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Photos courtesy of the Solar Bear Expedition
South Pole by Overland EV
Jason De Carteret’s dream to reach the South Pole at the wheel of an Electric Vehicle.
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Photos courtesy of the Solar Bear Expedition
South Pole by Overland EV
While being battery powered, additional charge will come from solar and wind sources.
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Photos courtesy of the Solar Bear Expedition
South Pole by Overland EV
Dubbed the “Solar Bear,” this 10x10 makes use of independent suspension and ten hub motors located in each wheel.
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Photos courtesy of the Solar Bear Expedition
South Pole by Overland EV
Like any glacier wheeler, high floatation tires are a must.
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Photos courtesy of the Solar Bear Expedition
South Pole by Overland EV
The 1000 kilometres from Patriot Hills to the South Pole is home to some of the harshest weather and condition on Earth.
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Photos courtesy of the Solar Bear Expedition
Story by Budd Stanley, photos courtesy of The Solar Bear Expedition
Jason De Carteret is what you would call an adventurous soul. I have followed many of his ambitious expeditions through some of Earths harshest environments. Skiing to both the North and the South Poles several times, traversing arid deserts in Africa and dense jungles in Central America, if it’s an inhospitable place, chances are De Carteret has either conquered it, or is planning to in the near future.
A couple years back I covered one of De Carteret’s most famous expeditions, yet another attempt on the South Pole, however this attempt would be something different. His plan was to drive to the Pole, over some of the harshest and most unforgiving terrain that Earth can throw. Yet he planned to do this in a record time, hoping to beat his own World Record of 69-hours, which he accomplished with a Ford Econoline Van, modified by an Icelandic modified into a 6x6 glacier slaying machine.
The serene and untouched beauty of Antarctica made De Carteret appreciate the need to preserve the last unspoiled regions on the planet and do his part as an environmentalist. So, in 2011, De Carteret had another extreme glacier truck built by those resourceful Icelanders, this time a Toyota Tacoma built by Arctic Trucks as well as a UK design/engineering company. Along with some extravagant bodywork designed to optimize weight and aerodynamics, the Tacoma was also designed to run on biofuel and used solar panels to further reduce its carbon footprint. With custom built fuel high capacity fuel tanks, the expedition set about smashing the previous record, completing the overland trip from Patriot Hills to the South Pole (over 1000 km) in 39 hours and 54 minutes.
An impressive feat to say the least, except in my interview with De Carteret soon after the expedition, he hinted that he was already planning something even grander. A recent email from De Carteret confirmed his intentions. His new vision is to reach the South Pole once again, this time in a completely emissions free Electric Vehicle. The goal, “to be the first in the world to get an all-electric powered vehicle to the South Pole, and back.”
The Solar Bear Expedition will have as its centrepiece a completely custom hand built Electric Vehicle. No, Jason will not be traveling in a 4x4 or 6x6 Leaf or Volt for his next adventure, rather a custom built 10x10. With the added floatation needed to carry what must be a massive load of batteries, the Solar Bear will be powered by 16 square-meters of Solar panels sending electricity through electronics and wiring designed for ultra-low temperatures to the ten hub motors positioned in each wheel. The Solar Bear is designed for two people with full life support systems and Satellite communications needed for the thousand kilomtre-plus journey.
At this time, the expedition has all its team members in place and the vehicle has been designed by Kieron Bradley and Byron Kennedy. Also onboard are the University of Wales and the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University who will provide eight students in an exchange program to help build the Solar Bear into a reality. The only thing standing in the team’s way of executing this ambitious expedition is something we can all relate to, the investment of sponsors. However, with De Carteret’s experience and the rise in popularity of Electric Vehicles, there is no doubt construction should be underway in the near future. We’ll be sure to stay on top of this fascinating story.