Parents looking for the perfect car for school runs can thank a group of Dutch students for developing one that is also environmentally friendly.
The vehicle, called the Stella Lux, is a four-seater that is powered by the sun and generates more energy than it uses, according to the Daily Mail.
Solar Team Eindhoven (STE), a group of 21 students from the Eindhoven University of Technology, designed the car to be aerodynamic by adding a tunnel through the center and an extended roof on both sides. The lightweight family car is made up of materials such as carbon fiber and aluminum to keep its weight down to 827 pounds.
Other features include doors that can be unlocked with a smartphone, a smartphone app that arranges routes based on a user's schedule, and a touchscreen designed for drivers to use while keeping their eyes on the road, Gizmag reported. The Stella Lux also comes with the Solar Navigation system, which presents the driver with the best routes based on the weather of the day.
The car can generate electricity via 62.4 square feet of solar cells and comes with an additional battery capacity of 15 kWh. It can travel 621 miles on a single charge and has a top speed of 78 mph.
STE plans to race with the vehicle in this year's World Solar Challenge, a race covering over 1,860 miles through the outback of Australia, the Daily Mail reported. The Stella Lux has competed in races before, having won the team the title of Cruiser Class in the World Solar Challenge in 2013.
The team plans to follow up the race with a tour through the Netherlands, China and the U.S. with its solar-powered family car.
"With Stella Lux we want to take the next step in bringing a solar car to the consumer. Therefore we want to show Lux to as many people as possible and we hope to inspire them," STE Team Manager Tom Selten said. "We see a future where everybody drives a solar car, where all cars produce energy instead of consuming it."
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