A group of students from the Netherlands has completed a trial in Kenya of a vehicle they call the world’s first solar-powered ambulance. The car, named Stella Juva, is designed to bring healthcare to remote areas rather than transport patients to hospitals, according to the developers.
The vehicle is equipped with roof-mounted solar panels that power the engine, and it carries medical equipment including an X-ray machine, an ultrasound scanner, testing kits for tuberculosis, and cooled storage for vaccines. Its battery can be charged while driving, and extendable panels fold out when the car is stationary to provide additional charging capacity.
Solar Team Eindhoven, a group of 23 students from Eindhoven University of Technology and two other educational institutions, developed the ambulance. The team says Stella Juva is the first of its kind.
The students tested the vehicle this month in partnership with Amref Health Africa, a nongovernmental organization focused on maternal and child health. The trial aimed to assess whether the ambulance could handle long-distance travel on difficult terrain and power its medical equipment once it reached remote communities.
According to the team and Amref, while stationary, Stella Juva generated more energy than it consumed while running all of its onboard medical equipment at the same time. That suggests the vehicle can operate independently, without traditional fuel or access to charging infrastructure.
The equipment was not used on real patients, but the team estimates that about 200 people could have been treated over two days.
During the trial, the students drove the vehicle more than 800 kilometers (about 500 miles) across Kenya, including a visit to a health clinic in Mosiro, in the Narok region, that has no electricity.
Isabella Wanningen, a 22-year-old team member, told AFP the trial was a success. "We've driven more than 800 kilometres and tested her capabilities both in whether she is able to go off-road and how she can actually deliver healthcare," she said. She added that many team members put their studies on hold for the project, which took about a year to complete.
"We hope to inspire the industry, healthcare organisations and innovators to use sustainable technology to solve real-world problems," Wanningen said. "If we can do this with 23 students in one year, that really shows how much is possible."
Geoffrey Sadera, of Amref Health Africa, said the vehicle would be a "game changer" for regions where access to care is limited. John Kutna, a program manager at Amref, noted that the ambulance would be "quite useful" in locations like Mosiro, where clinics lack reliable power.
The trial comes amid broader challenges for healthcare in Kenya. Kennedy Wakoli, a family and reproductive health expert at Amref, said "solar energy is everywhere" and could be crucial for improving healthcare access. Wakoli expressed hope that Stella Juva could act as a catalyst for adopting renewable energy in the health sector.
The team has previously built other solar-powered vehicles, including a campervan and an off-road vehicle. A separate startup founded by five alumni, Lightyear, has also unveiled a solar electric car developed with Nissan.
Funding for health programs in Kenya faces additional pressure after the administration of S. President Donald Trump cut foreign aid, according to CNN.