Solar Team Eindhoven launches Stella Juva solar-powered ambulance for remote healthcare

A team of 23 university students from the Solar Team Eindhoven has built Stella Juva, the world’s first ambulance powered solely by solar energy. The 5‑metre, 1,350‑kg vehicle carries 326 fixed solar cells and 216 extendable panels, giving it a daytime range of up to 715 km and an off‑road average of 360 km. A 50 kWh battery stores energy for night or cloudy operation, while the on‑board medical kit includes medicines, diagnostic tools, a defibrillator and ultrasound and X‑ray equipment.

Stella Juva is designed to provide on‑site medical assistance in isolated regions where fuel stations and electricity are scarce, acting as a mobile mini‑clinic rather than a patient‑transport ambulance. The project, inspired by UN health‑access goals, will be field‑tested in Kenya in August in partnership with Amref Health Africa, which has decades of experience delivering health services to remote African communities.