Solar-powered off-road car finishes 620-mile test drive across north Africa

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian

Solar-powered off-road car finishes 620-mile test drive across north Africa

The Stella Terra was designed by students at Eindhoven University of Technology and completed trip without recharging

Daniel Boffey Chief reporter
Mon 16 Oct 2023 08.00 BST
Last modified on Tue 17 Oct 2023 02.31 BST

A solar-powered car said to be the first in the world capable of driving off-road over long distances without recharging has completed a 620-mile (1,000km) test drive across Morocco and the Sahara.

The two-seat Stella Terra, designed by students at the Eindhoven University of Technology, completed the journey across a variety of challenging landscapes as part of a final test of its lightweight frame and aerodynamic profile.

The car, which runs off the energy provided by multiple solar panels on its roof, has a top speed of 90mph (145kmph), weighs only 1,200kg (1.2 tonnes) and has a range of at least 440 miles (710km) on a sunny day.

Wisse Bos, team manager of Solar Team Eindhoven, said the technology used, complementing a lightweight frame with highly efficient solar panels, was a decade ahead of anything on the market.

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Read more: https://archive.li/ZXPWd

Original Guardian link (registration required): https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/oct/16/solar-powered-off-road-car-stella-terra-finishes-620-mile-test-drive-across-north-africa

[RestoreAmerica2020]

1. Fascinating! Stella Terra:top speed..90 mph, seats 2, 1200kg rechargeable lithium battery. .

Last edited Tue Oct 17, 2023, 10:48 AM - Edit history (1)

The car, which runs off the energy provided by multiple solar panels on its roof, has a top speed of 90mph (145kmph), weighs only 1,200kg (1.2 tonnes) and has a range of at least 440 miles (710km) on a sunny day.

The car contains a rechargeable lithium (Li)-ion battery, which would also allow it to operate in less sunny climates but over shorter distances. Such is the level of energy provided by the solar panels on the car that it can provide sufficient electricity for cooking and charging devices such as a phone or camera.

Thanks for post. Ojala, [ hopefully/God willing] I live long enough to see in mass market. Affordable cost, solar charging stations -- I'm excited when I see a Tesla and EV charging stations in my area-- still ave sticker shock though. Cost for solar car ? When it's affordable to the masses then we'll see the end of fossil fuel use. Innovation and tech just a fascinating time to live!