Reaching new Heights with a Sustainable E-Vehicle
Sika is sponsoring Peak Evolution expedition: a challenging project to reach a new world record. The Peak Evolution Team is developing an innovative and sustainable agricultural vehicle working completely with electrical power.
To prove its performance the team plans to reach the highest altitude ever reached with an e-vehicle (Nevado Ojos del Salado in Chile, 6,893 m) and they are going to do this fully electrical.
Sika is supporting the expedition with high performance adhesive bonding solutions to master the extreme weather conditions.
An Innovative and Sustainable Project
The Peak Evolution team has been working on the conversion of a diesel-powered agricultural vehicle to make it electrical. They redesigned the transmission to provide it with very high torque but also allows them to drive with speed. The vehicle is going to be commercialized in Switzerland and their startup business is followed by Swiss National Television.
In addition to the adventurous spirit the project also addresses the need for noise and emission reduction in often sensitive high-altitude regions. In future, TERREN will be sold for agricultural applications and municipal services replacing regular diesel-powered tractors.
Sika is a leading player for high performance adhesive solutions in vehicle manufacturing, electric passenger vehicles as well as for solar panels and, therefore, an ideal partner for this demanding industrial application. TERREN is scheduled to be commercially available by mid-2022.
Sika Technologies in use
Terren, the expedition vehicle is based on a conventional multi-purpose transporter with a combustion engine. Sika is part of the project with its adhesives and sealants, to convert this unique vehicle into an e-vehicle that can build up the power and strength needed to reach the world record.
The transportation box is made of lightweight sandwich panels assembled with SikaForce® adhesives. It will be bonded with SikaForce®-803, which is part of our Powerflex Technology, onto a steel subframe that is attached to the vehicle.
The journey provides significant challenges to the construction with high torsional loads, exposure to extreme conditions in the desert followed by the cold on the top of the summit. Sika’s reliable adhesive and sealants are made for such challenging conditions and will ensure a safe journey for the team.
Sika Products
"The project Peak Evolution perfectly combines the ambitions of the expedition team with Sika’s core values: pioneering spirit, innovation, and sustainability. We are excited to support them on their adventure to bring e-vehicles to new performance levels." Corporate Target Market Manager Industry, Morten Muschak
The Journey from Switzerland to Chile
The adventure will start in Switzerland and end in Chile at the top of the highest active volcano in the world. The expedition will take off in 2022 in Switzerland. After transporting the vehicle by ship, the real start in Chile is planned for fall 2022.
Details about the Journey can be found here
Follow the Project in the Media
September 28, 2021
Check out the press release in the Adhesivesmag "Structural Adhesives are Reaching New Heights with an Innovative Electric Vehicle"