CAPSolar launches its first commercial project at Parc Jean-Drapeau
05 Jun 2022
Some projects mark a turning point in a company's history, and the one at Parc Jean-Drapeau is a significant milestone for CAPSolar. This was one of the very first challenges taken on by our team: integrating solar panels into the roofs of low-speed electric vehicles to reduce their reliance on limited charging infrastructure and increase their autonomy.
Parc Jean-Drapeau, one of the largest green spaces in Montreal, faced a recurring issue: the limited range of their low-speed electric vehicles, combined with an insufficient number of charging stations. This complicated fleet management, resulting in frequent stops to recharge the vehicles and creating additional stress for the teams. The result? Reduced efficiency and higher operating and logistics costs. The classic solution of reverting to gasoline vehicles contradicted the environmental goals of the Parc. The question then arose: how to maximize the vehicles' range while minimizing the costs and environmental impact of this transition?
To address these challenges, in June 2022, CAPSolar installed a custom solar system for three low-speed electric vehicles, integrating solar panels into the roof of each vehicle. The goal was to increase daily range by 15% and reduce operational costs by 25%. Funded by the City of Montreal’s open innovation grant and supported by the Société du Parc Jean-Drapeau, this project allowed us to test our technology in real-world conditions while meeting the site’s specific requirements.
One of the main challenges was designing a solar system integrated directly into the vehicle roofs, replacing the roof with solar panels while keeping costs accessible for a low-volume project. This innovative integration needed to adapt to the specific constraints of the vehicles and withstand the environmental conditions of the Parc. Additionally, with a project limited to only three vehicles, it was essential to develop a high-performance solution without exceeding the allocated budgets. CAPSolar demonstrated ingenuity by creating custom parts and finding economical alternatives to balance performance and durability while adhering to financial constraints. This was a true demonstration of our ability to tackle complex challenges with innovative solutions tailored to our clients' needs.
Despite significant challenges, the project enabled 43% of the total vehicle trips to be covered during the summer of 2022, allowing them to travel a total of 1,400 km powered solely by solar energy.
This project at Parc Jean-Drapeau marked a turning point for CAPSolar. It provided us with a better understanding of the challenges in the solar industry and highlighted the need to create our own production facility to manufacture our solar panels, ensuring better performance and quality. We are proud of this collaboration with Parc Jean-Drapeau and look forward to continuing our efforts towards more sustainable mobility.
