Acciona

Well, third time’s the charm. After attempting to complete the Dakar Rally, which is considered one of the most difficult endurance rallies in the world, for the third time in a row, Acciona’s managed to complete the race with its custom-made all-electric vehicle – a first for a zero-emission vehicle.

It’s a significant achievement that further proves that electric vehicles are just as capable or in some cases even better than gas-guzzling vehicles.
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In case you’ve never heard of them, Acciona is a Madrid-based energy conglomerate with a focus on infrastructure projects and a commitment to green energy sources.

They announced today that they will be competing in the Dakar 2017 for the third year in a row with the message that “we believe 100% in the potential of renewable energy,” according to a post on their Facebook page. The company is excited that their vehicle, which they have named 100% EcoPowered, is “the only vehicle in the competition that will not consume a single drop of fossil fuel.”

The company will be represented in the annual race’s 39th edition by Argentine driver Ariel Jatón.
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Acciona, a Spanish conglomerate in renewable energy and infrastructure, created last year the first team to compete at the Dakar rally with an electric vehicle. Unfortunately, they didn’t last long, but they are coming back for Dakar 2016 and they feel more confident than ever after coming out of the Morocco Rally last month as the first team to finish it with an electric vehicle.

The company seriously upgraded the vehicle this year with a focus on efficiency and a brand new battery pack. At Dakar 2015, Acciona’s car could achieve 125 miles (200 km) on a single charge with a 140 kWh battery pack under the race’s difficult road conditions. The upgraded car has a 150 kWh pack, which is only a 7% increase, but the team says it can now travel 217 miles (350 km) on a single charge under the same racing conditions, which is a 75% increase.
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