A new photovoltaic paste could turn ordinary body panels into solar panels.
It sounds like an idea straight out of a child’s imagination: A car that runs entirely on energy from the sun. As far-fetched as it seems, this isn’t pure fantasy. Mercedes-Benz says it’s developing a solar paint that would allow electric vehicle owners in sunny locations to power their daily driving without ever needing to plug in.
The photovoltaic material starts as a paste and is applied to body panels in a layer that’s thinner than a human hair. Covering every body panel of a mid-size SUV with the material would create 118 square feet of sun-harnessing surface area - generating enough power to get most driver's to and from work on their daily commute.
Mercedes claims their new solar skin could capture enough energy to drive about 12,500 miles a year in sun-soaked Los Angeles. A cloudier city such as Stuttgart, Germany, sees enough sunshine to provide 7,500 miles a year, whilst residents of Beijing could expect around 9,000 miles.
Mercedes isn’t saying exactly what the photovoltaic paste is made, but the good news is that they say that it contains no rare earths, no silicon, and relies on readily available, non-toxic raw materials.
As an advanced research project, it’s too soon to know if this solar paint will make it to production, but the fact that Mercedes is talking about it publicly means there’s some substance behind the concept. So, fingers crossed that the future includes cars powered by free energy.