Student team Solar Team Eindhoven from TU Eindhoven has reached the end point of their 1,000-kilometre test drive, from northern Morocco to the Sahara, with the world’s first off-road solar car Stella Terra. In Morocco, the solar car traversed dry riverbeds, forest area, along steep mountain paths and through the loose desert sand.
- Solar Team Eindhoven completes a successful 1000 km off-road test drive in Morocco with Stella Terra.
- Stella Terra uses 30% less energy than expected, and drives entirely on solar energy without recharging.
“It was an incredible trip with a positive ending. Stella Terra’s efficiency was difficult to predict. Therefore, we were not sure if we would make it on solar power. During the ride, Stella Terra turned out to use 30 per cent less energy than expected. We were therefore able to ride the entire ride on the sun’s energy and did not rely on charging stations,” explains team manager Wisse Bos.
The solar energy for Stella Terra is captured by solar panels on the roof. With these solar panels and robust construction, Stella Terra has complete independence in a sustainable way, anywhere in the world. The solar car – which is allowed to drive on public roads – has a limited top speed of 145 kilometres per hour, weighs only 1,200 kilograms and has a range of 710 kilometres on a sunny day. Off road, the range averages about 550 kilometres, depending on the surface.
The challenge
Building a self-powered off-road vehicle brought new challenges, as it is, as far as we know, the first in the world. “Stella Terra has to cope with the tough conditions of off-roading, but also remain efficient and light enough to be solar-powered. This is why we had to design almost everything of Stella Terra ourselves, from the suspension to the inverters for the solar panels,” said Bos.
Mobility expert Maarten Steinbuch, professor of high-tech systems at TU Eindhoven, is impressed by the team. “It is already difficult in normal conditions to build an energy-efficient car that can cope with harsh conditions, let alone integrate solar panels into it as well. I haven’t seen anyone doing that yet. I expect electric cars to be part of our entire energy grid system in five to 10 years. And when the home battery makes its appearance, it will even be possible to generate energy via a solar car and deliver it back to your home. Solar Team Eindhoven’s innovations could therefore change the future.”
According to Bos, Stella Terra is five to 10 years ahead of the current market. “We are pushing the boundaries of technology. With Stella Terra, we want to show that the transition to a sustainable future offers reason for optimism, and encourage people and companies to accelerate the energy transition.”
Solar Challenge
Every two years, Solar Team Eindhoven builds an innovative, efficient car powered by the sun. In the past, the team became world champion four times in a row at the famous World Solar Challenge in Australia, in the class for family cars (Cruiser class). With the Stellas, the team wants to show that the transition to a sustainable future offers reason for optimism. And encourage everyone to accelerate the energy transition.
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