Stella is the World's First Solar-Powered Family Car!
by Marc Carter, 07/05/13
The Netherlands’ Solar Team Eindhoven just unveiled Stella, the world’s first solar-powered family car! The team comprises a group of 22 students who want to show the world that a family car that runs on solar energy is a real possibility today. The four-passenger vehicle is not only powered by the sun, but it also features new technologies that make it many times lighter and more efficient than today’s cars.
Using lightweight materials like carbon and aluminum, Stella has a range of around 373 miles. The energy generated by the car’s solar panels is also more than the car actually needs, which gives Stella the ability to send it excess energy to the power grid. That means she is also the world’s first “energy-positive car.”
The team will participate in the World Solar Challenge, which is a competition that takes the car across 1875 miles of the Australian Outback. They will take part in the brand-new Cruiser Class category of the WSC. This means that next to the criterion of speed, the car will be judged for the number of transported people, the amount of electricity taken from the grid, and its user friendliness. The race takes place from October 6 – October 13.
+ Solar Team Eindhoven
Read more: Stella is the World's First Solar-Powered Family Car! | Inhabitat - Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture, Green Building
No comments:
Post a Comment