Solar Team Eindhoven, a student team from the TU Eindhoven, will build an ambulance this year that drives completely on the power of the sun. Thanks to the solar panels the vehicle can drive and power all medical equipment. As far as is known, Stella Juva will be the world's first ambulance that drives entirely on solar energy and can provide medical care, making healthcare possible anywhere in the world, even in hard-to-reach areas. Stella Juva is expected to hit the road in July 2026.
Complex technical challenges
“Designing an ambulance that runs completely on solar energy while also reliably powering all the medical equipment is a significant technical challenge. The design requires a combination of robustness, efficiency, and being lightweight. Additionally, in order to provide care worldwide, the vehicle must be able to withstand harsh conditions,” says Mathijs van Gerven, team manager of Solar Team Eindhoven.
The team wants to show with Stella Juva that mobility is more than just transportation. A vehicle can also play a role in tackling societal challenges. By combining power and medical care in one vehicle, an alternative is created for regions where fuel or electricity shortages limit access to healthcare.
Inspiring change
Stella Juva can demonstrate that the transition to a more sustainable future in mobility and energy can happen faster and that there are new opportunities to improve access to healthcare. “We believe that a successful project shows that innovative solutions are possible within a year and that new opportunities exist to improve healthcare access for everyone,” says Mathijs van Gerven. By collaborating with NGOs and medical organizations, the team hopes to make a lasting difference in how medical missions are carried out.
In August, the solar ambulance will be used by the team, visiting multiple field locations of local NGOs to show how Stella Juva can use, charge, and safely support patient care with medical equipment. The team aims to demonstrate that sustainable healthcare is accessible in locations that are normally hard to reach for conventional emergency services.
A rich history
Solar Team Eindhoven has a rich history. The students from Eindhoven build a car every two years that is entirely powered by the sun. In the past, the team won the World Solar Challenge in Australia four times in a row in the family car class (Cruiser Class). In 2021, the team made headlines by building a solar-powered camper, Stella Vita, and traveling to the southernmost point of Europe. In 2023, the team drove more than 1000 kilometers from northern Morocco to the Sahara with the world’s first off-road solar car, Stella Terra. With the Stella vehicles, the team wants to show that the transition to a sustainable future offers reasons for optimism and encourages individuals and companies to accelerate the energy transition.
