While there are a few attempts to integrate solar panels on the roof of an all-electric or a hybrid vehicle, fully solar-powered cars, or cars that primarily rely on solar energy are still far from being commercially ready. German startup Sono Motors, for example, is hoping to start series-production of the Sion van in 2023. But the Sion can also be charged from a charging station like any other electric car, which means it doesn’t rely on solar energy alone; it’s essentially an “electric car with benefits”. That said, you can’t rely on solar energy alone anyway, for obvious reasons; there’s not gonna be sunlight 24x7x365. The best we can do is an electric car with benefits, but with more priority on harvesting solar energy. The latest attempt at this experiment is called Stella Vita, created by the students of Eindhoven University of Technology.
The Stella Vita gets its name from Latin words for “star” and “life”, and as you can see, it’s a campervan with space for two people. For a student project, it has to be said that the van looks a lot professional and well-conceived. Notice how the extendable solar panels also act as awning, which is pretty clever. And apparently, the vehicle generates enough solar energy for not just driving but also to power a few electronics and even a coffee maker.
The students haven’t disclosed the technical details of their creation (yet), but Stella Vita is claimed to offer a range of up to 730 km (454 mi) on a sunny day. If needed, it can also be recharged from an electrical grid like a normal electric vehicle. The best part is that the Stella Vita recently covered almost 2,000 km (1,242 mi) on public roads during its journey from Eindhoven to Tarifa—the southernmost tip of Spain. The vehicle passed through Brussels, Paris and Madrid, attracting lots of crowds and causing traffic jams along the way as curious people stopped or slowed down on their way to have a glimpse of the vehicle. However, the vehicle had some technical glitches at the start of the journey, which made the solar team transport it on a trailer during the first stages. The team said that halfway through France, Stella Vita was able to continue its tour without any problems.
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