Synopsis
A road movie that tells the birth and sporting debut of Emilia 5, the first four-seater solar electric car in the Cruiser category, designed by Professor Giangiacomo Minak of the Department of Industrial Engineering of the University of Bologna and built by the Onda Solare team, a group of technicians, engineers and enthusiasts based in Castel San Pietro Terme. The vehicle was created as part of the GreenWave project, funded by the European Union through NextGenerationEU and coordinated by MOST, the National Center for Sustainable Mobility that brings together 24 universities, the CNR and numerous companies in the mission to develop solutions for more sustainable mobility. Ondasolare
The film follows Emilia 5 on its trip to South Africa, where between 13 and 20 September 2024 the car took part in the Sasol Solar Challenge, one of the most prestigious and complex solar car competitions in the world. The race, which takes place on public roads from Johannesburg to Cape Town, tests the endurance of the vehicles along a route of over two thousand kilometers through extreme landscapes. The camera follows the Italian team through deserts, mountains and strong temperature changes, in a challenge that is at once technical, human and sporting. The Resto del Carlino
The adventure ended with a historic result: Emilia 5 covered a total of 2,411.3 kilometres, winning first place in the Cruiser category, as well as the Innovation Award for the suspension system patented by the Mechanical Design group of the University of Bologna. A detail makes the feat even more significant: Emilia 5 is the first vehicle in the Cruiser class to complete the entire Sasol Solar Challenge route without ever being loaded onto the rescue trailer, a procedure that is necessary for all other competitors. CUBo CircleCUBo Circle
Notes
The documentary is part of the tradition of stories about innovation and sustainability that have accompanied the Onda Solare project for years, born from previous prototypes (Emilia 2, 3, 4) engaged in international competitions such as the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge in Australia and the American Solar Challenge.
Credits
Pushed by the sun
Emilia 5 discovering South Africa
Direction and filming Andrea Pavone Coppola
Assistant director Sandro Mazzanti
Original music Luca "Tornado" Testoni
Production Peackmovie, Solar Wave, Loretta Ferragut
Year 2024
Country Italy