A 15-year-old teenager built a vehicle with a range of 65 km powered by a solar energy panel.

In the Akseki district of Antalya, 10th-grade student Samet Girgin from Şahinler Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School created a vehicle with a range of 65 kilometers that runs on energy from the sun, using materials he collected from a scrapyard with the money he earned as an apprentice at a pharmacy during the summer vacation.

15-year-old Samet Girgin, who lives with his family in the Değirmenlik neighborhood of Akseki, stated that he studied 9th grade at Kaya Özen High School in the Cevizli neighborhood of Akseki and will continue at Şahinler Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School from 10th grade due to the closure of his school in Cevizli. Expressing his curiosity about these subjects since he started to understand things, Girgin said, “I chose the electrical-electronics department on my own. I have been interested in this field since I was a child. I used to take apart machines and toys to understand what was inside. Since I have been curious about such topics since my childhood, I have now started to create my own projects and designs. As my first project, I made my car. I had designed this project in my mind at the beginning of the summer vacation. During the summer vacation, I worked and collected money, then gathered materials from scrapyards and second-hand stores to combine them, and created a vehicle that produces its own electricity. Because my budget was limited, I preferred scrapyards and second-hand stores. While a vehicle typically has four wheels, the vehicle I made has three wheels.”

While he was in elementary school, he received first-place awards

Due to his interest in mechanical and electrical devices since childhood, Girgin stated that he won first-place awards in projects he did at the provincial level while living in Sakarya before. “When I was in the second grade of elementary school, I made a model related to clean energy production with solar and wind turbines and introduced it to everyone in class. My love for mechanics and electronics has existed for as long as I can remember,” he said.

“I realized my vehicle with my own budget”

Girgin explained that he did not want to be a burden to his family to make the vehicle he designed, which is why he worked during the summer vacation. “I started earning money by working as an apprentice at a pharmacy during the summer vacation to realize my project. I had designed this vehicle while I was in 9th grade. I saved the money I earned because I did not want to be a burden to my family. My budget was quite limited. I bought the parts of the vehicle with my own money. I bought some parts new. I completed my project in about a month and a half. It cost me 17 thousand liras,” he said.

“I have new project designs”

Girgin indicated that he has dreams and projects he wants to realize, saying, “My next project is an unmanned vehicle that can extinguish fires in areas inaccessible by land and air vehicles. I want to realize this design as well. After completing this project, I will bring other projects in my mind to life. My goal is to be able to study in the mechatronics department at a good university. I have already started working for university. I will also start working on my other designed projects when I have a budget. One of my projects is a scooter that can balance itself without a steering wheel and can be ridden like a skateboard. It will have two wheels and charging stations. I will also realize this project, which can be carried by hand and has no battery issues,” he said.

65 kilometers range

Girgin stated that while there are many electric vehicles in the world and in our country, he made a vehicle that can meet its own electricity needs without relying on external sources. “This vehicle is a unique vehicle in the world. It gets its energy from the sun. Its range is 65 kilometers. It can travel up to 65 kilometers. When its charge runs out, if the weather is sunny, it can wait for another 20-25 minutes and go another 10 kilometers further,” he explained.

“Has all the features found in a normal vehicle”

Girgin mentioned that the vehicle he made contains all the features found in a normal vehicle. “I removed the solar panel from the second-hand solar panel we use at home and used it. The car has a 205-watt solar panel. The motor power is 35 amps and 12 volts. It has all the features that a normal vehicle could have. It has right and left signals, an interior light, headlights, a horn, a sensor, an alarm, reverse and forward gears, a key switch, rear and front brakes, a dashboard, and a phone charging port,” he stated.

“We want to support him to the end”

Father Engin Girgin (43) stated that his son made this vehicle with the money he earned and realized his dreams. He expressed that they understood his son’s interest in such things when he began to hold a screwdriver at the age of 6-7. “When Samet reached the age of 6-7 and started holding a screwdriver, we realized that he was interested in these things. Since that day, we as a family have allowed Samet to take apart whatever he wants. This year, Samet wanted to work and earn money during the summer vacation. He wanted to realize his dream project with the money he earned during the summer. He started working as an apprentice at the pharmacy in Cevizli neighborhood. He made this vehicle with the money he earned here. His budget was very small. He fought a serious struggle. Samet has reached his dreams and goals. I believe this is just the beginning for Samet. Because Samet has very big dreams, a lot of them. We, as a family, want to support him to the end.”