Dutch students unveil ‘world-first’ solar-powered ambulance
BARNEVELD: A Dutch student team on Tuesday unveiled what they believe to be the world’s first solar-powered ambulance, which they hope can bring much-needed medical care to the remotest parts of the globe. The sleek, futuristic-looking, white and yellow...
Dutch engineering students have unveiled what they describe as the world’s first solar-powered ambulance, a prototype designed to extend medical care to remote and difficult-to-reach areas.
The vehicle, called Stella Juva, was presented on Tuesday in Barneveld by a team of students from Eindhoven University of Technology. According to the monitored public feed from Dawn World, the white-and-yellow ambulance is fitted with solar panels on its roof that help power both the engine and onboard medical equipment.
The two-seater vehicle is built for off-road terrain and is said to be capable of reaching speeds of up to 120 kilometres per hour. On a sunny day, the team says it can travel as far as 715 kilometres, while a battery charged by solar power is intended to keep the vehicle and its equipment running at night or during cloudy conditions.
Project leader Mathijs van Gerven, a 21-year-old biomedical engineering student, said the ambulance is meant to provide medical care in hard-to-access places. The concept, he said, is to bring healthcare closer to patients rather than relying on patients being transported to hospitals.
Inside, the ambulance is equipped with tools and supplies aimed at basic field care. These include x-ray equipment, defibrillators, testing kits for tuberculosis, cooled storage for vaccines and ultrasound capability for pregnant women, according to the feed summary.
The project also reflects a broader effort to address gaps in healthcare access, particularly in remote regions. Femke Maurits, partnerships manager at Amref Health Africa, said many African countries face large distances between isolated villages and health facilities, making timely treatment difficult.
The students plan to take Stella Juva to Kenya next month to test how it performs in real conditions. The trip is expected to help determine how the solar-powered design holds up in challenging environments and whether it can serve as a practical model for emergency care in areas with limited infrastructure.
The report is based on a monitored public feed and attributed to Dawn World, which published the item on July 22, 2026.
Source: Dawn World - https://www.dawn.com/news/2017418/dutch-students-unveil-world-first-solar-powered-ambulance
