630 km of autonomy for the Dutch-speaking solar off-road vehicle
(sustainabilityenvironment.com) – In 2021 they had been talking about themselves crossing Europe aboard Stella Vita, self-sufficient photovoltaic camper. Today the boys and girls of the Solar Team Eindhoven come back to amaze with a new concept of vehicle in the name of sustainability. Let’s talk about Stella Terra, the first solar off-road vehicle ever produced in the world. The car is the ultimate in all the knowledge and projects carried out in recent years by the Dutch university group. The team, in fact, presented its first photovoltaic vehicle back in 2013. Since then the original Stella and its later versions – Stella Lux, Stella Vie and Stella Era – have proven their potential by showcasing themselves in international competitions. Or taking a tour through the Old Continent as in the case of Stella Vita.
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And today the students of the TU/ e come back to amaze with a new photovoltaic medium able to travel not only the paved roads but also the rough and poorly beaten terrain at a maximum speed of 145 km per hour. Coming to cover on a clear day up to 630 kilometers. Thanks to a robust frame, a low weight (only 1,200 kg) and an ad hoc solar design and perfectly integrated into the body. “Stella Terra must withstand harsh off-road conditions while remaining efficient and light enough to be powered by the sun. That’s why we had to design almost everything ourselves, from suspensions to inverters for photovoltaic panels“, explains Wisse Bos, team manager of Solar Team Eindhoven on the university website.
To test the special solar off-road vehicle, the group will test it on Dutch roads and even more challenging terrain. In October, the students will leave for Morocco where Stella Terra will travel almost a thousand kilometers, concluding her journey in the Sahara Desert. All with employing a single “fuel”: sunlight.
