Soleva - The Solar Electric Van

What a year it's been ! Despite last month's tragic news, 2024 has been an amazing year for Soleva with the completion of our solar van and the successful Swiss Tour. To celebrate all these beautiful memories and to support Soleva's next adventures (more on that soon !), we decided to make a photo calendar with 12 of our best pictures to hang on your wall in 2025. The calendar has an A3 horizontal format and is made from high quality photo paper. Price is 30 CHF if you can pick it up yourself or know someone from the team that can hand it over to you, and 40 CHF if you want us to send it to you by post (only in Switzerland). The calendars will be available 1 or 2 weeks before Christmas.   If you want a calendar (or several), please fill in the following form before Tuesday 26.11 12:00. You will find the payment details within that form. https://lnkd.in/eYijZqem   Thanks for your continuous support - it means a lot to us ! We wish you a nice end to the year !

The entire Soleva team extends our gratitude to CSEM for their unwavering support, even in the challenging moments of our journey. Having such dedicated partners by our side gives us renewed hope and determination to rise again and envision something new. Together, we remain inspired and determined to pursue our journey towards sustainable mobility. We also want to thank the entire community for the overwhelming support following the hard news. It has reminded us that this project is more than just a vehicle - it’s a shared vision, a collective dream. While this setback is significant, it does not bring us back to zero at the start of the project 4 years ago. Along the way, we’ve already brought countless people along on this journey, and we firmly believe that more is possible - even if it requires a greater, unexpected amount of energy⚡🔋☀️ "It embodies the grit to face the unexpected head-on and to keep developing and supporting sustainable solutions, even when the going gets tough. At CSEM, we are proud to back this ambition, convinced that projects like Soleva’s pave the way toward a more responsible industry." 🙌

Some dreams are built over many years and can vanish in an instant... It is with deep sadness that the Soleva team shares some heartbreaking news, which comes just after the wonderful open-air cinema night and the premiere of our documentary. On October 14th, 2024, a major fire broke out in our workshop, destroying Sunny, our solar van prototype, along with all of our equipment. After years of effort and the successful realization of this solar mobility project, it is hard for us to grasp that everything has disappeared in an instant. At this time, the cause of the fire remains undetermined, but we can confirm that the battery compartment was not affected by the flames. The installed safety systems performed their duty flawlessly, keeping the batteries intact. This does not surprise us, as Sunny was designed with the highest safety standards, and at the time of the incident, the vehicle was fully approved and registered in compliance with all regulations. This event is an incredibly difficult challenge for the entire Soleva team. Many dreams and future plans were tied to Sunny, and we were excited to finally unleash the full potential of this solar vehicle. However, even though this prototype has been irreversibly destroyed, Soleva and the bonds of friendship forged around the project remain strong. At this moment, it is hard for us to imagine the future, but we remain committed to our mission of advancing sustainable energy solutions. We have already demonstrated that a solar and electric vehicle can be a viable solution for sustainable travel, as shown by our Swiss tour, which was a great success. We have also inspired many people, from children to adults, by proving that with dreams and determination, anything is possible. We will keep you informed as soon as we know more about the cause of the fire. We sincerely thank you for your support since the beginning of this adventure in 2021, and especially in these difficult times. Our presence on social media will be limited for the foreseeable future, as we work through the current situation and rethink the future plans for Soleva. Thank you for your understanding! The Soleva team

🎬 A New Milestone for Soleva! 🎬 Last Friday, we hosted a memorable Open-Air Cinema event, powered entirely by solar energy, featuring the premiere of the Soleva documentary 🎞️ Despite the cold, the stunning backdrop of the Esplanade de Montbenon, Lake Leman and the numerous visitors made it an unforgettable evening 🌃 It was truly special to reunite with so many supporters and enthusiasts following our Swiss Solar Tour, as we celebrated the success and closed this chapter of the project. The Soleva documentary was filmed across the past 3 years of the project and showcases the different stages and challenges that Soleva has gone through. It is an amazing realisation by the filmmaker Louis Rouquette that will hopefully get many occasions to be screened in the near future. It is not yet publicly available but we will keep you informed when it will be 📽️. Event Highlights: ➡️ The evening began with a historic screening: the Scholl family’s groundbreaking journey across the Sahara in a solar-powered vehicle back in 1987. We were honoured to have François Scholl with us to share this pioneering moment in solar electric mobility. ➡️ Franck Malléus captivated the audience with his documentary on blending extreme sports with solar-powered e-bikes. ➡️ We were also thrilled to welcome Marc Muller, who shared his insights on solar mobility and sustainable living. A special thanks to Services industriels de Lausanne for their continued partnership and support of Soleva - The Solar Electric Van. Stay tuned for more exciting updates as we continue our journey toward a more sustainable future! Photo credits: Roman Schmitz #SolevaSolarJourney #SolarPowered #SustainableMobility #RenewableEnergy #Inspiration

