Two Italian scientists, assigned with the duty of transforming fuel-driven cars into solar-energy hybrids, have tragically died following the explosion of a prototype automobile during an on-road experiment.
Senior researcher and engineer from Italy’s National Research Council (CNR), Maria Vittoria Prati, along with her trainee, Fulvio Filace, were severely injured with major burn wounds when the prototype car ignited in Naples the previous Friday.
The CNR officially announced on Thursday that 25-year-old Filace passed away during the night, following the death of Prati, aged 66, who succumbed to complications from her third-degree burns earlier on Monday.
CNR, earlier this week, paid homage to Prati, recognizing her as a distinguished researcher and a key figure in the study of emissions and alternative fuel utilization.
The duo was in the process of testing a Volkswagen Polo that had been modified with experimental technology. This novel tech was intended to allow owners to convert their old vehicles into solar-powered electric ones.
The Naples officials have initiated an investigation into the cause of the explosion. However, specific suspects have not yet been identified, as per reports from the ANSA news agency.
On Thursday, the CNR announced it has initiated an internal examination to “discern the reasons behind the catastrophic event” and to assist the ongoing investigations.
The governmental agency, with its main office in Rome, expressed in a translated announcement, “The tragic loss of two lives, especially under such dreadful conditions, deeply impacts the scientific community throughout Italy.”
The prototype was a product of Life-Save, a project backed by EU funds, aimed at motivating drivers to opt for more environmentally-friendly means of transportation without the necessity to invest in costly new hybrid vehicles.
The project incorporated retrofitting ordinary fuel-driven engines with supplementary electric motors. These motors would be powered by a battery and solar panels installed on the vehicle’s roof and bonnet.
Solar-powered cars have been perceived as a potential solution to the absence of cost-effective charging infrastructure, a key component in advancing the electric vehicle revolution.
Since 2017, the European Commission has allocated around €1.8m to Life-Save through its Life programme. As reported by the Financial Times, this environmental initiative supports cleantech start-ups that assist Europe in achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
In the aftermath of the tragic event, Life-Save has temporarily deactivated its website, which currently hosts a tribute expressing its condolences to the families of the deceased researchers.
