Solar-powered family car completes LA-San Francisco test run
Students who built the experimental vehicle aim to draw attention of big manufacturers
A solar-powered family car has completed its drive from Los Angeles to San Francisco fuelled by good vibes and pure California sunshine.
And after turning the heads of onlookers during its journey up California's scenic Pacific Coast Highway, the creators of "Stella" are dreaming of a day when their futuristic vehicle is a commonplace sight.
The lightweight, wedge-shaped car is capable of travelling 800km without stopping - further if the sun is shining - while hitting speeds of up to 130km/h.
"It was great to see all the people looking at us, hurrying to get their smartphones out to get pictures while we were driving," said Lex Hoefsloot, manager of Solar Team Eindhoven.
"I think we caused some traffic jams and we were worried some drivers might run into us while trying to take pictures."
Hoefsloot is one of the students at Eindhoven University of Technology in Holland who designed and built Stella in what grew into a campus-wide project that won a World Solar Car challenge race across Australia in 2013.
Stella launched a US tour in Detroit at the Intelligent Transportation Society World Congress in early September.