Julian and James Field, a father and son team from the United Kingdom were inspired by the idea that solar powered vehicles might be a practical possibility for everyday use. In the autumn of 2013 they began to design a proof of concept vehicle stipulating that it had to be practical, affordable and road legal. In early 2014 their design was complete and by the summer a prototype, named SPV1, began to undergo road testing.

 

SPV1 performed better than expected, achieving workable top speeds and a useful range. Its battery had a re-charge time of 3 hours under normal daylight conditions offering freedom from charge points. Higher top speeds could be reached by increasing motor power and greater ranges achieved by adding battery capacity.

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Modelling work carried out demonstrated that in countries where solar irradiation is higher than 5 kWh/m2 throughout the year, solar electric cars can meet much of the transport needs that are currently being provided by highly polluting ICE vehicles. 

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Encouraged by the performance of SPV1 and recognising the commercial potential of a solar car, the pair founded Solar Transport Systems Inc and began work on a production vehicle. Nine years and over 5,000 engineering hours later the INTI was born. Named after the ancient Inca sun god, a prototype of the INTI is in pre-production testing. In 2023 the business moved to Florida and production is planned to start in 2024.

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The INTI in numbers

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10 years in development

40 engineers, designers and technicians

14 nationalities

Over 7,000 engineering hours

Top speed: Configurable from 20mph to 60mph (40km/h to 96km/h) depending on local regulations

Weight: 400kg

Range: unlimited with solar charging depending on location and driving needs (50 miles/80km on pure battery)

Plug-in charging: If needed, the INTI can be charged using a standard household socket

CO2 emissions: None

Fuel cost: None

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The team

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We would like to acknowledge our fantastic team of engineers and designers