EVs with solar panel roofs?

Reed_Richards

So why not?  Obviously the type that you put on your house roof would not do but how about something flexible or moulded to the correct shape?  At a pinch you might get enough to generate 1 kW of power in full sun.  But that's not insignificant if you leave your car parked in the sun all day.  Okay, it adds cost but EVs are pretty darn expensive anyway so the percentage price increase might not be so great.  And if you ran out of charge you might be able to recharge enough to limp off to the nearest charger?  I can't be the first person to think of this, so why hasn't it happened - yet.  

amanda1024

Reed_Richards said:

So why not?  Obviously the type that you put on your house roof would not do but how about something flexible or moulded to the correct shape?  At a pinch you might get enough to generate 1 kW of power in full sun.  But that's not insignificant if you leave your car parked in the sun all day.  Okay, it adds cost but EVs are pretty darn expensive anyway so the percentage price increase might not be so great.  And if you ran out of charge you might be able to recharge enough to limp off to the nearest charger?  I can't be the first person to think of this, so why hasn't it happened - yet.  

Purpose-built solar vehicles do exist, but aren’t commercially viable yet

Veteransaver

Because there isn't really the panel area to make it worthwhile. 1kWh of power will only get you 3-5 miles so the payback period is probably quite long.
Mind you solar panels are getting ridiculously cheap so it might be something that is fitted in future. But really you'd want bonnet covered in panels too. The other issue is that running the electronics necessary to charge the battery also consumes power maybe 100-200W 
I'm sure there have been cars speculated to include them where you may in sunny conditions add a few miles of charge a day.
It's far more cost effective to have solar panels that are producing power whenever possible and putting energy back into the grid, a vehicle won't do that and once it is charged up there is nowhere for the power to go.

sevenhills

Reed_Richards said:

So why not?  Obviously the type that you put on your house roof would not do but how about something flexible or moulded to the correct shape?  At a pinch you might get enough to generate 1 kW of power in full sun.  But that's not insignificant if you leave your car parked in the sun all day.  Okay, it adds cost but EVs are pretty darn expensive anyway so the percentage price increase might not be so great.  And if you ran out of charge you might be able to recharge enough to limp off to the nearest charger?  I can't be the first person to think of this, so why hasn't it happened - yet.  

A garage roof is bigger, it should be mandatory for new garages?

Screwdriva

They exist on the new Prius Plug In and a few Chinese EVs. 

Magnitio

Hyundai, Toyota, Fisker and some small volume manufacturers like Aptera all sell cars with solar roofs. Great in somewhere like California, but unlikely to ever pay for themselves in UK until the costs significantly reduce.

Reed_Richards

Better in somewhere like California, although perhaps there you use all that extra solar power just to run your air conditioning? 

I know 3 to 4 miles per kWh doesn't seem a lot but 20 miles to work and back with 8 hours in the car park in full sun and you don't have to plug in your car at all.  And 100 miles per week (5-day working week) still amounts to a significant annual mileage.    

gefnew

They have in Germany.
Solar on Every Vehicle | Sono Motors

Martyn1981

gefnew said:

They have in Germany.
Solar on Every Vehicle | Sono Motors

Thanks, I was going to mention Sono, I've followed them and their Sion car since 2017, and semi-joked with Wifey that we might get one to replace our 28kWh IONIQ.

However, Sono have stopped their development of the car, and are instead focusing on the tech they developed for the panel integrated PV, for applications on larger vehicles like trucks and buses.

The problem with car size PV, is the extra cost, v's the savings, which doesn't seem to add up, yet ..... but must be getting better/closer.

Reed_Richards

Thank you to everyone who commented.  I knew I could not be the first person who had thought of this idea and I'm glad to see that it is used somewhere, with perhaps greater use to follow.

Martyn1981

Reed_Richards said:

Thank you to everyone who commented.  I knew I could not be the first person who had thought of this idea and I'm glad to see that it is used somewhere, with perhaps greater use to follow.

And not just EV's. Some diesel buses/coaches have had PV panels and batts fitted to reduce the leccy demand on the diesel engine*. Not just aircon and internal lights, but buses consume energy running their satnav and management, plus the ticket/passes machines.

I think that the diesel engine (total efficiency 30%ish) for generating leccy is around 10%, so the PV generation has a disproportionately large impact on fuel savings (5-10%) despite not being for motive power, in this instance.

*I'm sure I've seen both UK and German news on this. I mention that as the PV gen is similar (similarly poor), but appears viable, so in sunnier climes it just gets better.


Edit - should also mention ICE campers, as they all seem to have a panel or two now on the roof. Friends/neigbours up the road have an old camper, and they fitted the panels onto a tiltable frame. So when they need to top the batt(s) up before a trip, I see the panels sticking up, perhaps 50d and SE facing.