Solar vehicles are electric vehicles that use self-contained solar cells to provide full or partial power to the vehicle via sunlight. Solar vehicles typically contain a rechargeable battery to help regulate and store the energy from the solar cells and from regenerative braking.
Solar vehicles typically contain a rechargeable battery to help regulate and store the energy from the solar cells and from regenerative braking. Some solar cars can be plugged into external power sources to supplement the power of sunlight used to charge their battery.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry examines a solar-powered car built by members of the Tomodachi Initiative youth engagement program in Tokyo, Japan, on 14 April 2013. Solar cars are electric cars that use photovoltaic (PV) cells to convert sunlight into electrical power to charge the car's battery and to power the car's electric motors.
There are limits to using photovoltaic (PV) cells for vehicles: Power density: Power from a solar array is limited by the size of the vehicle and area that can be exposed to sunlight. This can also be overcome by adding a flatbed and connecting it to the car and this gives more area for panels for powering the car.
Solar panels are attached to the surface (generally, the top) of the vehicle. Photovoltaic (PV) cells convert the Sun's energy directly into electrical energy. Powering cars using solar energy has some great benefits: Using solar energy means fossil fuels (which are a limited resource) will be used less. Solar energy is free.
The solar panels use SunPower cells that can deliver 23 per cent efficiency to power a pair of 6kW motors specially built for the car. The battery is a compact 16kWh lithium-ion unit, saving even more weight.