Clemson Student Team Builds Solar EV That Generates 2.5 Times the Energy It Consumes

A Clemson University student team, sponsored by BMW, has built a solar-powered electric prototype called Deep Orange 17. The vehicle generates 2.5 times the energy it consumes on a 12-mile (about 19-kilometer) daily commute, achieving a positive energy balance. In fall 2024, BMW challenged Clemson University to build an electric vehicle that generates more power than it consumes. After nearly two years of development, 16 graduate students completed the model.

The vehicle weighs about 550 kilograms, roughly one-quarter of a typical production car. The body uses a multi-material chassis architecture, with structural steel in the passenger compartment for safety, while the rest combines aluminum, carbon-fiber structural components, and 3D-printed metal joints. The exterior shape draws on the boxfish for aerodynamic optimization, and the car is equipped with regenerative braking, intelligent torque distribution, and optimized electronic control systems. More than 1,700 photovoltaic cells are integrated directly into the exterior surface, generating power both when parked and while driving. The cells were developed by the Clemson team with Germany's Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems and continue to generate power even when partially shaded.

The team simulated sunlight and climate conditions in four cities: Greenville in the United States, Frankfurt in Germany, Madrid in Spain, and Mumbai in India. The results showed that on a 12-mile daily commute, the extra electricity generated by solar power added an average of 31 miles (about 50 kilometers) of range, roughly 2.5 times the commute distance. The cabin features a custom human-machine interface that displays real-time vehicle telemetry and supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The 16 students involved in the project received master's degrees in automotive engineering on August 7. The prototype will remain at Clemson University's International Center for Automotive Research as a platform for further development, with a planned appearance at CES 2027.