How is solar energy used in the automotive industry?

The fuel crisis in the world is not far off. Not so long ago, data were voiced that if the current rate of oil production in Russia is maintained, it will last for 30 years. That is, stocks are melting every day, and consumption is growing. Besides, there is another problem. From a large number vehicles emit a lot of exhaust gases into the atmosphere every day. harmful substances. These problems need to be addressed. And in soon. Some experts see a way out in the creation of electric vehicles powered by solar energy. Indeed, this is not a fantastic story, but real developments. Of course, the release of production models is still far away, but there are already working samples, including racing cars.

For the first time, photovoltaic panels on the roof of a car were tried to be installed quite a long time ago. In our time, full-fledged cars have appeared that are driven solely by solar energy. And these cars are not made in a single copy by enthusiasts, but in the production shops of large automobile corporations.

In the middle of the last century, General Motors introduced a model with an electric motor that runs on solar energy. The length of the car was no more than half a meter. 10 solar panels were fixed on the roof.

The car was designed by William Cobb, an engineer at GM. These studies were funded automotive giant hoping for a breakthrough. But then the research was curtailed due to low profitability, and returned to them only after a few decades.

They returned to the development of solar-powered cars in the nineties of the last century. At this time, the efficiency of photocells reached 15 percent. This served as a powerful impetus to the development of solar energy. Many large corporations have joined the development of electric vehicles. Not so long ago, there were reports that specialists from Spektrolab managed to get solar panels with an efficiency above 30%. But serial samples with such efficiency are not yet produced.

Pros and cons of solar cars

So, let's sum up the pros and cons of solar-powered cars.

pros

• Solar energy is free;
• No network of gas stations required;
• Photocells have a long service life (up to 30 years);
• Not emissions but the atmosphere;
• The use of such vehicles stimulates the development advanced technologies in related areas.

Minuses

• Low efficiency of photovoltaic panels (maximum 12-15%);
• The high cost of solar panels;
• The efficiency of power generation depends on the time of day and the weather;
• It is necessary to carry out the accumulation of energy from batteries.

Examples of solar electric vehicles

Astrolab

The release of this electric car is carried out by specialists from Venturi. The maximum speed that the car develops is 120 kilometers per hour. Mileage up to 110 kilometers. Photovoltaic cells with a total area of ​​3.6 square meters are fixed on the car. The cost of this miracle is more than 90 thousand euros.

As the designers say, they managed to achieve such parameters thanks to the improved car body. Astrolab is like racing cars. Inner part The car is made in the form of a carbon monocoque to protect the driver and passenger. Astrolab was designed by Sasha Lakik. He himself calls this electric car, like a wing on wheels.

Eclectic

Ecletic is another solar car from Venturi. The engine power of this car is 22 horsepower. By comparison, other solar-powered cars average one horsepower per two square meters of panels. Ecletic only runs on solar energy.

The designers claim that their creation runs at a speed of 50 kilometers per hour up to fifty kilometers. And one more interesting nuance of Ecletic. The machine can travel up to 15 kilometers on wind power. If the weather is bad outside, then the car is charged from the electrical network in about 5 hours.

• The price mercilessly killed demand
• Light at the end of the tunnel
• Toys for the rich
• Inexpensive technology that can be used now

"Everything new is well forgotten old"

Automotive history is long and quite funny. The first cars appeared more than a century ago. It is noteworthy that the first samples worked exclusively on steam or electricity. At the behest of cunning oil tycoons, the car received diesel engine. Environmentally friendly transport was moved to the rear positions and almost forgotten. However Now, we are increasingly hearing about a car on solar batteries, therefore, history tends to repeat itself.

This course of events took place until 1955, when a compact car with solar panels was presented to the American public at an exhibition organized by GM. Despite the tempting appearance and the possibility remote control, the novelty did not receive the expected fame. The ingenious development of William Cobb was soon forgotten, and the project itself was closed due to cuts in funding.

