All the countries across the world are working on the best electric cars that can be taken for long distances in a single charge. However, these cars also have to be charged that needs an electric charging point/station and you cannot use them in an emergency. To deal with this problem, some companies are making solar powered electric cars that can be charged only by sunlight, which means that you will not need to plug them in. This seems to be the technology of the future that companies are working on.
The development of thin-film solar cells and module technology has led to the concept of vehicle-integrated photovoltaics (VIPV), in which solar cells mounted on the vehicle are used to supply power to some of the vehicle’s electronic devices.
The development of thin-film solar cells and module technology has led to the concept of vehicle-integrated photovoltaics (VIPV), in which solar cells mounted on the vehicle are used to supply power to some of the vehicle’s electronic devices.
The trend of solar-paneled vehicles has even gained traction among big-name car manufacturers. For instance, Hyundai offers a version of its Sonata hybrid with integrated solar panels, which we read in more details in this article. Toyota likewise teamed up with solar manufacturer Panasonic to outfit the "Prius Prime" with solar panels.
Today we are going to tell you about two such cars which can be charged with sunlight.
Aptera Motors Corp is the first company that has put its solar powered electric car on the roads, which is named Aptera Paradigm. The biggest feature of Aptera Paradigm is that its speed is very fast according to an electric car and it can accelerate from zero to 100 kmph in just 3.5 seconds and its maximum speed can easily reach 177 kmph. This car has a battery ranging from 25.0 kWh to 100.0 kWh.
Aptera Paradigm can generate power from 134 bhp to 201 bhp in different models. This is a three wheeler electric car whose design looks like a spaceship which is quite unique from all the cars found in the world. Let us tell you that this car gets charged by sunlight because solar panels have been installed on its body.
In 2019, Korean car manufacturer Hyundai had released a new version of its hybrid car, Sonata, with solar panels on the roof that allow for the battery to be recharged even while driving. The company claims that between 30% - 60% of the car's battery can be charged by the solar panels.
The New Sonata Hybrid is equipped with the world’s first Active Shift Control (ASC) technology and solar roof charging system. The solar panels can provide enough energy to "increase drivers’ travel distance by an extra 1,300 km annually.
Hyundai says that the new Sonata is on sale in Korea and will soon be available in North America. However, no plans are currently in place to sell this model in other regions.
A price has yet to be stated for the solar roof-equipped Sonata.
Lightyear is a long range solar electric vehicle designed to be grid independent and to drive anywhere. The manufacturer claims that car consume only 83 Wh/km — two to three times less energy than any other electric vehicle on the market today. This, as per the manufacturer results in an exceptional range of 725 km (WLTP) with the lowest emissions, the lowest charging frequency and 7,000 to 20,000 kilometres of free, effortless and clean solar range every year.
The company five square metres of solar panels you can drive for months without charging.
The Sion's liquid cooled battery has a capacity of 54 kWh, which enables to drive up to 305 kilometers on a single charge – depending on the weather and driving style.
Interestingly, besides being a car Sion can also used as mobile energy storage such as while camping, on the construction site, or simply at home. With Sion's bidirectional charging technology, it can be used to power all common electronic devices with up to 3.7 kW by using any regular household plug.
Today we are going to tell you about two such cars which can be charged with sunlight.
Aptera Paradigm
Aptera Paradigm can generate power from 134 bhp to 201 bhp in different models. This is a three wheeler electric car whose design looks like a spaceship which is quite unique from all the cars found in the world. Let us tell you that this car gets charged by sunlight because solar panels have been installed on its body.
On a single charge, Aptera Paradigm can be driven up to 1000 miles or about 1600 kms. The company has started the pre-order sale for the Aptera Paradigm in which the car was sold out in less than 24 hours.
ALSO READ - 4 Cheapest Electric Cars by Indian Manufacturers
Humble One
Like Aptera Paradigm, California-based start-up company Humble Motors has designed the SUV Humble One and presented it to the world. This car is also solar powered featuring a solar roof, electricity-generating side lights, peer-to-peer charging, regenerative braking and fold-out solar array wings for battery charging. With the help of all this, the battery of the SUV keeps on charging easily.
Considering driving in night when there's no Sun, Humble One could drive up to 500 miles without any sunlight.
Considering driving in night when there's no Sun, Humble One could drive up to 500 miles without any sunlight.
Hundai's Sonata Hybrid
The New Sonata Hybrid is equipped with the world’s first Active Shift Control (ASC) technology and solar roof charging system. The solar panels can provide enough energy to "increase drivers’ travel distance by an extra 1,300 km annually.
Hyundai says that the new Sonata is on sale in Korea and will soon be available in North America. However, no plans are currently in place to sell this model in other regions.
A price has yet to be stated for the solar roof-equipped Sonata.
Lightyear
The company five square metres of solar panels you can drive for months without charging.
Sion
Sion electric car, by Sono Motors, has a range of up to 305 kilometers and charges itself through the power of the sun with the help of 248 solar cells seamlessly integrated into the body of Sion. The Sion can add 112 km on average (up to 245 km) of driving range per week through solar energy to the car’s battery.
The Sion's liquid cooled battery has a capacity of 54 kWh, which enables to drive up to 305 kilometers on a single charge – depending on the weather and driving style.
Interestingly, besides being a car Sion can also used as mobile energy storage such as while camping, on the construction site, or simply at home. With Sion's bidirectional charging technology, it can be used to power all common electronic devices with up to 3.7 kW by using any regular household plug.
Also, for countries like India where right-hand drive cars are operational, the company may potentially manufacture a right-hand drive model in the future depending on demand and the Sion’s success.
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