The Sharjah Research, Technology, and Innovation Park (SRTIP) is moving toward becoming a hub for green transportation and a testing center for innovative technologies. The park has brought the acclaimed Hungarian solar racing car, the Megalux, to Sharjah for public display. The car was assembled and installed at the park’s Sharjah Open Innovation Lab by a team from Hungary’s John von Neumann University (JvNU).
Earlier, the JvNU team drove the Megalux to the University City and made a stop at the American University of Sharjah, a partner of SRTIP. They were greeted by the chancellor of the university, Dr. Susan Mumm. The car was then installed at SRTIP in the presence of officials from SRTIP, the University City, and the American University of Sharjah. The Megalux will be on display at SRTIP until the COP28 Conference, which takes place in Dubai in November.
The Megalux is designed to receive energy from a six-square-meter solar panel surface. It is a one-wheel drive vehicle with a dual-circuit hydraulic braking system and weighs just over 160 kilograms. The car’s plastic body and sandwich structure made of carbon fiber make it extremely streamlined.
The CEO of SRTIP, Hussein Al Mahmoudi, stated that the park is driven by a thirst for green transportation solutions. He added that the electric vehicle and solar-powered vehicle industries are gaining increasing importance because of the need to reduce emissions and improve air quality.
“At SRTIP, we are driven by a relentless thirst for green transportation solutions. After our ground-breaking agreement with Lightyear, we are proud to present the revolutionary Megalux solar car that has won wide recognition worldwide. We are all the more excited about it because the car is the result of university research, as SRTIP has strong collaboration with American University of Sharjah (AUS) and its students and faculty. The electric vehicle and solar-powered vehicle industries are gaining increasing importance because of the need to reduce emissions and improve air quality to combat climate change. Recent statistics show that the electric vehicle industry is rapidly growing in the Middle East, with the number of electric vehicles on the road increasing by almost 50% in the last five years. SRTIP aims to be a frontrunner in this field,” Al Mahmoudi added.
The display of the Megalux at SRTIP represents the next step in the cooperation agreement signed in September 2022 between SRTIP and John von Neumann University Kecskemét (Hungary). The agreement envisaged joint development of the Megalux Solar Car and other projects, including collaboration on joint research and educational opportunities in hydrogen, laser technologies, solar vehicles, sustainability, and green tech.
As part of the agreement, SRTIP will help John von Neumann University to promote their projects and products in the region by introducing them to companies, associations, and government entities. The two sides plan to launch new projects based on joint research and development, exchange of expertise, and training for professionals and students in association with companies such as Mercedes.
