In a earlier article, we coated the Stella Vita experimental camper van. Unlike almost each different camper on the face of the planet (that is the opposite exception I do know of), the Stella Vita runs on daylight. It doesn’t must cost from {the electrical} grid, which nonetheless makes use of fossil fuels. It doesn’t want something however the solar on its again to maneuver and power its inside facilities.
The pupil staff that constructed this automobile made it work in a lot the identical method as Aptera plans to. By making the automobile tremendous environment friendly, quite a bit much less energy is required to maneuver it down the highway. This implies that the restrictions of solar know-how don’t get in the best way as a lot. In different phrases, if you may get by with much less, it doesn’t matter that solar know-how offers you much less.
To make it a workable camper, that they had to make use of the pop-top technique. We’ve seen this concept work (and really effectively) for the higher a part of a century with issues like popup tent campers and Westfalia VW Microbuses, so it’s a confirmed technique to make one thing small get greater whenever you arrive at your tenting vacation spot. Even higher, this gave the staff a technique to improve the automobile’s solar power by 200%, as a result of in addition they included slide-out solar panels within the pop-top, so the automobile can cost sooner when parked.
As cool as this design is, we couldn’t actually see it in motion. I discovered a brief video on the staff’s YouTube channel, and I discovered a whole lot of photographs. I’d like to see it in individual, however a visit to Europe is dear and I’ve 4 children to handle, in order that simply wasn’t within the playing cards. But now we’re capable of see what the Fully Charged Show considered it:
They traveled to The Netherlands to get an in-person have a look at the automobile, so now all of us get to see what EV fanatics consider it!
They began with an interview with two of the scholar staff members who designed and constructed the automotive. They instructed him the story of driving the automobile not solely regionally, however on a 3,000 km journey to the southernmost level in Europe (in Spain). They did should cost the automotive on grid power in two locations on the journey, however solely as a result of they needed to make some enhancements and take a look at them in Paris, and due to lack of daylight later within the journey.
Like the upcoming Aptera, this reveals us that solar power is essential, however having the grid to again you up for these occasions whenever you want extra power than the solar can provide you can be important. If you’re a diehard solar fanatic and couldn’t bear to make use of the grid, you can clearly simply wait it out and drive when you possibly can with future electrical RVs, however that’s not a fantastic choice for everybody.
Next, we get to see the method of folding the camper van out from its driving configuration. Honestly, it seems to be about as troublesome as a popup camper (so, not troublesome in any respect). The high cranks up, the solar panels slide out, and also you’re good to go! Or, keep and cost, really. Later, they inform the story of the primary time they pulled right into a campsite. They stated that individuals had been amazed, and the automobile drew a small crowd that by no means knew such a factor existed. While meaning everybody doesn’t learn CleanTechnica (unhappy face), it does imply that the typical camper is impressed by this sort of undertaking and can be considering any future manufacturing model!
We additionally discover out some technical particulars. The automotive’s battery is “the same size as a Tesla Model 3” (we aren’t positive which battery measurement), however can go 600 kilometers (372 miles) on a cost. That’s fairly damned environment friendly for one thing sufficiently big to sleep in and chill out in. Everything from the battery to the drivetrain was designed for effectivity, in order that’s an affordable and attainable quantity. Even the burden is small for the automobile’s measurement (1700 kg, 3850 lb). But it’s not unsafe. It’s constructed with a security cage for the occupants and ought to be very protected within the occasion of a crash.
It can be good to know extra specifics, however they appear to not wish to inform us an excessive amount of at this level. Later within the video, we do discover out that the automobile’s roof (when folded down) produces 2 kilowatts peak. With the prolonged roof in tenting mode, you get round 4 kilowatts, which is nothing to sneeze at. An entire cost can occur in 3 days, however you may get 200 km of vary in a day’s price of charging.
We get to see the presenter standing within the automobile and looking out round, and this offers us a significantly better thought of how huge it’s. The reply is that it’s an entire lot greater than I believed from the pictures. There is a TON of headroom with the highest folded up, and there’s good room above the mattress. I do know a wide-angle lens was used, however nonetheless, it’s critically spacious.
It has a sink (with working water), an induction cooktop, and a fridge, so that you don’t should forego the creature comforts, both. I didn’t see a bathroom, however you can simply carry alongside a composting bathroom and a few peat moss.
Seating gave the impression to be very comfy, and issues just like the mirrors are straightforward to see. There’s a giant show to indicate the motive force remaining vary, how a lot power the roof is producing, and it may be eliminated for use within the again for leisure throughout tenting stops. The detachable display can be utilized along side the audio system when stopped, so that you get that consolation of home, too.
The automobile is clearly very removed from something that an organization would really construct and promote, however it appears to have an excellent match and end for a prototype. It has additionally confirmed itself on a highway journey in the true world, so it’s a viable idea. Hopefully some enterprising RV builder will think about constructing one thing like this, assuming an organization like Aptera doesn’t beat them to the punch. The staff did say that they’re keen to help any firm that wishes to do that, in order that’s an excellent begin.
There’s much more within the video, so you’ll want to test it out above!
Featured picture and different photographs of Stella Vita by Bart van Overbeeke and Solar Team Eindhoven.
Advertisement
Appreciate CleanTechnica’s originality? Consider changing into a CleanTechnica Member, Supporter, Technician, or Ambassador — or a patron on Patreon.
Have a tip for CleanTechnica, wish to promote, or wish to recommend a visitor for our CleanTech Talk podcast? Contact us right here.
