As individuals and as an international company, we hold a deep commitment to addressing the challenges of climate change. Environmental stewardship is a core value for us, and we are actively engaged in sustainable development initiatives across various fronts.
In celebration of the European Week, which runs from September 18th to October 8th, 2023, Vitalo Group is excited to highlight a project that holds a special place in our hearts
For over a year now, we have proudly partnered with Innoptus Solar Team to support their endeavor in building a solar car.
Our goal is to assist this team in designing a solar car by creating a windshield that combines lightweight construction, aerodynamics, and clear visibility for this unique solar vehicle.
Who is the Innoptus Solar Team? It’s a group of engineering students who, 19 years ago, created the first Belgian solar car with the aim of participating in the World Solar Challenge, a race spanning over 3,000 kilometers through the Australian Outback.
Today, new students have taken up the mantle of this exciting project, building new solar cars to compete worldwide. Their objective is to continually surpass the achievements of previous solar cars and showcase the power of green energy and the excellence of Belgian innovation.
Vitalo Group has embraced the challenge of collaborating with Innoptus Solar Team to jointly support Belgian innovation, resulting in the creation of the windshield for the 10th Belgian solar car, ‘Infinite.‘
To learn more about the history of Innoptus Solar Team, visit: https://www.solarteam.be/fr
How did Vitalo Group contribute its technology to Innoptus Solar Team?
The role of Vitalo Group was to design and provide a thermoformed transparent plastic windshield (canopy) for this new solar car, ensuring the protection of the single-seat cockpit. Achieving thermoforming of transparent plastic without compromising visual quality demands considerable expertise. This is why this delicate task was entrusted to our specialized brand in transparent thermoforming: Starplast. https://vitalo.net/starplast/
Starplast possesses cutting-edge technology that enables the production of high-quality plastics with perfect clarity and visibility. Its experience and expertise in tailored solutions set it apart from the competition.
Thanks to Vitalo Group’s expertise, we have contributed to optimizing the aerodynamics, comfort, and visibility for the pilot of the Infinite.
We hope that this innovation will propel the Infinite to victory in the upcoming Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, scheduled to take place in a few weeks: https://worldsolarchallenge.org/
https://worldsolarchallenge.org/team/view/366-innoptus-solar-team
The Bridgestone World Solar Challenge: Vitalo Group will stand by the side of Innoptus Solar Team to support the Infinite and follow this extraordinary adventure from Darwin to Adelaide.
We take pride in supporting this young team as they push the boundaries of science for future generations. Their aspirations go beyond the race, aiming to promote cleaner energy.
The significance of energy for human civilization cannot be underestimated. While the exploitation of fossil fuels has led to the current prosperity of our world, it has also resulted in the release of over 36 billion tons of carbon annually, with devastating impacts on our climate and planet.
The innovations tested on these solar cars offer fresh perspectives in areas such as solar panels, batteries, electronics, and aerodynamics. Developing technologies and innovations not yet on the market represents a higher level of engineering, and these technologies could very well hold the key to meeting our energy needs in the future using solar energy alone.
Vitalo Group wholeheartedly supports these initiatives to push the boundaries of technology and innovation, all in the name of preserving our environment.
Join us from October 22nd to October 29th, 2023, to follow this race. A daily recap will be available on Innoptus Solar Team’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@SolarTeamBelgium
