Article Summary
- BMW challenged Clemson students to build an electric vehicle capable of producing more energy than it consumes during an average day.
- Deep Orange 17 weighs just 1,212 pounds and incorporates more than 1,700 photovoltaic cells into its body panels.
- The prototype can generate 31 miles of surplus range under modeled conditions, although it is not intended for production.
Solar-powered cars have never quite escaped the concept stage, but BMW and Clemson University have developed a prototype that takes the idea further than simply placing a few panels on the roof. Called Deep Orange 17, the lightweight electric coupe is designed to answer an interesting question BMW posed to the University students in 2024. Can a vehicle generate more energy than it consumes during an average day spent driving?
Meeting BMW’s challenge was quite a task. It required a mix of old-school and new-school thinking. Deep Orange 17, later dubbed “Luminetta,” takes a leaf out of all great cars and, indeed, great BMWs: low curb weight. Its multi-material structure combines steel in areas requiring greater passenger protection with aluminum, carbon-fiber structural pieces, and 3D-printed metal joints. The students also optimized the car’s power electronics, torque distribution, regenerative braking, and drivetrain controls to minimize energy losses. It weighs only 1,212 pounds, or 550 kilograms. That is roughly 25% of the weight of many modern electric vehicles and less than half the weight of even the smallest gasoline-powered BMW currently on sale. Weight has obvious performance benefits. Here, it also pays dividends in efficiency.
The Power of the Sun
The functional prototype also incorporates more than 1,700 photovoltaic cells directly into its exterior panels. Solar power forms an integral part of the vehicle’s energy and propulsion strategy, and these units can even generate power while partially shaded. To estimate how the system would work in different environments, the students modeled sunlight and weather conditions in Frankfurt, Germany; Madrid, Spain; Mumbai, India; and somewhere very close to BMW’s U.S. production home, Greenville, South Carolina.
Based on a daily commute of 12 miles, or 20 kilometers, Clemson says the prototype produced enough surplus solar energy to provide an average of 31 additional miles, or 50 kilometers, of driving range across the four locations. In other words, under the modeled conditions, the car could replace the energy used for the commute and still finish the day with more energy than it started with.
Clemson says the car’s name — Luminetta — references both its solar energy system and “BMW’s design heritage.” You might have to squint, but there’s a little bit of the old BMW Isetta in the design, too. Luminetta also shares some things with more contemporary BMWs. Inside, a custom interface displays familiar features such as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Not a Preview of a Production BMW
Deep Orange 17 is a neat project. But it isn’t a preview of anything BMW is working on. Its proportions, extremely low weight, and construction would be difficult to replicate in a vehicle required to meet modern production, crash-test, comfort, and cost targets. However, individual elements of the project could still inform future research. Better solar-cell integration, lighter structures, smarter energy management, and reduced dependence on external charging would all be valuable as BMW expands its electric lineup. The project also continues a relationship between BMW and Clemson that stretches back more than two decades.
