Unraveling The First Family 5-Seater Car Empowered Completely By The Sun

First Posted: Jun 29, 2017 06:28 AM EDT

This solar-powered car could be the car of the future. It is named Stella Vie and dubbed as the most efficient family car that has ever been built.

Stella Vie is designed by a solar team at the Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e). It is conceptualized as a zero-emissions transport. It is a five-seater car and could achieve a range of 1,000 kilometers from the energy generated during a warm sunny day. It is equipped with few solar panels on its roof.

The builders of the car said that Stella Vie could reach a speed up to 130 km/h (80 mph) if empowered and charged by the Sun. It is also featured with a smart and new technology like the parking navigation system that considers the position of the Sun when parking so it could keep on charging. It also has technology that could warn the drivers of the coming traffic events, according to Inhabitat.

Stella Vie's aesthetic design is appealing, too. It has a clean and spacious interior and ergonomically optimized seats. It is also the first solar-powered family car with five seats. It has big doors and handles that could be comfortable for accessibility. Meanwhile, the ride sits lower to the ground than the traditional cars, according to Design Boom.

In addition, Stella Vie will remind the user to conserve energy by providing indirect feedback through a built-in lighting system. It warns the user by turning red if they brake too fast or accelerate intensely. It also has a solar mobile with a smart charging and discharging system. This monitors the track of energy prices and the agenda of the user to find the right time to charge or discharge the car.

The designers of the car are 23 students from Eindhoven University of Technology that will compete at the TU/e's third world title at the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge to be held in October in Australia. Stella Vie will compete in the Cruiser Class, and the designers are hoping to win this competition and make Stella Vie as the "car of the future."