Solar Panel

DETROIT – With the increasing number of people buying electric vehicles very year, many have wondered whether they can pair them with another ground-breaking, eco-friendly technology – solar panels.

For a long time, it was impossible to run an EV entirely on solar power, but things may soon change as many companies are introducing vehicles with solar power systems.

In November, Toyota announced its next-generation Prius, which includes an option for a solar roof that can charge its battery. While earlier models could power the air conditioner, the new model's solar panels could charge the battery while the car was parked. While it doesn't generate a lot of power, it's enough to last a few miles, and it's free.

Toyota isn't the only company rethinking its electric vehicles. In 2022, Sono Motors announced a five-seater car named Sion that is completely covered with solar technology that charges the car's small battery from any angle. Although the car was discontinued and the concept put up for sale earlier this year, the company claimed that, with solar power, the car could increase its range to 150 miles per week under ideal conditions.

"So this car gives you 5,700 miles for free per year… free at no cost because it comes from the Sun. That's about 15 miles per day, which is perfect for commuters," Sono Motors co-CEO and co-founder Lauryn Hahn told CNBC in 2022.

Join our newsletter with great news, green hacks and the latest cool clean tech — delivered straight to your inbox every week!

The Lightyear 0 is trying to reinvent electric vehicles by producing cars with five square meters (about 54 square feet) of solar panels integrated on the top and hood. This solar technology could generate up to an estimated 11,000 km (about 6,800 mi) of range per year.

To read more, click on Biz Crest

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

Notify me of new posts by email.

Δ