Almost three decades later, in 1982, the Australians took over. Inventor Hans Tolstrup traveled the entire continent in his car called "Quiet Achiever". However, even in the era of technological progress, the speed of a solar-powered car did not exceed 20 km / h. Soon, this idea was picked up by enthusiastic engineers from all over the world. And the very next year, the first International Rally was held with the participation of a car designed on solar batteries. Subsequently, cars using solar energy became more and more powerful, and already in 1996, the Dream electric car reached 135 km / h.

The price mercilessly killed demand

It would not be superfluous to say that until the beginning of the 21st century, the cost of electric cars scared away even consumers with above-average incomes. The main disadvantage of a solar-powered car was the inability to overcome significant distances. The battery capacity, even in the most progressive cars, was too small. In the US, for example, those few electric car stations only started to appear in the middle of the last decade. Given the high cost of cutting-edge electric car parts, even the thought of a possible breakdown made fans of environmentally friendly technologies tremble.

Over time, namely from the second half of the 2000s, the world's leading automotive manufacturers decided to curb this untapped market and took up the development of prototypes Vehicle working on solar energy . As a result, thanks to a professional approach and solid investments, the batteries have become many times more powerful, the solar panels are more compact, and the cars themselves are cheaper.

As before, the Japanese were ahead of the rest. Already now on the streets of Tokyo you can meet not only hybrid cars, but also "Honda" with "Toyota", "feeding" on the energy of the Sun. Interestingly, every year, electric cars are becoming more affordable, and lithium-ion batteries are becoming more and more capacious. This makes it possible for middle-income buyers to "boast" to their neighbors.

To date, average price for a car using solar panels is 25,000 "green".

"Let there always be the Sun ..." and good efficiency

Do you remember this children's song that many people used to sing to as kids? It, as well as possible, is suitable for the current situation regarding cars equipped with solar panels. The aforementioned electric car rallies are held in Australia, where the weather is sunny almost all year round. As sad as it may be, let's face the truth. In rainy weather and empty batteries, the car can simply stall on the highway.

The efforts of engineers, physicists and mechanics have not yet been crowned with significant success. The efficiency that they give out solar panels in cars never exceeded 15%. At the same time, the gasoline engine of the infamous "six", easily gives out 45%. Well, all car enthusiasts will have to wait a little longer to be able to buy a "green" car with competitive characteristics.

In cheaper options, a solar-powered electric car has very low power - 1-2 horsepower. And then, this is only if the solar panels occupy at least 2 square meters. It doesn't affect speed too much. With good road surface and long acceleration, some car models solar-powered can reach 100 km/h.

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Light at the end of the tunnel

Be that as it may, but thanks to the painstaking work of enthusiastic engineers and groups of student inventors who believe in the bright future of a “solar” car using solar energy, more and more functioning samples of "environmentally friendly" auto. Even looking at the Australian International Rally, one can conclude that a bright future without exhaust gases is already "not far off".

A great example is the French automotive company Venturi, which has prototyped the Astrolab and Ecletic. As it became known, these electric cars have not only powerful batteries charged both from solar panels and from a power outlet, but also wind generators. In the near future, the serial production of these cars should begin, unless, of course, this ingenious startup "goes out", like many previous ones. Like it or not, but one gets the impression that someone simply does not want to give the green light to the mass introduction of this technology. But let's digress from bad thoughts and take a closer look at these miracles of technology.

Automobile Ecletic is capable of delivering speeds of 50 km / h for 50 kilometers, which is already an excellent indicator for a "sunny" car. Power is 22 horses, which is also a lot. The cunning French, focusing not only on the inhabitants of sunny Australia and Africa, equipped the model with a connector, thanks to which the car battery can be charged through a socket. According to preliminary data, recharging an Ecletic car should not take more than five hours. Well, this is just the way to go for Europeans who are used to cloudy weather, winds and rains. Venturi engineers decided not to stop and use even the wind, equipping an electric car with solar panels with a wind generator, giving the car's battery an additional 15 kilometers.

No matter how tempting Ecletic is, it will easily surpass another development from the French company - electric car Astrolab. This is a car already able to drive a good 110 kilometers, and the torque makes it possible accelerate on straight sections up to 120 km / h. The rest of the characteristics remain the same as for Ecletic.

