Our Technologies
The SolarButterfly is a role model for sustainable living. See its environmentally friendly technologies and the technical data:
What makes the SolarButterfly so unique:
- A real tiny house with kitchen, toilet, shower, running water, A/C and up to 6 beds
- Powered by Solar Energy
- Eye-catching design
- Turns into a butterfly at the push of a button
- Large wingspan to collect the sun’s energy
- Fully self-powered, produces enough energy to drive up to 220 km / day
- Designed and built by Swiss universities and engineers
24
%
Efficiency of our solar cells
Travel with the sun and without any doubts with solar cells from LONGi.
We have a very high cell efficiency of 24 %, thanks to our solar cells from our main sponsor LONGi.
Travelling with Solar Energy
Around the World with Solar Power
After our test drive through Europe in 2022, we have made some modifications on the SolarButterfly. We now have less panels on the roof but more external panels: With 40 m2 of solar panels on the SolarButterfly and 80 m2 of external solar panels, we can produce up to 150 kWh of solar power per day. This enables us to travel up to 220 km a day. With no emissions at all. If there is not enough sunshine, we can charge our vehicle also from the grid, with solar energy that we feed into the grid in Taunton, MA, from our partner Maxon. So we don’t miss out any of our events.
Made out of plastic bottles from the Ocean
We have recyccled more than 800 kg of PET bottles that were swimming in the Ocean.
These bottles have gone through a special procedure, developed for the SolarButterfly, at “3AComposites Core Materials” in Sins., Switzerland.
We are using the Ocean PET mainly for the walls, the solar panels and the furniture of the SolarButterfly.
Lightweight SolarPanels
Our lightweight solar panels weigh only 4,3 kg per square meter, compared to 16 kg if they were conventional panels made with glass. This is a groundbreaking technology, enabling cars and trucks to produce their own solar energy.
This technology from OPES solutions has big potential for making transportation cleaner and energy independent.
Energy Saving Shower
Our shower is reusing the energy from the used hot water, so it’s saving 60 % of the energy compared to a conventional shower. Interested to know more? Click the button below and learn more about the Joulia showers.
Bio degradable clothes
Around 10 million tons of plastic ends up in the Oceans every year. Its impacts are high through CO2 emissions, heavy use of resources and water pollution, to mention a few. More than 30% of ocean microplastics can be traced back to the textile industry.
That’s why the SolarButterfly crew using biodegradable clothes as much as possible, In our clothes, cotton and conventional polyester are replaced by circular, biodegradable and toxin-free alternatives. Thanks to our partner Oceansafe.
Equipped with newest, clean technologies, the SolarButterfly is a role model for sustainable living
Solar
The world’s first tiny house, that is producing enough solar energy not only for the house, but also for charging the battery of the towing electric car.
Recycled
The SolarButterfly is built mostly from material that is produced from waste plastic bottles from the Ocean.
Heating
The heating is quite important in cold areas of the world. In order to save energy, the Solar Butterfly uses energy efficient, electric heating technologies. No gaz at all.
Hot Water
In order to keep yourself clean and to wash the dishes, you need to warm up water. The hot water of the Solar Butterfly is heated by solar energy only. There is no need for gaz at all.
Furnishing
Sophisticated, flexible furnishing allows to change the living room into a bedroom, dining room or exhibition room or even a video studio.
Water
The rain water collected on the Solar Butterfly's roof and wings will be cleaned and purified for drinking.
Energy Storage
The solar energy stored in a battery makes the SolarButterfly an energy autonomous house
Approved
The Solar Butterfly is certified so it can be used in normal road traffic all over the world.
Technical Details of the SolarButterfly
Length: 10 m
Lenght with electric car: 16 m
Width: 2,15 m
Height: 2,85 m
Wingspan: 6,6 m
Weight: 2750 kg
Electric towing vehicle: Tesla Model X 100