Driving 500 miles across Morocco to the Sahara in a Skoda EV powered by the sun showed Mat Gallagher the enormous potential of solar power
Electric cars still need to get their power from somewhere. That’s the argument often thrown at EV’s environmentally friendly credentials. But when that source is from renewable solar power, there’s not much doubters can say.
I was invited by Skoda to drive its fully electric vehicle through Morocco to experience how the country is embracing solar power to not only supply the country but also export that energy to other nations.
With a small group of journalists and crew, we would embark on a 500-mile journey, taking us down to the start of the Sahara desert and then the long journey north over the Atlas mountains to Marrakech, all on electric power.
To complete the challenge, we had two of Skoda’s latest EV models, the Enyaq 85x SportLine Plus and the Enyaq Coupé 85x SportLine Plus. Both models feature 4x4 all-wheel drive, heated front sports seats, LED Matrix headlights and 20-inch alloys.
From their 82kWh (77kWh net) battery, the Enyaq 85x gives a range of up to 329 miles (529km), while the Coupé model provides a slightly longer 334 miles (537km), thanks to its more aerodynamic rear. Performance is similar too, with both offering 286ps, a 6.6-second 0-62mph acceleration and a modest top speed of 111mph.
I found that with careful planning, finding stops where you can charge an EV is possible, even in Morocco
Over the journey, I had the chance to drive both models and found that the handling and performance were very similar. Most impressively though, the EVs felt at ease on the winding and unpredictable Moroccan roads. But could solar supply the energy needed for electric car charging?
It’s hard enough finding an EV charger on the M5, but trying to locate one in Morocco felt like more of a challenge. Luckily though, this had been planned for and there were chargers in Ouarzazate to top the cars up before setting off.
Setting off from Ouarzazate airport, it’s about a 30-minute drive to the Noor Solar Power Station, the world’s biggest solar power plant. The giant gleaming tower of Noor 3 was in my sights the entire way. Its rays cause a halo effect around the top, and small flashes of light as dust particles vaporise in its path.
On arrival, I was shown the complex from the viewing tower before driving out to Noor 3 where I could be amongst the 7,400 helio plates (giant mirrors). Each the size of tennis courts, they direct sunlight towards a giant tower in the centre and are programmed to track the sun so that the beam always hits the tower. This heats the molten salt inside to 562 degrees Celsius, generating the steam that turns the turbines and creates electricity. It’s a truly impressive facility.
