WHEN we first reported on Stella, the solar-powered family car built by students
in Solar Team Eindhoven (STE) from the Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e)
in October 2013, we raved about it.
When Stella became road legal in July last year,
we repeated our wonder, saying “the students’ main achievement was ‘making a
solar-powered family saloon that is ready to go on sale in the real
world”.
The students last week presented their sleeker,
complete solar-powered wonder to the world.
Now called Stella Lux, this solar-powered car
generates more power than it uses.
Stop. Re-read the sentence above.
Sure, it sounds like a perpetual power machine
and the totals are theoretical, but on balance the Stella Lux is
energy-positive, which means it goes at least 1 000 km on a fully-charged
battery pack.
The team plan to prove this by competing in the
Cruiser Class of the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge in Australia on
October 18, 2015.
Solar Team Eindhoven has set itself the goal of
developing the car of the future.
By combining the aerodynamic design with
lightweight materials like carbon and aluminium, the Eindhoven student team have
once again come up with a very energy-efficient design. Stella Lux can reach a
range of 1 000 km on a sunny day in the Netherlands.
Excess energy can be returned to the power grip,
helping to deal with societal problems relating to the use of energy.
This year the student team are once again taking
part in the biennial Bridgestone World Solar Challenge in Australia.
The race for solar-powered cars covers a
distance of 3 000 km, and goes right through the heart of the outback from
Darwin to Adelaide.
The Eindhoven team compete in the Cruiser Class
for family cars. Here the emphasis is on building a practical, user-friendly
solar-powered car, rather than on pure speed.
The team won the Cruiser Class title in 2013
with its first car, Stella. This year’s race places more emphasis on speed than
in 2013, which is why they have decided to build a new and lighter car with
fewer seats, while still going for a fully-fledged family car.
“By deciding to further improve on our
solar-powered four-person car, we’re once again aiming to win while at the same
time proving that this energy-positive family car offers a viable future
scenario”, said Solar Team Eindhoven’s team manager Tom Selten.
After the World Solar Challenge the adventure
doesn’t stop for the students.
After Australia there will be a tour through the
Netherlands, China and maybe the USA in collaboration with the sponsors.
“With Stella Lux we want to take the next step
in bringing a solar car to the consumer.
“Therefore we want to show Lux to as many people
as possible and we hope to inspire them.
“We see a future where everybody drives a solar
car, where all cars produce energy instead of consuming it,” said
Selten.
