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The Life-Save project was intended to allow older vehicles to retrofit a hybrid system and save fuel.
An in-development experimental hybrid vehicle went badly wrong in Naples, Italy, over the weekend, exploding and leaving two dead.
The project, ironically called ‘Life-Save’, was intended to become a hybrid system that could be retrofitted to older petrol or diesel engines, using solar panels fitted to the roof and bonnet to help recharge the on-board battery.
It had received financial backing by the European Commission’s LIFE Programme, and was set to cost between €3000 and €3500 (NZ$5334 to $6223) as an upgrade package. The whole thing consisted of two electric motors for the rear wheels, solar panels, and an electronic interface to connect to the battery.
Supplied
Life-Save employed solar panels to recharge the battery, similar to what Hyundai used to offer on the Ioniq 5.
According to Reuters, the two on board were Maria Vittoria Prati, a researcher at the Italian National Council of Research (CNR), and Fulvio Filace, a research apprentice.
Both made it to hospital in “very serious conditions” but “there was more hope of saving” Filace “given his younger age,” the company spokesperson, Pietro Rinaldi, said.
Prosecutors are trying to find out what caused the explosion, but the ANSA news agency said it was not targeting any specific suspect.
The CNR confirmed it has started an internal audit and is cooperating with investigations.
In the wake of the accident, the Life-Save website has been disabled, save for a note expressing condolences to the families of the two victims. It’s unclear if the project will continue.
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