Are There Any Electric Cars With Solar Panels?

Last Updated on September 17, 2022 by

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There are many electric cars with solar panels on their to power certain functions of the vehicle. In general, these are low-power solar panels from 200 to 500 watts. The only vehicle than can completely recharge it’s own lithium-ion batteries from solar is the Sion built by Sono Motors; it is covered in solar panels, front, top, back and sides.

Which electric cars have solar roofs?

• SONO SION – full recharge capability
• Fisker Ocean
• VW ID Buzz Cargo
• Lightyear One
• Tesla Cybertruck
• Sunswift Violet
• Solarolla VW Bus
• Stella Era
• Toyota Prius Prime

Even with the pollution from the electricity required to power them, electric cars are currently cleaner to drive than traditional automobiles, however, EVs powered by solar energy are even better. The environmentalists recognize this.

According to a survey, over a third of California’s plug-in car owners have solar panels on their roofs. Some automobiles, such as a high-end Nissan Leaf, feature computer systems that are powered by solar panels on the roof of the vehicle.

Solar-powered car companies

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 was formally unveiled in October 2021. This mid-size CUV (crossover SUV) is entirely electric and features a host of standard and available technologies, featuring solar panels on the top.

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 is the same vehicle that was first displayed as the 45 EV concept at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show. It underwent some design changes to become what it is now

Is There an Electric Car With Solar Panels on the Roof?

Major companies in the world are launching innovative electric cars with solar panels on the roof due to rising environmental issues and increasing government initiatives.

As stated by Hyundai, the Sonata Hybrid’s solar panels have a capability of 204W to be precise- that is, panels facing the sun in good sunlight would create 200Wh of power.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=al1T-vil36I

A 50-amp circuit breaker high-speed home charger can recharge at 9.6 kW, which is over 50 times quicker than the Sonata solar panels baked into the roof. 

Additionally, the Vision EQXX, the latest model in Mercedes-line Benz’s electric vehicles, was unveiled recently. The vehicle’s excellent energy usage of less than 10 kWh per 100 km and a distance of more than 1,000 km makes it the most effective electric car it has ever produced.

Is EQXX a concept car?

The vehicle has a recently developed internal technology that is said to achieve a benchmark performance of 95% from the battery to the wheels. All the cars in the series will have 117 solar cells mounted on the roof beginning in 2024.

The energy produced by the solar panels is stored in a portable lithium-iron-phosphate battery that powers the infotainment system, the lights, the climate blower, and other components.

As per the firm, Mercedes-Benz and its collaborators are working on using solar power to charge the high-voltage system, as well.

Is There a Sports Car With Solar Panels on the Roof?

Supportive regulations and photovoltaic breakthroughs have led automobile manufacturers to launch sports cars with solar panels in the automobile market.

An Australian business called EVX Ventures developed a sports car that only uses solar power.

The vehicle, known as the Immortus, has solar panels covering 7 square meters, or 75 square feet. The car may go an infinite distance at a speed of more than 37 mp/h on sunny days.

But given that it’s a sports vehicle, it can do more. Additionally, the Immortus has a top speed of 93 mp/h and can accelerate from 0 to 62 mp/h in seven seconds.

The solar automobile is also made to be lightweight and aerodynamic. This enables it to move roughly 248 miles (400 km) without using any power.

Hyundai Solar Roof Car

Solar energy is captured and converted into usable power using solar panels, also referred to as photovoltaic solar energy systems.

These panels can be easily sculpted and fashioned into big panels, like the roof of a car, by employing separate silicon photovoltaic cells. The energy advantages can build up when a vehicle is fitted with a big battery.

Which Hyundai Sonata has a solar roof?

The 2020 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid with the Solar Roof can recharge its battery by 60% per day and does so even while it is in motion. The Hyundai Solar Roof can increase the annual range by up to 800 miles with appropriate sunlight.

Our vehicles and SUVs spend the majority of their hours in parking lots and driveways. Our cars are continuously exposed to sunlight, whether at work or home, with much of it being reflected off the bright paint or absorbed into the interior.

Since hybrid and electric vehicles have become more popular, solar vehicle technology has attracted new attention.

An innovative new technology called the Hyundai Solar Roof is intended to passively charge a car’s battery both when it is moving and when it is parked. The Hyundai Solar Roof can extend vehicle mileage and reduce emissions by utilizing the sun’s free energy during the day.

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Which Hyundai Has a Solar Roof?

• One of Hyundai’s most innovative technologies, the Hyundai Solar Roof, is offered on the brand-new 2020 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. In the upcoming years, the Hyundai Solar Roof will also be added to other Hyundai automobiles and SUVs. 

