Student-built motorhome follows the sun
All-electric campervan runs non-stop for more than 700km on a sunny dayLike the car and truck world, we're seeing more and more battery-powered caravans and motorhomes hit the road, but there's still the problem of having to stop regularly to recharge the vehicle.
However, a group of Dutch students has come up with a solution to RV range anxiety: a sleek, self-powered 7.2m long campervan that can run for up to 730km non-stop on a sunny day, without having to stop at an EV charging point. Or around 600km if the clouds are out.
Described as a "self-sustaining house on wheels", the so-called Stella Vita RV generates enough energy through its rooftop solar panels for a long-range road trip the equivalent of driving from Melbourne to Canberra.
The 1700kg campervan is built with an aluminum chassis and fibreglass body shell and has a top speed of 120km/h.
When parked up for the night, or even at a lunch stop, the roof can be opened up to double the solar surface to around 17.5 square metres and top up the 60KWh lithium-ion battery faster.
With backing from some large companies and sponsors, a team of students from the Eindhoven University of Technology are currently taking the two-berth campervan on a month-long 3000km shake-down run across Europe to demonstrate the technology.
The futuristic camper has been issued with special road registration and is travelling from Eindhoven in the Netherlands to the beach resort of Tarifa in Spain.
With entry through the barn doors on one side, the interior living and sleeping area includes a dinette and kitchenette with cooktop and coffee machine, plus a bed, shower and toilet.
You can follow its progress here.
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