College Students Build Solar-Powered Car

Who built the solar-powered car?

A group of 22 students from Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands made a car that runs on solar energy. They took a one-year break from their studies to build it. The student team is called Solar Team Eindhoven, and they named their solar car Stella Terra. The car was launched in September 2023.

Recently, Stella Terra completed a 1000-km test drive in Morocco, which is in North Africa. During the drive, it went over different types of grounds like forests, dry riverbeds, sandy deserts, and steep mountains.

What is so special about this car?

The Stella Terra is a solar-powered car that can travel off-road for 710 km without being charged. It can do this because it has really good solar panels and a rechargeable battery.

The roof of the Stella Terra is covered in solar panels that are good at turning sunlight into electricity. They are much better quality than most other solar panels in the market, which are not as efficient.

This car can carry two people and can go as fast as 147 km per hour. It's also pretty light, weighing about half as much as a regular car. Also, it has a solid suspension system that helps keep the ride smooth, even on bumpy roads.

Is the solar-powered car ready to hit the market?

The people in charge of the project say that they still need to work on some things before they can sell the Stella Terra car in the market. Right now, making solar panels for the car is pretty expensive.

One of the team leaders, Bob van Ginkel, believes Stella Terra can inspire other car companies like BMW and Land Rover to make cars that are good for the environment. However, the team thinks it might take 5 to 10 years before other companies can make cars like Stella Terra.

Let’s hope that car companies can make other cars like Stella Terra available soon because it will help reduce pollution from regular cars and protect the Earth from climate change!