Solar Team Eindhoven

Name

Solar Team Eindhoven

Legal name

Solar Team Eindhoven

Website

https://solarteameindhoven.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

A 20–23 person student team from Eindhoven University of Technology that designs and builds a new solar-powered vehicle every two years under the Stella family brand, funded entirely by corporate sponsors and partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Solar-powered vehicle research and demonstration

NAICS

Automobile and Light Duty Motor Vehicle Manufacturing (33611), Motor Home Manufacturing (336213)

SIC

Motor Vehicles & Passenger Car Bodies (3711), Motor Homes (3716)

akta.pro primary industry

Truck & Commercial Vehicle Electrification Manufacturing (eAxles/Battery Packs/Fuel Cells) (IMACABAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Next-Gen Photovoltaics R&D (Perovskite, Tandem, Organic, BIPV Materials) (EUAMAOAA), Specialty Off-Road Utility Vehicles (UTVs, ATVs, Side-by-Sides) (IMAHAIAG)

Keywords

• Solar powered vehicles
• Electric vehicle R&D
• Renewable mobility demonstration
• Photovoltaic automotive systems
• Clean transportation engineering

Headquarters

HQ city

Eindhoven

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Sponsorship and partner funding: Solar Team Eindhoven is a student initiative funded entirely through sponsorships and partnerships with companies. They receive financial support, equipment, expertise, and facilities from various corporate partners in exchange for visibility, innovation collaboration, and brand association with sustainable mobility.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Solar Team Eindhoven is a student team from Eindhoven University of Technology that designs, builds, and demonstrates prototype solar-powered vehicles under the Stella family brand. Each generation of the Stella vehicles is a fully engineered four-wheeled prototype (family sedan, energy-positive car, road-legal five-seater, self-driving family car, solar-powered mobile home, and off-road solar car) that the team showcases at world championships, European tours, and partner events. The team does not sell these vehicles commercially; instead, it uses them as proof-of-concept demonstrators to inspire the automotive industry and society to adopt solar mobility.

Product overview

Solar Team Eindhoven is a student team from Eindhoven University of Technology that develops a portfolio of innovative solar-powered vehicles. The core product line includes the Stella family of solar cars: Stella (the original world-first solar family car), Stella Lux (energy positive family car), Stella Vie (five-person road-legal family car), Stella Era (self-driving family car with V2V energy sharing), Stella Vita (self-sustaining solar mobile home), Stella Terra (world's first off-road solar car), and the upcoming Stella Juva (world's first solar-powered ambulance). Each vehicle demonstrates different applications of solar mobility technology, from daily family transportation to off-road adventures and emergency healthcare delivery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Stella Family: The family of solar-powered vehicles developed by Solar Team Eindhoven, including Stella, Stella Lux, Stella Vie, Stella Era, Stella Vita, Stella Terra, and the upcoming Stella Juva.

Products and services

• Stella (first generation) The world's first solar powered family car developed in 2012 and debuted at the 2013 World Solar Challenge Cruiser Class where it became world-champion, demonstrating that solar-powered family mobility is possible.
• Stella Lux The first energy-positive family car that generates more energy than it consumes over an entire year, featuring the Solar Navigator system that suggests optimal routes based on weather data, with aerodynamic and efficient design.
• Stella Vie World's first road-legal solar-powered family car, seating five persons with easy entry through big doors and handles, ergonomic seats, clean interior, and intuitive controls for driving and infotainment.
• Stella Era A comfortable, self-driving family car that maximises solar energy use through efficient energy management, autonomous sun-tracking, and sharing energy with other electric vehicles; functions as a charging station on wheels with a range of 1,200 km.
• Stella Vita The world's first solar-powered mobile home (Self-sustaining House On Wheels), generating energy through solar panels on the roof for both driving and living (showering, watching TV, charging laptops, making coffee) with expandable solar roof and up to 730 km range on a sunny day.
• Stella Terra The world's first off-road solar car, combining solar energy with off-road capability. Designed to be self-sufficient without charging stations, engineered to handle both paved roads and rugged terrain. Features a top speed of 145 km/h and a range of 630 km on a sunny day.

Quantifiable outcome

• Achieved highest efficiency score of all teams in 3000+ km World Solar Challenge
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

AI capability2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and supporting.