Toys for the rich

Naturally, solar-powered electric cars with lithium-ion batteries still cannot be considered a worthy alternative to gasoline cars. Too few electric stations, too meager characteristics too high price...

Companies implementing this technology cannot reduce the cost of 20-25 thousand euros for an electric car operating on solar batteries. Too much mental work and resources are expended during construction. Therefore, such original novelties as Astrolab and Ecletic are still expensive toys in the hands of wealthy fighters for clean air.

The only good news is that science does not stand still, and today, perhaps, there is another technological breakthrough, which will be followed by full change gasoline engines to solar. Wait and see. In the meantime, let's digress and look at the table with the concepts of electric vehicles using solar energy, mass production which may start in the near future.

Name	Developer country	Year of development	The distance that the car can cover	Max Speed	efficiency	Price
Stella	Holland	2013	600 km	110 km/h	-	-
Trev	Australia	2008	150 km	150 km/h	-	-
Solar World GT	Switzerland	2014	-	275 km/h	-	-
Tokai Challenger 2	Japan	2010	-	160 km/h	22%	-
Solat Taxi	Japan	2007	350 km	90 km/h	-	-
Venturi Astrolab	France	2013	110 km	120 km/h	15%	90000 euros

A solar car is not a new idea, but it has not been fully implemented due to objective features. This and low power solar-powered cars, and with the efficiency of solar charging for a car, there were certain problems that almost the whole world tried to solve. And after all, it cannot be said that everything is in vain - dynamics, especially in last years, only pleases. It is quite possible that it is the solar car that will replace modern electric cars.

Solar car - development through racing

The idea of ​​a solar-powered car was seriously approached only in the second half of the last century (they experimented with might and main even in the USSR - at the RAF plant, with a minibus model 2203), and 1982 should be recognized as the date of birth of a more or less full-fledged solar car.

It was then that the Dane Hans Tolstrup - an inventor, entrepreneur and traveler - made a three thousand-kilometer raid through Australia on a Quiet Achiever prototype, developing an average speed of just over 20 km / h. The principle is simple: photocells, converting light energy into electrical energy, charge the batteries, which, with the help of an electric motor, set the wheels in motion. Naturally, solar charging for a car is constant and continuous until clouds appear or it starts to rain.

And then Tolstrup decided to develop this promising direction and established the World Solar Challenge - the first solar car race. Australia, where the sun shines almost 300 days a year. Those who wished responded quickly, in 1987 the first rally took place, and then every two years (the process of developing and producing a new prototype is not the fastest), more and more daredevils came to the Green Continent.

Already in 1996, the average speed of the winning crew approached the mark of 100 km / h, and the “maximum speed” was 135 km / h. Then it only got better.

Solar car - Indian practicality and Dutch functionality

In terms of favorable weather, India may well argue with Australia. University students in Manipal, with the help of the Tata concern, designed an interesting concept car. Their solar car is a fiberglass body on a tubular frame, equipped with a mass of about 600 kg, capable of driving one and a half hundred kilometers at a maximum speed of 60 km/h.

The power supply and control system is based on the Raspberry Pi microcomputer. Moreover, the main task facing the Indians was the possibility of commercial use of this solar-powered car! Not speed, power or comfort, no - it's more of an attempt to replace cycle rickshaws for the foreseeable future.

But in Holland they built a solar car with a radically opposite philosophy. A student team from Eindhoven took on the Stella project - family car, reminiscent of a very understated minibus in design. They tried to make the car as light as possible (only 375 kilograms!), as aerodynamic and comfortable as possible.

The first generation of this solar car without any problems won the World Solar Challenge in the Cruiser class (as close as possible to real cars), the second - Stella Lux - is being prepared for the rally in October 2015.

So it promises to become a stepping stone on the way to mass production of solar cars: on a single charge - 1,100 kilometers, maximum speed limited at around 125 km / h. Signature feature: the built-in navigation system also automatically selects the most optimal route based on the weather forecast.

