Is there room for a new player in the auto industry – one that exclusively uses the sun’s energy? For the team at the Technical University Eindhoven behind the solar powered vehicle Stella Lux, the answer is a clear yes.
Compelling stats
18 months of research and hard work have paid off: Stella Lux, the successor to Stella, is a 100% solar powered vehicle with impressive figures. It comfortably seats four, boasts a range of up to 1,000 kilometres (even achieving around 650 km in rainy weather or at night), and can reach a maximum speed of 125 km/h. All this is quite remarkable for a vehicle billed as “The positive energy family car”!
What exactly does positive energy mean? Stella Lux generates more electricity than it consumes – a revolution in a world where most vehicles still run on fossil fuels. Stella Lux’s roof is covered with 5.8 m2 of solar cells that win energy from the sun while doing what most cars do 95% of the time anyway: sitting around waiting. Excess energy is stored in the vehicle’s battery for upcoming trips. Stella Lux’s lightweight construction – it weighs only 375 kg – and unmistakable aerodynamic design also contribute to the car’s range.
On-board smarts
However, what really distinguishes Stella Lux is its intelligent on-board navigation system: it recommends the route to take based on where there’s the most sun. How smart is that? Planning is also in its DNA. Just enter a longer upcoming trip in the car’s calendar and it charges the battery ahead of time.
To date electric vehicles have reigned as greener-energy vehicles of the future. But Stella Lux shows solar-powered cars could soon catch up. We’re waiting with great anticipation to see what happens next! What do you think of Stella Lux? Would you drive a solar powered vehicle?
