AbleGuy
Officious Intermeddler
If this new technology truly works, as promised, this could be part of the solution to range anxiety.
Having this coating on your rig could help somewhat with battery charging and range.
But to really work well enough for overlanding it would have to be greatly improved in output or coupled with something else like flexible solar panels on the roof of your rig.
Still, the concept holds promised and is something to keep an eye on.
“Electric vehicle charging and infrastructure are two major obstacles to EV adoption on a mass scale, but Mercedes-Benz may have a solution in the form of solar paint. In an effort to increase efficiency, the German automaker has created a new solar coating that could cover future electric models. Mercedes-Benz’s solar coating could revolutionize EV charging, making it more convenient to own an EV or PHEV.”
Mercedes-Benz’s solar coating can cover the entire body of the car as opposed to just the roof or sides. The coating weighs in at just 50 grams per square meter and measures just five micrometers thick. It can also be applied to any surface, including panel creases and curved fenders.
According to Mercedes engineers, the solar paint currently operates at 20% efficiency, the same efficiency as the solar cells that are currently used on vehicles. In addition to being more flexible than solar panels, solar paint is always active and can charge an EV battery at all times, provided there’s sunlight.
Currently, it could generate enough energy to add 34 miles to an EV per day in sunny areas.”
🤔 maybe with the larger surface area of a big sprinter van, you could perhaps double or triple the increase in this additional range. That extra mileage might be enough to make you feel safe that when you hit the point where you need to turn around because the batteries are going low, that extra charge that’s been added. Will be enough to get you back home.
Having this coating on your rig could help somewhat with battery charging and range.
But to really work well enough for overlanding it would have to be greatly improved in output or coupled with something else like flexible solar panels on the roof of your rig.
Still, the concept holds promised and is something to keep an eye on.
“Electric vehicle charging and infrastructure are two major obstacles to EV adoption on a mass scale, but Mercedes-Benz may have a solution in the form of solar paint. In an effort to increase efficiency, the German automaker has created a new solar coating that could cover future electric models. Mercedes-Benz’s solar coating could revolutionize EV charging, making it more convenient to own an EV or PHEV.”
Mercedes-Benz’s solar coating can cover the entire body of the car as opposed to just the roof or sides. The coating weighs in at just 50 grams per square meter and measures just five micrometers thick. It can also be applied to any surface, including panel creases and curved fenders.
According to Mercedes engineers, the solar paint currently operates at 20% efficiency, the same efficiency as the solar cells that are currently used on vehicles. In addition to being more flexible than solar panels, solar paint is always active and can charge an EV battery at all times, provided there’s sunlight.
Currently, it could generate enough energy to add 34 miles to an EV per day in sunny areas.”
🤔 maybe with the larger surface area of a big sprinter van, you could perhaps double or triple the increase in this additional range. That extra mileage might be enough to make you feel safe that when you hit the point where you need to turn around because the batteries are going low, that extra charge that’s been added. Will be enough to get you back home.
