The Solar Team Eindhoven, a group of students from TU/e, successfully piloted Stella Terra, the world’s pioneering off-road solar car, across a challenging 1,000km route from northern Morocco to the Sahara. Their journey covered diverse terrains: dry riverbeds, forests, steep mountain paths, and the shifting sands of the desert.
Team manager Wisse Bos shared: “The efficiency of Stella Terra was initially uncertain, prompting doubts about completing the journey solely on solar power. However, the car surpassed expectations, consuming 30% less energy than anticipated. Throughout the journey, we relied entirely on the sun, eliminating the need for charging stations.”
Stella Terra’s design features solar panels on its roof, granting the vehicle sustainable independence, wherever it may travel. Impressively, this road-legal solar car can reach speeds of up to 145km per hour, has a lightweight construction of 1,200kg, and boasts a range of 710km on a sunny day. When taken off-road, the range is approximately 550km, contingent on the terrain.
Wisse Bos elaborated on the unique challenges they faced: “Creating a self-reliant off-road vehicle is a novel endeavour. Stella Terra had to be resilient to demanding off-road conditions yet remain energy-efficient and lightweight enough to be solar-powered. This required us to custom-design many components, including the suspension and solar panel inverters.”
Maarten Steinbuch, a mobility expert, and TU/e professor, praised the team’s innovation, stating: “Constructing an energy-efficient car that can tackle rough terrains is challenging in itself. Integrating solar panels into such a vehicle is remarkable. In the coming decade, I foresee electric cars becoming integral to our energy systems. With the introduction of home batteries, it might even be feasible to harness energy from a solar car and redistribute it to households. Solar Team Eindhoven’s breakthroughs have the potential to shape the future.”
Wisse Bos believes that Stella Terra is a glimpse into the future, suggesting it’s about five to ten years ahead of today’s market. “With this project, we aim to demonstrate that a sustainable future is promising. We hope to inspire both individuals and companies to hasten the shift towards renewable energy.”
Photo credit: Bart van Overbeeke and Rien Boonstoppel
