You’ve probably heard about solar panels before, but did you know about solar panel car roofs? Solar panels car roof is becoming more affordable and easier to install. Some manufacturers even offer them as standard features.
But again, some people are hesitant about the proficiency of photovoltaic cells for electric motors. An ideal alternative to fossil fuels should offer good fuel efficiency. So can tapping energy from sunlight be a handful for running cars? Stay with us as we uncover this topic in greater depth.
Why Are Solar-Powered Cars Impractical?
A 3-D Solar Car Concept
Energy and storage efficiency are the primary reasons that make solar-powered cars unfeasible.
Moreover, you should mount this array on a roof facing south and tilted at an angle of approximately 30 degrees. This condition is not easy to achieve on cars.
On average, some of the best residential solar panels produce about 345 watts. Hence, you would need ten of them to power your Nissan Leaf efficiently, assuming you drive 50 miles daily.
Therefore, this is not ideal for car use because ten house solar panels(250 square feet) would not fit on a car roof. Additionally, the surfaces of a car are not always pointed in the right direction. Therefore, it would be hard to generate enough electricity for the average driver.
Solar-Powered Cars Automakers
An electric and solar car charging concept
The impracticalities of solar-powered vehicles have not deterred manufacturers from making these cars. Some of these companies include Sono Motors, Hyundai, and Lightyear. Let’s have a look at them.
Solar Panel Car Roof: Sono Motors
According to Sono, their Sion model can reach a range of 34 km per day when relying solely on its photovoltaic cells. Hence, every kilowatt-hour of stored energy in its battery yields an output of 4.53 miles.
Thus, Sion will typically get a charger of 5.32 kWh(24 miles) per day if you leave it parked, facing north, without shade, on a passable street like one in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
But does anyone use their car in that manner? You’ll only get about half of that range from solar power.
Solar Panel Car Roof: Lightyear One Automotive
According to Lightyear, their Lightyear O model can travel 12 km per hour in direct sunlight. This translates to an average of about 30 miles per day in most locations.
It’s possible to see that much production on a good day thanks to the Lightyear One’s improved efficiency. However, we’re just as dubious of that claim as we are of Sonos.
Solar Panel Car Roof: Hyundai Automotive
A Hyundai Car
Roof-mounted solar cells are a feature of the new Hyundai Sonata hybrid car. The Sonata’s solar panels have a capacity of 204W. It implies that the panels facing the Sun in good sunlight will produce 200Wh of electricity.
According to Hyundai Motor, increasing charging time by 5.8 hours per day results in an annual increase in driving distance of 1,300 km. You’re lucky if you can extend your range by 2.5 miles per day arithmetically.
Solar Roofs: Solar Charging Systems
Conventional Solar Panels
The main elements of such a solar charging system include the following:
- Solar panels
- Battery
- Controller
When the Sun shines onto the surface of solar panels, the PV cells in the panels absorb its energy. It then separates electrons and electron holes, which create electrical charges and a flow of electricity.
Next, the controller will realize a voltage change. At the same time, it gains maximum power point tracking (MPPT). The tracking feature regulates current and voltage to increase energy output from the solar cell and generate DC electricity.
Finally, the controller regulates electric current and voltage reaching the loads, and any excess power flows to the battery.
4 Main Factors to Consider When Selecting a Solar Panel for Your Car Roof
Car with a rack
You might be thinking of getting a solar car roof, but there are several things to contemplate before procuring one.
- First, you have to confirm that your car has a rack. The easiest and most secure way to attach your panel is to bolt the solar panels directly to the frame. Thus, you would need to install the rack before buying the solar panel.
- Secondly, the type of roof material determines the method of installation. For instance, if your roof is rubber, you should use lap sealant and screw-in z brackets. But, a VHB mounting tape method would come in handy for a flat metal roof.
- Furthermore, you must ensure that your roof is strong enough to install a solar panel. Some roofs, especially those of old cars, can be fragile and thus unsafe for solar panel installation.
- Lastly, the shape of your car’s roof matters. If your car has a curved roof, flexible solar panels will come in handy, while rigid flat panels suit flat roofs.
Solar Panels Car Roof Features
A modern car
The roof shape determines the kind of solar panels you should buy. The three top solar panels for car roofs include:
Flexible solar panels
These panels are weightless, frameless, and bendable, which eases fitting them on curved car roofs. They are made of normal solar cells but have a protective plastic film attached. Although these panels are strong and durable, if you don’t fix them well, it can affect their working life.
DIY solar panels
The DIY option is cost-effective and easiest to mount. You can solely mount the panel using adhesive, which helps save the fee you would have used for installation.
Glue solar panel
Your solar installer can use VHB tapes to glue the solar panel to your car roof, which is best on flat roofs. However, note that VHB tapes work perfectly when car roofs are clean, dry, and made of fiberglass or aluminum.
Glue solar panels can endure high temperatures and are waterproof; you can remove them anytime you wish.
Is There a Future for Solar Cars?
We can use solar systems to supplement a car’s energy needs.
Solar cars are not common in the outside automobile world. It is due to the following reasons:
- First, the prohibitive cost of implementing the technology itself.
- Besides, space limitations limit the number of panels you can mount on the car.
- Lastly, we have a limit to the top speed that an exclusively solar-powered car can achieve.
Hence, using photovoltaic panels for transportation has not yet shown to be a viable alternative to fossil fuels. Despite this, it may still be able to supplement other systems.
Doing so could help with things like powering the air conditioner rather than intending to move the car.
Solar-powered cars have no future as per the current technology, but solar panels could be advantageous.
FAQs
- What is the maximum power output for a solar panel car roof?
An average car roof measures 30 to 49 square feet in size. Solar roofs could produce around 0.56KW of power if installed on the entire roof. This amount is too low and cannot even come close to powering an electric vehicle over reasonable miles of range.
- Monocrystalline or Polycrystalline solar panel car roof?
The monocrystalline solar panel structure is more uniform than polycrystalline, hence more efficient. Thus, go for the monocrystalline one. It is easy to fit the flexible solar panel to a rack or glue it.
Summary
We’ve explicitly highlighted all the pertinent aspects of solar panel car roofs. These solar panel vehicles can be a good thing for the environment. However, we’ve also raised the current reservations about solar-powered cars and explained why they’re yet to gain popularity. That’s all for now, and hopefully, you will find this blog helpful.
