California's Aptera Motors has released details of what they are calling the first prototype automobile that will never require charging. Aptera's “Never Charge” system uses solar panels integrated into the car's body that supply a claimed 40 miles of driving per day and up to 11,000 miles per year with no impact on performance.
Can a car be charged with solar energy?
While the car can be fully charged via a charging station or cord, when drivers are out on the road during daytime, solar energy from the sun will keep the vehicle topped up. This solar technology is designed to store enough sunlight to enable the car to travel over 11,000 miles per year in most regions.
US startup Aptera has developed a solar and electric vehicle with a range of up to 1,000 miles on a full battery, which it claims most drivers won't need to charge.
Aptera's solar/electric car, the Aptera EV, has a solar roof array that allows for 40 miles of driving without charging. It is also claimed to have a long-range capability of 1000 miles.
Aptera has been promising a long-range solar/electric car for a while now. Next year, you might be able to buy an electric car that doesn't need to be plugged in, as Aptera's model claims to generate 40 miles of range per day through solar panels.
Can solar panels be used on a car?
The integrated solar panels, of course, would continue to charge the batteries continuously as long as it's in the sun. To put that in perspective, the Tesla Model S Long Range, equipped with a 100 kWh battery pack, has an estimated range of 405 miles. Toyota's Prius offered solar panels on its vehicles in the past.
How many solar cells do you need to charge an Aptera?
For instance, if you were located in Britain and drove an average of 25 miles per day, you would need to charge the Aptera vehicle via an electrical cord an estimated 1.46 times per year. A total of 180 solar cells are integrated into the structure of the car body, and can be configured to provide up to 45 miles of range per day.