• AIKOcoreTechnology or Integration · 3 April 2026AIKO provides high-efficiency ABC (All Back Contact) solar cells for the Stella Juva solar-powered ambulance project. AIKO is a leading innovator in high-efficiency solar technology, helping improve the solar performance of the vehicle.
• CoolblueflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 August 2021Main sponsor and biggest partner, contributing to building the Self-sustaining House On Wheels (SHOW/Stella Vita). Coolblue helps customers consume less energy and offers solar panels, charging stations and energy services.
• Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded in 2012 by TU/e students, the university provides immense support through knowledge, facilities, and collaboration. The team is comprised entirely of TU/e students and the university continues to support development of solar vehicles.
• NXPcoreTechnology or IntegrationNXP has been supporting the team from the very start, providing state-of-the-art hardware and engineering support for embedded systems and telematics. Eight radars developed by NXP enable 360-degree object detection for autonomous features.
• Prodrive TechnologiescoreTechnology or IntegrationDeveloping state-of-the-art in-wheel motors to optimize the car's efficiency. Engineers are supported in design, manufacturing and testing by Prodrive's knowledge and capabilities.
• Brainport Industries CampuscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSolar Team Eindhoven is incorporated into the BIC ecosystem with office and workshop space. BIC brings together innovative companies for open innovation under one roof.
• Amref Health AfricacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partner working towards healthy Africa by training healthcare workers, providing quality healthcare, and offering health education. Collaborating on the solar ambulance project for remote healthcare delivery.
• Delft Imaging SystemscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides medical screening equipment used inside the Stella Juva mobile clinic vehicle. Supporting healthcare innovation through expert guidance.
• CleantroncoreTechnology or IntegrationMain partner for engineering support and production of the battery pack. Has many years of experience in custom battery packs and standardization of production processes.
• AxianssupportingTechnology or IntegrationDeveloping a data platform for data processing, analysis, and visualization of information about the new solar car. Building Solar Navigator and Solar Parking apps for the third edition.
• ANSYSsupportingTechnology or IntegrationProvides engineers with tools necessary for complex simulations including CFD and structural simulations.
• ENGIEsupportingTechnology or IntegrationInternational services and energy company delivering technical services for Solar Team Eindhoven at Brainport Industries Campus. Arranges energy supplies for the workshop.
• Neways Electronics InternationalsupportingTechnology or IntegrationSupports through development site in the Netherlands with both hardware (PCBAs) and engineering services for main functionality of the car.
• SiemenscoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner for many years providing NX software for design, development and realization of solar cars. Enables testing in adverse circumstances.
• KPNsupportingTechnology or IntegrationProvides 5G connectivity within the vehicle for reduced network delay. Located at Brainport Industries Campus.
• Mito SolarcoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides the vehicle with highly efficient and custom-made solar panels.
• Protean ElectriccoreTechnology or IntegrationWorld leader in in-wheel motor technology, providing the drivetrain for the solar vehicle.
• AIIMsupportingTechnology or IntegrationRethinks and redesigns possibilities by adding intelligence onto perception and localization to support autonomous vehicles and robots. Taking first autonomous steps towards optimizing renewable energy use.
• Boerboom HoutsupportingTechnology or IntegrationSupplies wooden molds required for new design with specialist knowledge and flexibility. Working on sustainable interior and natural feeling in the car.
• AlfensupportingTechnology or IntegrationDutch company delivering integrated smart grid, energy storage and EV charging solutions to support a reliable and sustainable energy system.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Lightyear: Dutch solar EV startup whose consumer vehicle (Lightyear One) was explicitly built on the foundation of Solar Team Eindhoven's Stella family car designs. Most direct comparable in solar-powered passenger vehicles despite its 2023 bankruptcy.
• Aptera: US-based solar EV startup developing an ultra-efficient three-wheeled vehicle with integrated solar panels. Closely comparable mission of delivering consumer solar-powered mobility through lightweight, high-efficiency design.
• Sono Motors: German solar EV startup that developed the Sion, a solar-integrated passenger electric car. Direct peer in bringing solar charging to mass-market passenger vehicles before its insolvency.
• Agoria Solar Team: Belgian student solar racing team from KU Leuven that competes in the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge Cruiser Class. Direct comparable as a student-led solar vehicle competitor in the same racing category.
• Squad Mobility: Dutch startup building solar-powered urban micro-mobility vehicles (Solar Buddy). Comparable as a fellow Netherlands-based solar mobility venture targeting sustainable transportation.
• Top Dutch Solar Racing: Dutch student solar racing team from TU Delft competing in the World Solar Challenge. Closest Dutch peer in student-led solar vehicle development, operating from the same national innovation ecosystem.
• Innoptus Solar Team: Belgian student solar racing team (formerly Punch Powertrain Solar Team) from KU Leuven, a regular Cruiser Class rival at the World Solar Challenge. Highly comparable structure, mission, and competition pedigree.

Broad incumbents

• Polestar: Swedish premium EV manufacturer that has explored solar-integrated body panels and is operating broadly in the sustainable mobility space STE targets. Broad incumbent with adjacent rather than specialized solar capability.
• Fisker: EV automaker that integrated a full solar roof on the Ocean SUV before its 2024 bankruptcy. Broad incumbent with direct solar-vehicle production ambition, comparable in spirit if not scale to STE.
• Hyundai: Global automaker that has commercialized solar roof technology on production vehicles (e.g., Sonata Hybrid) and is investing broadly in sustainable mobility. Established incumbent pursuing solar-augmented EV at scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SolarEHV
• Facebookfacebook.com/SolarTeamEindhoven
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/2706813

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Solar Team Eindhoven