• A 205W solar PV array that instantly charges the Hyundai Sonata hybrid’s battery is included in the most recent model of the vehicle. The PV is expected to increase its range by around 2.5 miles every day. The solar panels’ efficiency is 22.8 percent.

• Hyundai claimed that its solar array technology has effective design benefits over those of other vehicles, such as the Toyota Prius with a solar roof.

• The Prius includes a distinct solar battery that needs to be converted twice to charge both the auxiliary “starter” battery and the voltage spikes driving battery. 

• According to Hyundai, this results in the more effective use of photovoltaic generation.

Other Solar-powered Car Companies

According to the Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), electric cars integrating PV modules on their roof can travel more than 10,000km per year using only solar power.

Moreover, the components could have a potential return of just three to four years. Some solar-powered car companies are – 

Squad Mobility – The vehicle is geared for urban mobility, has a top speed of 45 km/h, and seats two passengers. A variant that can travel at 80 km/h is also offered, depending on demand and local laws.

Dutch startup Light Year – To provide the car with the greatest range feasible, it is composed of sturdy but lightweight materials. According to the manufacturer, this allows the vehicle to have a 725 km range (WLTP).

Light Year claims that its vehicle accelerates from 0-100 in ten seconds and consumes 83 Wh/km (WLTP). When in the sun, the Lightyear One’s solar array increases its range by 12 kilometers per hour.

Sono Motors – This German start-up, makes the hybrid electric vehicle Sion. It recharges itself with solar power.

Its 248 integrated solar cells allow it to drive over short distances entirely independently.

FAQ Relating to Electric Cars With Solar Panels on the Roof

Are There Electric Cars With Solar Panels?

Solar-powered automobiles have gained popularity as a result of the growing interest in sustainable and renewable energy sources, including, of course, electric vehicles. A lot of automakers are attempting to produce solar-powered vehicles.

1) Mercedes-Benz Vision EQXX – 

• The 441-mile-range EQS, a luxury electric vehicle from Mercedes, hit the market in 2022. Since the EQXX achieves a drag coefficient of 0.17 as opposed to the EQS’s 0.20, it claims to go further.

• The 117-cell solar panel roof of Mercedes’s new luxury EV prototype is one of its most notable features- it charges the car’s ancillary systems, extending the vehicle’s range.

2) Fisker Ocean –

•  The Ocean SUV from American electric vehicle manufacturer Fisker offers a solar roof alternative with the Extreme model. Price for the base Ocean model will be $37,499.

• It will have front-wheel drive, a 4002-kilometer (451-mile) range, and 275 horsepower.

Which Electric Cars Have Solar Panels on the Roof?

There is a good chance that many cars will have solar panels. Solar panel car roofs, for example, will become less expensive per unit if more individuals choose to buy these environmentally-friendly vehicles.

Electric vehicles are the way of the future, especially in economically successful places like Florida and Texas. With the development of cutting-edge solar and other renewable energy technology, many companies are launching electric cars that have solar panels on the roof.

For instance:

1) Hyundai Ioniq 5 – 

• With its new IONIQ 5, Hyundai enters the solar-powered movement with a vehicle focused on sustainability and cutting-edge mobility.

• Two different battery sizes and two different drivetrains will be offered for the automobile. A 72.6 kWh battery generates 225 kWh of total power and 605 Nm of torque.

2) Aptera Sol –  

• According to Aptera Motors’ site, the new three-wheeler EV would be powered by solar energy and have a range of up to 1,000 miles on a full charge.

• The solar panel roof array on the two-person vehicle may give up to 45 miles (72 km) of range per day. In park mode, the automobiles charge using their solar panels.

What Cars Have Built-in Solar Panels?

Many start-ups are creating solar cars or hybrid versions of them. This includes Lightyear One, Aptera Motors, Fisker Inc., and Sono Motors. It also includes OEMs like Tesla, Hyundai, and Toyota.

One of the cars having built-in solar panels is Thundertruck. Solar panels in the style of bat wings are one of the striking, futuristic elements of the Thundertruck by Wolfgang Thundertruck, an electric off-roader design.

The 400-mile (640 km) range, 800 lb-ft of torque, and 180 kWh battery of the 800-horsepower Thundertruck EV are impressive.

Do Tesla Cars Have Solar Panels?

In 2020, a research vehicle equipped with Lightyear’s patented solar technology was launched. The business has incorporated a solar roof onto a Tesla Model 3.

This research vehicle numbered 005, is the most recent iteration of several platforms and serves to support Lightyear’s technological and aesthetic decisions.

Tesla is developing cars having solar panels which are expected to launch soon by the company.