping shape the future of mobility," explains Frank Haas the motives behind this cooperation.

For nearly four years, the three Swiss developers, David Pröschel, Patrik and David Koller, have been working on putting the multi-purpose truck into practice. By embarking on an expedition to a place that no vehicle has ever reached, they want to prove the efficiency of alternative drive technologies. "Our vehicle makes it possible to perform even the most demanding transport tasks, whether in mining or when erecting high-altitude solar power plants, in an environmentally compatible and economically efficient manner. The expedition is going to show the commercial viability of the product we developed," says Patrik Koller, Head of Finance and co-developer of the Peak Evolution Team. "In Gebrüder Weiss, we have gained a partner who shares our vision of sustainable mobility and, as an international transport company, will also be able to benefit from it in practical terms in the future."

The transport requires comprehensive expertise and flexibility: since electrically powered vehicles are considered hazardous goods, the specialists of the international transport company developed a double container floor that secures the expedition equipment and allows to disconnect the battery. In addition, extensive documentation must meet the strict safety and customs requirements while at sea and in the country of destination.

The daring mission will be accompanied by a documentary film team headed by award-winning Swiss filmmaker Claudio von Planta.

All information at a glance

Mission

High-altitude world record with solar-powered truck

Destination

The world’s highest volcano: Ojos del Salado in Chile (6,893 m)

Transport

Land transport:
Sevelen (CH) – Rotterdam (NL): 889 km
San Antonio (CL) – Salar de Maricunga (CL): 780 km
Sea transport:
Rotterdam – San Antonio: 12,021 km
Packaging:
Double container floor secures expedition equipment and allows for battery disconnection

Solar-powered
truck

Basis:
Multi-purpose truck by Aebi Schmidt
Equipment:
2 electric motors
380 hp
200 km range
240 kW output

Photovoltaics

42 m2 modules on the roof and as mobile extensions
7.4 kWp total output