Dutch Students Unveil Solar-Powered Ambulance
The prototype can travel 715 kilometres on sunny days and is designed to deliver tests, vaccines and ultrasounds without fuel or grid power.
- On Tuesday, Solar Team Eindhoven unveiled Stella Juva, a solar-powered ambulance developed by 23 students over one year to deliver medical care to remote regions worldwide.
- Unlike traditional ambulances that transport patients to hospitals, Stella Juva brings care directly to inaccessible areas, equipped with a 50 kWh battery powering X-ray machines and vaccine storage.
- Capable of speeds up to 120km/h with a 715-kilometre range on sunny days, project leader Mathijs van Gerven told AFP the prototype requires "robustness" for off-road terrain.
- Testing begins in Kenya next month, where the team will simulate tuberculosis treatment scenarios; Femke Maurits, Partnerships Manager at Amref Health Africa, said reliable energy remains critical in remote regions.
- While currently a prototype, Van Gerven stated, "The technical industry should be able to do this way better and way faster," inviting industry partners to scale production.
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Video. Dutch students unveil world's first solar-powered ambulance
Video. Dutch students have developed what they say is the world's first solar-powered ambulance to improve healthcare access in remote parts of Africa. Named Stella Juva, the vehicle will be tested in Kenya in August with NGO Amref Health Africa.
The Innoptus Solar Team's solar car has been approved to participate in a competition in the United States. Engineering students from KU Leuven design and build solar cars and became world champions in 2023. The students are now attempting to win the Electrek American Solar Challenge, which runs from Minnesota to Texas.
Students at TU Eindhoven have developed an ambulance that runs entirely on solar energy. The university claims it is the world's first solar ambulance. The vehicle is not suitable for transporting patients, but it must be usable for on-site care. This makes the ambulance suitable for remote areas where healthcare is less accessible. ‘It has everything we need there.’
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