2023-10-15 18:54:22
Aperçu de la Stella Terra // Image : Eindhoven University of Technology
A hotbed of innovation, the Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands is once once more offering us a daring automotive project. The latest one is called “ Star Earth “. This is an off-road solar vehicle.
Stella Terra: solar energy for off-road use
The project was born within the Solar Team Eindhoven, a university group specializing in technologies related to solar energy. In September, they unveiled their latest creation: an all-terrain solar vehicle called Stella Terra. Compared to the standard off-road electric vehicles we know today, such as the Rivian R1S or the Ford F-150 Lightning, the Stella Terra offers new perspectives thanks to its solar power supply.
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So the solar car, top or flop?
In fact, the electric model does not need to go through the charging box. And that changes everything when you’re in the middle of the desert! We remember, for example, the passage of the Rivian R1S on the famous Rubicon Trail in the United States, one of the most demanding trails on the planet. It is a 35 km track of rocks and extreme climbs. The R1S entered the Rubicon Trail with 80% charge and exited with 10%. It’s all just to reach a charging station. Who says off-road, necessarily says greedy consumption.
Overview of the Stella Terra in Morocco // Image: Eindhoven University of Technology
650 km of autonomy thanks to solar panels
So with solar panels, it’s not the same story. To prove it, the students of the Solar Team Eindhoven are currently in Morocco with the Stella Terra. The electric vehicle will be tested in the Sahara. Thanks to the solar panels installed on its roof, the model, which limits its weight to 1.2 tonnes, is capable of traveling 630 km. in sunny weather “. The design of the Stella Terra posed significant challenges for the young students. It took ingenuity. from suspension to solar panel inverters ».
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An electric car traveled 2,573 kilometers on a single charge
For Wisse Bos, project director at the Eindhoven University of Technology, Stella Terra has clearly “ five to ten years ahead of the current market “. After several weeks of testing in the Netherlands, it was time for the solar car to head towards North Africa. The young engineers attempt to push the limits of their invention and thus demonstrate the vehicle’s prowess in extreme conditions.
Eindhoven: a university ahead of its time
This university does a lot for the automobile industry. Other very innovative prototypes have already been imagined within the walls of the Eindhoven University of Technology. A school symbol of excellence in engineering, which makes every effort to explore the possibilities offered by sustainable transport. Recently, students from the TU/ecomotive team in Eindhoven managed to “ reduce CO2 emissions by a third during the production process »: they manufactured Eterna, a modular vehicle which saves 20 tonnes of CO2 (800 trees) compared to the manufacture of a traditional car. Car manufacturers will probably want to take inspiration from this.
Overview of the Eterna model // Photography: Astrolads
This same team manufactured a model a few months earlier capable of absorbing CO2 while driving. Equipped with a carbon trap placed at the grille, the ZEM (this is the name given to this car) can “ clean the air while driving “. According to the director of the TU/ecomotive team, the vehicle is “ capable of filtering approximately 2 kilograms of CO2 every 20,000 km “. Of course it is only a concept, but it is a first step in defining the future of sustainable mobility. And in this, the students of Eindhoven do not deprive themselves.
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Netherlands: a solar car concept for four passengers
In 2021, other students brought the “ Star Life », a solar camper van that is completely energy self-sufficient. A small revolution in the world of vans. Thanks to its slender silhouette, the electric vehicle even completed a 3,000 km road trip without ever needing to plug in. The camper van has a retractable solar roof equipped with three photovoltaic panels. While driving, only one is exposed to the sun. But when the vehicle is stationary, the other two deploy and capture maximum energy.
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