Solar Team Eindhoven unveils solar-powered driving house making a 3000 kilometre journey

September 10, 2021

By saving energy, Stella Vita can drive up to 730 km on a sunny day.

The team that has been working hard on the Stella Vita over the past few months. Photo: Bart van Overbeeke

Student Team Solar from TU Eindhoven has presented its solar powered mobile home. The Stella Vita generates enough solar energy to both live and drive. With this latest development, the student team is taking the next step towards a sustainable future. On September 19th, the solar house on wheels will hit the road for the first time and head out on a 3,000 kilometre journey to the southernmost tip of Spain.

The vehicle has a roof that slides up when parked. Photo: Bart van Overbeeke

Stella Vita is effectively a house on wheels. The new concept of Team Solar goes further than a campervan; because of the solar panels on the roof you can be self-sufficient in terms of energy needs, and therefore you are not dependent on charging stations. The vehicle generates enough solar energy to drive, shower, watch TV, charge your laptop, and even make coffee!

The vehicle has a roof that slides up when the vehicle is parked. This makes it easy for the occupants to stand inside and cook, sleep, or work. In addition, extra solar panels fold out when the roof is raised, doubling the solar surface to as much as 17.5 square metres. For daily use, a comfortable interior has been designed that is as light and efficient as possible. Through these energy saving measures, Stella Vita can travel up to 730 km on a sunny day.

You can stand inside to cook, sleep or work. Photo: Bart van Overbeeke

A ROOM FULL OF YOUNG STUDENTS

One of the first people to see the new vehicle was a room full of young students, and there is a good reason for having the big reveal with this audience. "Given that young students are the future, as the next generation they can encourage and accelerate the transition to a more sustainable future," said Kjell Revenberg, team manager of Solar Team Eindhoven. "To accelerate this transition we aim to inspire as many people in Europe as possible with regards to the sustainable future during our journey across Europe."

The route the team takes.

The students will travel with Stella Vita in one month from Eindhoven to the southernmost tip of Spain relying on the sun for the necessary energy. Together with their partners, including main sponsor Coolblue, the students will demonstrate the future of sustainable travel during their trip.

Frans Raaijmakers
(Science Information Officer)

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