C'est toujours un plaisir pour l'équipe de Soleva - The Solar Electric Van de pouvoir donner des interviews pour les médias 📺 et journaux 📰 à travers le pays. Cette fois-ci, c'est un magnifique article dans le journal "Le Ô" rédigé par Patrick Fischer avec des récits et résultats de notre tour de suisse solaire par Curdin Wüthrich mais aussi un aperçu de Antonin Faes l'un de nos partenaires CSEM et EPFL PV-lab sur l'innovation de panneaux solaire ☀️ intégré dans des véhicules 🚗 Une des missions clés du projet Soleva est la sensibilisation et communication autour de l'impact environnemental de la mobilité et du voyage. Cela nous tient ainsi à cœur de poursuivre nos présentations sur notre projet et missions autant que possible à travers la Suisse. Vous pouvez lire l'article sur: https://lnkd.in/eywjvRTy Sinon on vous attend demain au Parc de Montbenon pour notre open air cinéma avec de nombreux courts métrages de pionnier de la mobilité solaire, un discours captivant de Marc Muller et la première de notre documentaire sur le projet Soleva. On vous attend nombreux!

🌞 The Swiss Tour: Our Solar Van's First Major Adventure! 🚐 After years of hard work, our Solar Van has officially hit the road, wrapping up the build phase with an unforgettable journey through Switzerland! 📊 Curious about the trip in numbers? Check out the highlights in the pictures! 💬 Got other stats you'd love to hear about? Drop your questions in the comments – we’d be happy to share more! *small mistake, it is indeed 25 kWh/100km in the last picture Curdin Wüthrich | Matthieu Bourgois | Sara Bossuyt | Tobia Wyss | Max Chevron | Lucanaël Kopf | Nicola Offeddu | Roman Schmitz #SolarVan #Soleva #Sustainability #RoadTrip #Innovation

🍿 CINÉMA OPEN AIR - DÉVOILEMENT DE NOTRE DOCUMENTAIRE 🍿 📽 Nous avons le plaisir de projeter en avant-première notre documentaire à l’occasion d’une soirée sous le signe des « Aventures solaires ». Rendez-vous en plein cœur de Lausanne où concert, courts-métrages et présentations en format cinéma open air vous attendent, le tout alimenté par Sunny ⚡ 📆 Vendredi 4 octobre dès 18h 📍 Esplanade de Montbenon (10min à pied de la gare de Lausanne) 🥞🍹 Foodtruck de crêpes et boissons Au programme 🎸 18:30 - Concert par François Vé, musicien-voyageur à vélo solaire. 🎥 19:30 - Court métrage de la famille Scholl, pionniers des voitures solaires dès 1985, suivi de leur intervention. 🎥 20:00 - Court métrage de Franck Malléus sur sa traversée des Alpes en vélo solaire pour faire du base jump, suivi de son intervention. 🎙️ 20:45 - Présentation de Marc Muller, ingénieur en énergie, sur la mobilité solaire, son passé et son futur. 🎥 21:00 – Avant-première du documentaire sur notre aventure Soleva. ❄ Prenez des habits chauds! Si la météo est mauvaise, la soirée aura lieu à notre garage à Renens (suivez nos réseaux si la météo est incertaine). 🙌 L'équipe Soleva a vraiment hâte de vous revoir pour cette nouvelle soirée avec vous. L'entrée est libre, venez nombreux-ses! ✨Merci aux Services industriels de Lausanne pour votre soutien à Soleva et collaboration pour cet événement. Studer Innotec, CSEM, EPFL PV-lab, Fondation Inartis, Viva-Vaud, Ville de Renens, Ville de Lausanne, Tiny Wood Stove, Justin Burks Design, Vanmade®, wemakeit.com #Soleva #SolarElectricVan #SustainableTravel #RenewableEnergy #Innovation

