Solar cars are still few and poorly assorted. Aptera, Lightyear, They are (also lame), GEM: I don't remember any others. All still show limitations, and all still arouse mistrust.
Yet solar cars could emerge as a sustainable solution for the future of mobility. A recent study analyzed the potential of these vehicles in 100 cities around the world, revealing that they could significantly reduce the need for charging. And a lot, too.
Solar cars: a definition
Electric cars have marked an important step forward in reducing emissions and adopting more sustainable transport solutions. However, the need for frequent charging remains a major challenge for many users. What if there was a way to reduce this need?
Solar cars are vehicles that also use solar energy, captured through photovoltaic panels mounted on the surface of the car. These panels turn sunlight into electricity, which can be used to directly power the vehicle's electric motor or charge the batteries. Unlike traditional petrol or electric cars, solar cars have a limited range, influenced by factors such as weather conditions, solar cell performance and the size of solar panels. Therefore, they are often used for limited purposes, such as short trips or urban travel.
The potential of solar cars in cities
Despite their limited range, solar cars offer numerous advantages. First of all, they do not emit greenhouse gases, thus helping to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. This makes them particularly suitable for use in cities, where air quality is often a concern.
The disadvantages? Of course, there are those too. Due to the efficiency of solar panels and the limited surface area available on a car, it is difficult to provide sufficient energy for long-distance or high-speed driving. Furthermore, vehicle performance can be significantly affected by environmental factors such as cloudy days. Despite this, a new study seems to favor the prospect of their use with flying colors.
Add the sun, you halve the charge
Miguel Centeno Brito, first author of the study (that I link to you here) and researcher at the Instituto Dom Luiz – IDL, at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon, explained the importance of solar cars in urban areas. Cities are the main market for electric vehicles today and, due to the relatively short distances travelled, are particularly attractive for this type of vehicle. In total, the study shows that solar energy provides a range of between 11 and 29 km per day, reducing charging needs by half.
The study also finds that the most favorable locations for solar-powered vehicles are cities in Africa, the Middle East, Southern Europe and Southeast Asia, although the potential is interesting in other geographies, including China , North America and Australia. Losses related to shading in the city are around 25%, and therefore relevant, but not an obstacle to the large-scale diffusion of this solution.
Also for this reason I have no difficulty in believing that in the future the photovoltaic option will be a widespread add-on on all cars, or a rather widespread optional. Whether the contribution of the sun is a lot or a little, if the price allows it, why should we give it up?
