Powered by the sun

Stella Terra is a performance offroader that runs exclusively on solar power

Agroup of students from the Eindhoven University of Technology, known as Solar Team Eindhoven, has created Stella Terra, an off-road solar-powered vehicle that operates independently of a charging station — the first of its kind.

Solar Team Eindhoven has long been at the forefront of solar mobility, with notable achievements, including four consecutive victories at the World Solar Challenge in Australia and the creation of a solar-powered campervan, Stella Vita, in 2021.

Its latest venture, Stella Terra, continues this legacy as the world’s first self-sustaining offroad solar vehicle. This road-legal vehicle aims to demonstrate the vast potential of the sun’s energy in powering vehicles, even in the most challenging terrains.

Stella Terra gets power from advanced solar panels mounted on its roof.

This piece of tech is impressively efficient with a conversion rate of 97 per cent in turning sunlight into electrical charge, a figure that’s a third more efficient compared to conventional solar technologies.

The robust construction (and, it must be said, somewhat robust looks) of Stella Terra, coupled with its student-developed technology advancements, grants it unmatched sustainability and freedom from charging stations anywhere in the world.

To showcase its capabilities, Stella Terra was put to a stringent test as it embarked on a journey across Morocco, covering nearly 1000km through diverse landscapes, all the way to the Sahara, solely on solar power.

The vehicle displayed remarkable endurance, with only its steering system requiring a minor fix during the expedition.

The solar-powered SUV endured desolate desert conditions, showcasing reliability and the practicality of solar power in real-world off-road conditions.

Despite its sun-sourced power, Stella Terra is no performance slouch. It boasts a top speed of 145km/h, weighs a mere 1200kg, and has an impressive range of 710km on sunny days.

Its efficiency exceeded expectations during the North Africa test drive, consuming 30 per cent less energy than anticipated.