Camper Stella Vita: Traveling with solar energy

Solor is a volcanic island found off the eastern idea of Flores island in the Lesser Sunda Islands of Indonesia, in the Solor Island chain. The island supports a little populace that has been whaling for centuries. They talk the languages of Adonara and also Lamaholot. There go to least 5 volcanoes on this island which determines only 40 kilometres (25 miles) by 6 kilometres (3.7 miles). The island s area is 226.34 square kilometres (87 square miles), and also it had a populace of 34,029 at the 2020 Census.

Solar systems for motorhomes are not a groundbreaking novelty anymore. Students of the Technical University of Eindhoven are now still gone on: their electro-camper Stella Vita is already due to its futuristic-aerodynamic form. The true peculiarity, however, is a large-scale solar roof that not only supplies energy for hot water preparation, coffee maker or board TV, but also to drive.

17.5 square meters of solar area

8.8 square meters measures the photovoltaic surface on the main of the egg-shaped camper. And that s not enough: in the stand can be unfolded on both sides wings with additional solar panels, they enlarge the recording level on stately 17.5 square meters - and simultaneously meet the practical function of a canopy.

Battery with 60 kWh

Living and sleeping: It looks like it in the interior. Solar Team Eindhoven

Under optimal conditions, the 7.2-meter long and 1.7 tonnes of heavy Stella Vita will achieve a range of up to 730 kilometers. Not quite clear is still how much of it go on account of solar energy. However, the students have communicated that a 60 kWh battery serves as a power store and that the energy-skinned motorhome drives a maximum of 120 km / h quickly.

Also unusual are the opposing portal doors, over which the living area can be entered, which also offers a comfortable standing height - because the tent roof can be raised on the parking space.

Double function: The unfolded solar surfaces simultaneously act as a canopy. Solar Team Eindhoven

You can not buy the Solar Camper, it is a prototype. He is still allowed to go to the street, because in the context of a 24,000-kilometer travel from Eindhoven to Southern Spain, the practicality should be tested and demonstrated.

Experience in the competition

The Stella Vita is not the first project of the Dutch Solar Team: With various vehicles, the competition of the World Solar Challenge has already won several times. A motorhome has not been underneath so far.