Students presented the off-road solar car Stella Terra, which is ten years ahead of the current market (photo)
Many car manufacturers are switching from internal combustion engines to electric vehicles to maintain zero carbon emissions. However, electric vehicles have a limited range, so they cannot travel long distances without recharging.
To solve this problem, a team of students from the Eindhoven University of Technology called Solar Team Eindhoven developed the Stella Terra solar electric vehicle, the first of its kind to be self-sufficient, running on solar energy, making it independent of charging stations.
The Stella Terra electric car has solar panels installed on the roof that collect solar energy, which gives the car a longer range. Thanks to these solar panels and a robust design, Stell Terra achieves complete independence.
Stella Terra is allowed to be used on public roads and can reach a maximum speed of 145 km/h. The electric car weighs 1,200 kg and has a maximum range of over 630 km on a sunny day, making it one of the longest-range eco-friendly cars.
“Stella Terra has to withstand harsh off-road conditions while still being efficient and light enough to be powered by the sun. That’s why we had to design almost everything for Stella Terra ourselves, from the suspension to the inverters for the solar panels,” said Wiese Bos, team manager of Solar Team Eindhoven.
According to Boss, Stella Terra is five to ten years ahead of the market. “We are pushing the boundaries of technology. With Stella Terra, we want to demonstrate that the transition to a sustainable future is a cause for optimism and encourages individuals and companies to accelerate the energy transition.”
