solar team eindhoven
Building a solar-powered vehicle from scratch in less than a year
Solar Team Eindhoven is a non-profit start-up. With a
multi-disciplinary team of 24 engineers, we designed and built
a solar vehicle, from scratch, in under a year. By showcasing a
solar-powered future, we drive the energy transition.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
INNOVATION STRATEGY
directly to:
stella vita: a self-sustaining house on wheels
Stella Vita is a self-sustaining house on wheels: a mobile home in which you can live and work while traveling on the energy of the sun.
Living
She generates enough solar energy for driving, showering, watching TV, charging your laptop, and making coffee. The roof that slides up when stationary and extra solar panels fold out when the roof is raised, doubling the solar surface to as much as 17.5 square metres.
​
Travelling
Stella Vita is self-sustaining in terms of energy and independent of the charging infrastructure. With an aerodynamic and lightweight design, Stella Vita can travel up to 730 km on a sunny day. This shows that driving on solar energy offers endless possibilities.
Impact
​We wanted to prove that it is possible to drive and live, using the energy of the sun. ​We drove from Eindhoven, the Netherlands, to Tarifa, the southernmost point of Europe, using the power of the sun. We visited Dutch embassies, universities, and schools, inspiring hundreds with our vision of the future. Currently, Stella Vita is showcased in the Next Nature Museum in Eindhoven Evoluon, continuing to be an inspiration for others.
why
We believe that electric vehicles should not limit your freedom. We foresee a future where sustainable mobility can create new opportunities by using the power of the sun. Driving is part of the adventure: it is not the destination, but the journey that gets you there that matters. We can use the power of the sun more than we could imagine before, and electric mobility can positively contribute to our total energy system. By creating innovative, energy-efficient solar vehicles, we aim to inspire the current market and society to transition towards a more sustainable future in mobility.​​
how: from bold idea to self-built car
Solar Team Eindhoven is a non-profit start-up run by students who bring technological innovations in mobility. Our shared goal is to create a sustainable future where life is powered by the sun. Every other year, a new team of enthusiastic and driven students is formed who are young, open-minded, and full of fresh perspectives. We have complete freedom in design. That, in combination with a large network of shared knowledge, provides us with the power to innovate.
​
A bold idea
Everything started with a bold idea. After weeks of brainstorming, we decided: let's build a vehicle that not only allows you to drive using solar power but also allows you to live on it. We wanted to inspire organizations and society that we can bring the future closer so much faster, as long as you have the power to innovate. And so it started.
​​​
A strong multidisciplinary team
We built this vehicle with a team of 24 students, all engineers.
The team was divided into four sections: mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, software engineering, and management. While we were designing and building this vehicle, we were also building our own start-up. We had to find an office, set up meeting structures, ensure good communication lines, and, of course, create the right team spirit.
​
Find partners in crime
As we are a non-profit organization, we had to find sponsors, both in kind and financially. Each of these partners had its own unique story of why it wanted to contribute to our mission. We put a lot of time and effort into setting up a strong partner network.
​
Work day and night
Building your own vehicle from scratch in less than a year is quite a challenge. It took us long days, nights, and weekends to realize it. We were driven by our ambition to make a solar-powered future happen. We needed a licence plate, which meant Stella Vita had to be tested thoroughly on its vehicle safety. And... hard work pays off!
​
Tell our story, inspire others
Perhaps the most important part: ensure that people know our story. We wanted to inspire the world with what we did, and so we had to reach them. We wrote a news article, which was picked up 20+ times, we created our own videos, and we were part of the communication outlets of our partners.
​
A trip through Europe
We drove with Stella Vita from the north to southern Europe by using the energy of the sun. The goal of our European Solar Tour was to inspire the current market and society to accelerate the transition towards a more sustainable future. We organized events with companies, universities, embassies, and local people.
my role
In my full-time position as Innovation & Partnerships Manager, I was responsible for our innovation strategy, acquiring sponsorship deals, and managing partners.
​
I acquired the biggest financial sponsor in the team's history, led the negotiation, and closed the deal successfully. By acquiring technological parts and equipment, I was the link between our engineers and partners. I could speak the language of both the technicians and business partners. ​​
For our strategy, I took the lead in creating the mission and vision statement and aligning team efforts around a shared vision.
I ensured that we translated our mission into valuable communication outlets, such as videos, events, and social media. Moreover, I did the branding for our team, such as the logo and website redesign. ​