🍿 CINÉMA OPEN AIR - DÉVOILEMENT DE NOTRE DOCUMENTAIRE 🍿 📽 Nous avons le plaisir de projeter en avant-première notre documentaire à l’occasion d’une soirée sous le signe des « Aventures solaires ». Rendez-vous en plein cœur de Lausanne où concert, courts-métrages et présentations en format cinéma open air vous attendent, le tout alimenté par Sunny ⚡ 📆 Vendredi 4 octobre dès 18h 📍 Esplanade de Montbenon (10min à pied de la gare de Lausanne) 🥞🍹 Foodtruck de crêpes et boissons Au programme 🎸 18:30 - Concert par François Vé, musicien-voyageur à vélo solaire. 🎥 19:30 - Court métrage de la famille Scholl, pionniers des voitures solaires dès 1985, suivi de leur intervention. 🎥 20:00 - Court métrage de Franck Malléus sur sa traversée des Alpes en vélo solaire pour faire du base jump, suivi de son intervention. 🎙️ 20:45 - Présentation de Marc Muller, ingénieur en énergie, sur la mobilité solaire, son passé et son futur. 🎥 21:00 – Avant-première du documentaire sur notre aventure Soleva. ❄ Prenez des habits chauds! Si la météo est mauvaise, la soirée aura lieu à notre garage à Renens (suivez nos réseaux si la météo est incertaine). 🙌 L'équipe Soleva a vraiment hâte de vous revoir pour cette nouvelle soirée avec vous. L'entrée est libre, venez nombreux-ses! ✨Merci aux Services industriels de Lausanne pour votre soutien à Soleva et collaboration pour cet événement. Studer Innotec, CSEM, EPFL PV-lab, Fondation Inartis, Viva-Vaud, Ville de Renens, Ville de Lausanne, Tiny Wood Stove, Justin Burks Design, Vanmade®, wemakeit.com #Soleva #SolarElectricVan #SustainableTravel #RenewableEnergy #Innovation

Soleva at Solar & Storage Live Zürich 2024 🚐☀️ We are thrilled Soleva has been invited to present at this year’s Solar & Storage Live Zürich conference in Zürich. This event brings together all photovoltaic and energy storage stakeholders from Switzerland, and we’re thrilled to be part of such a dynamic gathering. In 1 week, Curdin Wüthrich will showcase the latest achievements of the Soleva - The Solar Electric Van project, highlighting innovations in solar-powered electric mobility and our accomplishments along the #Swiss #Solar #Tour. We are looking forward to meeting you there! We will present on Wednesday 18th at 11:00, see you! Tickets under https://lnkd.in/ew_uPc53 Studer Innotec, CSEM #SSLzurich

Yes, that's right, Soleva was at the European Commission ! It was an honor to be invited by the department of research on photovoltaics to present our project at the Joint Research Center in Ispra, IT. We enjoyed lengthy discussions with experts in the field of vehicle integrated photovoltaic and we compared our prototype with road cars that have integrated solar panels. We also talked about possible future collaborations. Solar on conventional road cars still has a long way to go, due to challenges with limited surfaces covered by panels, partial shading, curved surfaces or heat. On the other hand, our solution with a large flat solar surface, adjustable orientation and self-shading capabilities makes a lot of sense for a travel vehicle. For daily use, the huge surface may still be a bit cumbersome. What are your thoughts on solar cars ? Will we see true solar cars driving around anytime soon ? Thanks a lot to Hanna Ellis for organizing the event ! Curdin Wüthrich | Matthieu Bourgois | Sara Bossuyt | Tobia Wyss | Max Chevron | Lucanaël Kopf | Nicola Offeddu | Roman Schmitz #solar #VIPV #europe #electricconversion #sustainability