Planzer and SolarStratos let their pioneering spirit take off
Trucks deliver goods without diesel; planes fly around the globe without kerosene. These forms of mobility are now a reality. Raphaël Domjan, initiator and pilot of SolarStratos, and Nils Planzer, CEO of Planzer, are helping to make this happen. Now the pair are taking their pioneering work to new heights.
‘To the edge of space’ – SolarStratos is an endeavour by the group SolarXplorers SA. Its mission was initiated in 2014 by Swiss eco-explorer Raphaël Domjan and aims to perform the first solar-powered stratospheric flight. Beyond technological innovation, SolarStratos wants to promote renewable energy by demonstrating that concepts and projects that seemed unthinkable until recently are now possible with the technologies available today, some of which are still in their infancy.
Action in Payerne!
At Planzer, we have been successfully competing alongside SolarStratos for years in the race to use and apply sustainable drive technologies and innovative mobility. We captured our commitment to this on film in a spectacular race between the SolarStratos electric plane and a Planzer electric truck. Even the experienced SolarStratos pilot of many years, Raphaël Domjan, who has already pushed the boundaries of technology on many occasions, was visibly impressed by the acceleration and dynamism of our electric truck. What looks like a showdown from a futuristic film is a clear indication of the developments that pioneering spirit has brought about in this area and what might still be possible in the future.
Swiss-made pioneering work
Not only is Switzerland the world leader in the Global Innovation Index 2024, it also puts innovation into practice. Our commitment at Planzer is a good example of this. Innovation is ingrained in our DNA. We follow the principle of openness to technology and are committed to resource-conserving, sustainable drive technologies. For example, we deployed the first electric truck back in 2014. We are also steering highly automated driving ever closer to the present. In September 2024, we launched the ‘Planzer – Dynamic Micro-Hub w LOXO’ pilot project in Bern. In doing so, we want to make distribution in Swiss cities more efficient and sustainable.
SolarStratos also embodies the Swiss pioneering spirit. The name says it all: the solar-powered electric plane will perform stratospheric flights in the future and help reshape the future of aviation. Thanks to its electric drive and ultra-lightweight construction, SolarStratos can reach altitudes that are unattainable for kerosene-powered aircraft because they lack the oxygen needed for combustion. On 12 August 2025, Raphaël Domjan set a new altitude record for solar aircraft, climbing to 9521 metres. A flight at an altitude of 10 km is planned for the future.
