Evonik Showcases Record-Setting, Self-Sufficient Vehicle At Its Parsippany Center
Innovative Wind Explorer Cruised 3,000 Miles Across Australia For Less Than $15
Evonik Corporation is featuring the Wind Explorer – a lightweight, electric vehicle that crossed Australia on less than $15 of electricity – at its administrative center in Parsippany, N.J.
The vehicle, piloted by German extreme sportsmen Dirk Gion and Stefan Simmerer, ran on a lithium-ion battery developed from Evonik’s LITARION® electrodes and SEPARION® ceramic separators. The SEPARION® technology is manufactured exclusively by Evonik and allows the battery cells to store energy generated from a portable wind turbine. Evonik’s silica-silane technology for rubber formulation reduced the rolling resistance of the vehicle’s tires, lowering fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions.
“The Wind Explorer demonstrates how environmentally-friendly automobiles can be today and showcases Evonik’s drive for sustainability,” said Tom Bates, president of Evonik Corporation. “Evonik continuously seeks to help our customers enhance their products. The technologies in the Wind Explorer are examples of how our products can improve the resource-efficiency of automobiles.”
The vehicle produced virtually zero emissions during the 3,000 mile Australian journey, a distance roughly 200 miles further than from New York City to Los Angeles. The Wind Explorer was constructed from Evonik’s ROHACELL® sandwich carbon fiber, reducing the body’s weight to allow the vehicle to travel hundreds of miles by kite. The Wind Explorer was so resource efficient that the wind turbine carried aboard could produce enough energy to travel 175-225 miles a day.
“We are very excited to have the Wind Explorer here in Parsippany,” said Dr. Peter Knopf, vice president and head of regional services at Evonik Corporation. “This is a remarkable vehicle highlighting some of our most innovative technologies. Now we will be able to give our employees and visitors an opportunity to see first-hand how Evonik is bringing value and creative solutions to the automotive industry.”
The Wind Explorer pilots set three world records during their coast-to-coast trip across Australia, including the first time a continent had been crossed by a vehicle powered by wind and lithium-ion batteries, the longest overall distance covered by an exclusively wind-powered automobile, and the longest distance covered in 36 hours by an electric and wind-powered vehicle.
For additional information about Evonik in North America, please visit our website: www.evonik.com/north-america. Please visit us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/EvonikNorthAmerica. Follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/EvonikN_America.
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About Evonik
Evonik, the creative industrial group from Germany, is one of the world leaders in specialty chemicals. Its activities focus on the key megatrends health, nutrition, resource efficiency and globalization. Profitable growth and a sustained increase in the value of the company form the heart of Evonik’s corporate strategy. Evonik benefits specifically from its innovative prowess and integrated technology platforms.
Evonik is active in over 100 countries around the world. In fiscal 2011 more than 33,000 employees generated sales of around €14.5 billion and an operating profit (adjusted EBITDA) of about €2.8 billion.
Disclaimer
In so far as forecasts or expectations are expressed in this press release or where our statements concern the future, these forecasts, expectations or statements may involve known or unknown risks and uncertainties. Actual results or developments may vary, depending on changes in the operating environment. Neither Evonik Industries AG nor its group companies assume an obligation to update the forecasts, expectations or statements contained in this release.