Instead of relying solely on charging stations or placing a solar panel atop its cars, Mercedes-Benz is now looking towards a new innovation which it calls the 'solar paint' which will no longer need additional components for its cars. This is because their idea behind the electric vehicle's paint job would be enough to offer its EVs the charge it needs as these alone have solar cells.
This new and intuitive idea from the German car manufacturer can help forego the need for solar panels to be built on top or all around the vehicle, and it will be active in generating power from the Sun.
Mercedes-Benz 'Solar Paint' Can Charge EVs Without Add-Ons
While other automakers are looking to integrate solar panels to charge vehicles and avoid adding weight to cars, Mercedes-Benz recently announced that it is planning a more futuristic approach to this with its 'solar paint.' The company revealed that it is currently researching and studying "a new type of solar modules" that it can integrate into its electric vehicle's bodies for EV charging.
The German luxury brand is planning for this layer to only be 5 micrometers thin, centering on an "active photovoltaic surface" that can be applied to any substrate, with a high-efficiency rate of 20 percent.
According to Mercedes-Benz, a mid-size SUV will require an area of 118.4 square feet of its new paste-like solar module which can power an electric vehicle for up to 7,456 miles per year, depending on ideal conditions.
More Than Just a Paint Job for Mercedes-Benz
The company also touts that its 'solar paint' will have no rare earth metals or silicon, and will be based on "non-toxic, readily available raw materials" that are cheaper to produce and also, easily recyclable.
This new focus by Mercedes-Benz would be applied to its electric vehicles and it is "permanently active" despite the car being turned off. The solar paint would feed the gathered energy to its high-voltage battery, with its surplus energy to also help power homes via bidirectional charging.
Solar Charging for Electric Vehicles
One of the most popular ways to charge an electric vehicle through solar power is via home-based charging ecosystems that could help draw power from the giant star and use it for replenishing the batteries of cars. The likes of General Motors, Tesla, and more have tapped into this solution by leveraging their home energy systems, with Elon Musk's company using 'surplus' solar energy for charging.
The many years of electric vehicle innovations also saw different companies looking to deliver solar charging EVs to the market that can offer "unlimited" power to customers using panels built atop cars. The Dutch company Lightyear and its 'One' EV model previously featured five solar panels for continued charging, while Colorado-native Campworks and the NS-1 EV come with panels for EV charging and use for other needs.
Innovations are still pouring in from different companies to deliver the latest ways to charge electric vehicles other than plugging them from stations or home-based systems and maximize more of power-saving capabilities. Mercedes-Benz has a massive plan to take advantage of its car's body with the 'solar paint' in harnessing the Sun's energy and use it forpowering its batteries, coming for its future EVs.
