Manutan in the Netherlands supports sustainable mobility

The Manutan Group is firmly committed to the preservation of the planet and the development of each individual. In addition to our own action plans, we believe it is essential to encourage innovative initiatives in our ecosystem. That's why our Dutch subsidiary has supported the ambitious project by students at Eindhoven University of Technology to build an all-terrain car powered exclusively by solar energy.

On the road to clean, renewable energy

Every year, a handful of students from Eindhoven University of Technology embark on an innovative project to develop sustainable mobility solutions. The latest project is the construction of a prototype off-road car powered exclusively by solar energy, called the Stella Terra.

Lightweight materials, minimalist design, ergonomics and aerodynamics: this vehicle is designed to consume as little energy as possible and perform as well as possible in the field. Capable of reaching a top road speed of 145 km/h, its roof is entirely covered with solar collectors, giving it a record range of over 600 km on sunny days. Finally, at just 1,200 kg, Stella Terra weighs some 25% less than a current electric SUV.

Manutan Netherlands, official supplier 

To achieve this technological feat, the university team needed a large quantity and variety of equipment. Our Dutch subsidiary provided them with all the products they needed to complete their project. 

The team says: "A workplace doesn't exist without its tools and office supplies. Both are equally essential for the rapid and satisfactory development of StellaTerra. During the production process, we quickly realised that the quantity of tools needed to build a car and the office supplies needed to structure a team doubled almost every month. Whether it's extra hearing protection or staples for a stapler, all items eventually have to come from somewhere. That's why it's so useful to have a single partner who has a stock of all these supplies, reducing transport costs and the hassle of ordering."

The team recently set off for Morocco with the aim of testing the Stella Terra on- and off-road, during a 1,000 km trip. An ambition achieved and even exceeded, with even more kilometres than planned! "It's now up to the market, which has the necessary resources and power, to make this change and move towards more sustainable vehicles", says Thieme Bosman, the team's manager, in an interview with CNN.