The world's first solar-powered SUV was tested in Morocco. It was created by students

World's first solar powered SUV Stella Terra successfully experienced in Marocco. During tests, he drove 1000 kilometers on roads, off-road and desert.

This two-seater car was developed by students from the Dutch University of Technology Eindhoven. It is powered by energy received from solar photovoltaic panels on the roof. Details about this technology have not yet been disclosed, it is only noted that it is 5-10 years ahead of the market.

There is also a lithium-ion battery on board, which allows the machine to operate in cloudy weather. As a result, on clear days its range is about 710 kilometers on roads and about 550 kilometers off-road, and on cloudy days these figures decrease by about 50 kilometers. The maximum speed is limited to 145 kilometers per hour.

Electric SUVs are heavier than conventional electric vehicles, requiring larger and heavier batteries to power them. As for Stella Terra, they managed to make it lighter - only 1.2 tons. This is approximately 25% less than the average car in this class.

The developers also thought about the driver’s sleep, because the car was literally created for long journeys. The seats can be reclined to form a mattress, and the photovoltaic panels can be pulled out to provide shade. In addition, in this position they charge much faster than usual.

The timing of mass production of the solar car is still unknown. The developers themselves note that this can only be discussed if some major manufacturers are interested in their car.