Denis Baulier, a retired farmer and equestrian center director, has dedicated over 12,000 hours to building a unique solar-powered car he calls the Scaramobile. The vehicle, which looks like a futuristic insect with a rounded front and a shell-like body covered in solar panels, was first imagined in 2020 during a conversation with friends about the planet’s environmental challenges and the limitations of traditional vehicles. Baulier’s goal was to design a practical, eco-friendly car suitable for daily use in rural and suburban areas. The Scaramobile weighs around 700 kilograms and can travel up to 120 kilometers on a single charge, reaching speeds of up to 70 km/h. Baulier hopes to increase this to 90 km/h in future models. Inspired by the Egyptian god Khépri, who symbolizes the rising sun and transformation, and also by the classic Volkswagen Beetle, the car features a minimalist cockpit with few buttons, a screen that displays reverse camera footage, speed, and battery levels, and a harness similar to those used in rally racing. Baulier received 140,000 euros in funding from Ademe, a French public agency focused on ecological transition, as part of the eXtrême Défi program. This initiative aimed to support the development of small, efficient, and repairable electric vehicles. Over two years, the program helped 43 teams, and Baulier used his grant to develop the car using computer-aided design software and to build the Scaramobile. Even after the program ended in 2024, Baulier continues to refine his invention, which can travel up to 50 kilometers per day even in the overcast winter conditions of Brittany. The car can also be charged via a standard power outlet when needed. Baulier uses it for personal travel and to test its performance, such as picking up friends from the Lannion train station, 20 kilometers away. He is also working on Scaramobile 2 and 3, and plans to showcase his creation at a national intermediate vehicle fair in Rennes in September, hoping to gain support for further development and mass production. Locals have shown interest in the project, with many taking photos and expressing admiration for the innovation.