With global temperatures rising and the current energy crisis, it’s more important than ever to find sustainable alternatives for every aspect of our lives – even those that don’t seem particularly fundamental, such as vacations.
This is certainly what Solar Team Eindhoven 2021 had in mind when it recently presented its creation to the global public. Tijn Ter Horst, a member of the team, explained on CNN: “The main goal is to inspire people, the market and society to accelerate the transition to a more sustainable future.” His contribution in this sense? A motorhome that runs entirely on solar energy.
The solar-powered Stella Vita
22 students from TU Eindhoven – considered the best technical university in the Netherlands and one of the best in Europe – worked for several years on a unique project: a motorhome that can drive thousands of kilometers using only the energy generated by its own solar cells.
To this end, they had to develop various designs for the solar panels. These were installed on the roof of the Stella Vita and can be extended to cover a total area of 17.5 square meters. In addition, the roof itself is also movable: when the motorhome is parked, it can face the sunlight.
Once it had been proven that the energy source for the vehicle worked, the comfort and livability of the motorhome had to be prepared for the final test. So a double bed, sofa, mains water, toilet, shower, kitchen and even a TV were installed – making it as luxurious or even more luxurious than some gas-guzzling motorhomes.
Once the design and construction of the Stella Vita was complete, it had to be put to the test. And boy, did it pass. The members of Solar Team Eindhoven 2021 drove it 2,000 km – from Eindhoven to southern Spain – without ever having to stop to recharge the batteries.
The future of vacation?
Since the experiment worked so well and environmentally friendly travel is becoming increasingly important, we could well be talking about the future of short breaks. After all, traveling by Stella Vita is much more sustainable than by plane and allows complete independence.