Adhesive being applied for TERREN's cabin assembly.

Sika is sponsoring the Peak Evolution expedition, a challenging project to reach a new world record. The Peak Evolution team is developing an innovative and sustainable agricultural vehicle called TERREN, working completely with electrical power.

To prove its performance, the team plans to reach the highest altitude ever achieved with an electric vehicle—Nevado Ojos del Salado in Chile at 6,893 m—and they are going to do this fully electrical. Sika is supporting the expedition with high-performance adhesive bonding solutions to master the extreme weather conditions.

The Peak Evolution team has been working on the conversion of a diesel-powered agricultural vehicle to make it electrical. They redesigned the transmission to provide it with very high torque but also enable the vehicle to drive with speed. In addition, the project addresses the need for noise and emission reduction in often-sensitive high-altitude regions. 

In the future, TERREN will be sold for agricultural applications and municipal services to replace traditional diesel-powered tractors. The vehicle is scheduled to be commercially available by mid-2022.

The base frame and the box being assembled.

Sika Technologies in Use

TERREN is based on a conventional multi-purpose transporter with a combustion engine. The transportation box is made of lightweight sandwich panels assembled with adhesives from Sika. It will be bonded with SikaForce^®-803 onto a steel sub-frame that is attached to the vehicle. This permanent elastic structural adhesive maintains high strength at elevated temperatures and provides a long working time with fast room-temperature curing. Additional adhesives in this line will be used in the sandwich panel lamination and assembly.

In addition, various Sikaflex^® solutions will be used for assembly and sealing. Key applications include glass installation, solar panel assembly to the cabin roof, interior and exterior sealant, and the installation of interior components.

The journey provides significant challenges to the construction, with high torsional loads and exposure to extreme conditions in the desert, followed by the cold temperatures at the summit. Sika reports that its adhesive and sealants are made for such challenging conditions and will ensure a safe journey for the team.

“The project Peak Evolution perfectly combines the ambitions of the expedition team with Sika’s core values: pioneering spirit, innovation, and sustainability,” said Morten Muschak, Sika’s corporate target market manager, Industry. “We are excited to support them on their adventure to bring e-vehicles to new performance levels.”

From Switzerland to Chile

The team’s journey will start in Switzerland and end in Chile, at the top of the highest active volcano in the world. The expedition will take off in 2022 from Switzerland. After being transported by ship, the beginning of TERREN’s adventure in Chile is planned for fall 2022. 
 

For additional information, visit www.sika.com/transportation and https://peakevolution.ch/the-journey.

Note: All images courtesy of Sika.