Dutch college students trial world’s first solar-powered off-road EV in Morocco: Dutch students from Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands have completed a 1k kilometer prototype testing campaign for the world’s first solar-powered, all-electric SUV in Morocco, according to a statement. The test demonstrates the potential of PV-reliant vehicles for areas where grid and energy infrastructure is underdeveloped, and the solar car traversed through dry riverbeds, forested areas, steep mountain trails and through the desert.

Exceeding previous energy-efficiency estimates: Dubbed Stella Terra, the 1.2k kg EV, which was initially expected to have a 630 kilometer on-road driving range on a sunny day, surpassed previous estimates by designers during its Moroccan testing campaign, covering 710 km solely on solar power without the need for EV charging stations and consuming 30% less power than previously expected, the statement notes. The EV — which has a 145 km/h top speed — has a 550 km (342 miles) off-road drive range.

The Eindhoven team has other creations: The team debuted an all-electric vehicle dubbed Zem (an acronym for zero emissions mobility) last year with lithium-ion batteries that source up to 15% of its power from solar panels, and is equipped with a carbon capture and storage system that offsets greenhouse gasses (GHGs) on the drive. The EV packs filters on its underbelly, enabling the passage of air while locking in carbon dioxide, the developers note. The filters have to be emptied every 200 miles (c. 321 km) at designated EV charging stations with technology to store the CO2, the university notes, adding that the GHGs could be later repurposed to help develop clean fuels such as SAFs or be safely stored underground. The EV’s body and frame were also built using repurposed plastics, which were fed into a 3D printer to manufacture the car without relying on carbon-intensive metals.