2024-01-04 20:37:41
A few weeks ago, a unique car in the world left the streets of Tangier to head towards the Rif mountains. With its short nose and elongated rear lines, this strange SUV did not resemble any of the vehicles that usually drive in the city in northern Morocco.
Called Stella Terra, it is in fact the result of a year of research carried out by students at the Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands. Their goal was to create an electric car powered solely by solar energy. But not only. The machine also had to be robust enough to travel on paved roads and rough terrain.
We had to design almost everything ourselves, from the pendant light to the solar inverters
Wisse Bos, the team manager
Challenge met ! Stella Terra has traveled over 1,000 kilometers without ever needing to be recharged. The 444 monocrystalline silicon solar cells that cover its roof have given it almost unlimited autonomy. However, the team did not spare its mount. “We crossed the Middle Atlas Mountains, crossed dry river beds, cut through forest areas and ended up in the dunes of the Sahara,” says Bob van Ginkel, technical manager of the Solar Team Eindhoven project. The student was even surprised by the good performance of his vehicle during the road trip. Stella Terra actually consumed a third less energy than expected. The only downside: the broken steering during the stage to Midelt, repaired with the help of Moroccans.
444 monocrystalline silicon solar cells on the roof, while rolling. © Bart van Overbeeke
The bet was not easy. The automobile had to both have a road-legal, off-road skeleton while remaining efficient and light enough to be powered by the sun. “That’s why we had to design almost everything ourselves, from the suspension to the solar inverters,” explains team leader Wisse Bos.
We wanted to show that the transition to a sustainable future offers reasons for optimism
Bob van Ginkel
Like Bertrand Piccard and his aerial prowess, the students wanted to demonstrate that it was possible to travel endlessly with the energy of the sun. “We pushed the boundaries of technology. But above all, we wanted to show that the transition to a sustainable future offers reasons for optimism. This is why we must further encourage individuals and companies to accelerate the energy transition,” argues Bob van Ginkel.
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