This month a team of 22 students from Eindhoven University of Technology revealed Stella: the first "energy-positive" family car.

Impressive specs

The car has taken over a year to be designed and developed by the Solar Team Eindhoven (STE). It has a range of 600 kilometres, with seating for four people and a trunk.

It also benefits from an aerodynamic design and efficient, lightweight materials such as carbon and aluminium.

Furthermore Stella features many of the advanced specs typical of its petrol-powered cousins. For example it operates a system of touch-screen controls and intuitive steering.

Energy-producing

The car's solar cells allow it to generate, on average, more energy than is required to run it. Stella's surplus of energy will be returned to the power grid, meaning that it could become the world's first "energy positive" car.

STE is looking to have the car officially certified in the coming months. The car is also being entered into the Cruiser Class of the World Solar Challenge.

This competition sees university teams from all over the world race their solar vehicles 3.000km across the Australian outback.

The race begins in October, and will be a chance for Eindhoven's team to really prove that their invention could be the green car of the future.

For more information, see the team's website.

Source: TUE