Solar car - English cunning and German adventurism

Your building ambitions cool car the British also had solar panels. But they were predominantly sports and competitive in nature. Students from Cambridge were able to design at the same time the most aerodynamic car, and at the same time made the solar panels adaptive - so that not one photon of energy was wasted! The car can travel 140 km / h - and also serves as more of a prototype for future serial development.

Naturally, in the topic of developing a solar-powered car, Germany could not stand aside. German students from Bochum in 2012 swung at once trip around the world nearly thirty thousand kilometers long (!) on a miniature two-door coupe SolarWorld GT - weighing only 260 kilograms!

The maximum speed is 120 km / h, the cruising range without recharging is 400 kilometers, with recharging - three times as much. The car turned out to be pretty, although the guys had a hard time on the roads of Russia and Ukraine - they had to arrange a pit stop and change the wheel. Although there is a blessing in disguise: additional solar charging for the car will never be superfluous.

Solar car - Australian respectability

But in Australia they decided not to waste time in vain and immediately swung to create not a simple car solar-powered, but the most natural sporcoupe! The Immortus project from EVX Ventures is a futuristic design, two electric motors and acceleration from zero to hundreds in seven seconds! The maximum speed is limited at around 150 km / h, without the dynamics of electric motors, the car is capable of city rides at a speed of 60 km / h, and this is perhaps the ideal operating option for relaxed Australians.

And here is another Australian project - Sunswift eVe - so far only a prototype. But not simple, but a record-breaking prototype: students from New South Wales created a car for half a million dollars that can travel 500 kilometers on a single charge with average speed more than 100 km / h - and although the maximum speed is slightly inferior to the Immortus project, the second "Australian" was also planned to be launched into small-scale production. Apparently there is a demand.

Solar car - far or near future

The major automakers, having received a sensitive flick on the nose, are likely preparing a retaliatory strike with the release of Tesla. And a solar car may well become one.

For example, Ford has already tried to put photocells on the roof of the C-Max minivan, and the resulting concept looked decent enough. Well, small manufacturers have a chance to repeat the success of Elon Musk and his electric car. What is needed for this? Innovation, innovation and more innovation.

New light and strong polymer materials for the body and possibly wheels, as well as more efficient photocells and electric motors. Pleasant and pleasing to the eye design and functionality comparable to good C-class- that's the key to success.

Take it, tell your friends!

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In the last decade, such an inexhaustible source of energy as sunlight has increasingly attracted the attention of the world community. The use of solar energy for traffic is a promising direction in the development of transport technologies.
The group of solar transport includes all terrestrial, water and aerial views vehicles that use solar energy to move. Such machines are usually equipped with solar panels, the solar cells of which convert visible sunlight, infrared and ultraviolet radiation into

electrical energy, which is subsequently used to power their electric motors.

Despite the fact that the use of solar panels as energy elements of vehicles is quite promising, there are a group of factors that negatively affect the speed of development and implementation of solar technologies in the global infrastructure. While the use of solar panels provides high efficiency operation of electric vehicles in clear, sunny weather, in the evening and at night, as well as on days of gloomy weather, the use of these photovoltaic cells is completely impractical. From this, most modern species electric transport it is more expedient to use solar panels exclusively as additional elements power supply for electric motors, along with standard batteries.

While sunlight is free to use, solar panels are quite expensive to make. In addition, 90 percent of solar panels are made from silicon, making them environmentally unsustainable. This factor is one of the main reasons for the slowdown in the rapid development of solar transport technologies in the world.

The service life of solar modules is about 30 years. Manufacturers of traditional solar panels typically provide a 10-year warranty on their products. However, the problem with the effective use of these elements in electric vehicles is that most of the photovoltaic panels are designed for stationary installation, and are not able to withstand vibrations. In addition, solar panels are quite large and significantly increase the weight of the vehicle structure.

The efficiency of most solar cells is 10%, and only a few - 15%. Therefore, solar cars will be able to compete with petrol cars only after the release of more advanced and less expensive solar panels with an efficiency of at least 50%.

The working principle of solar cells used in solar vehicles is to produce direct current when sunlight hits their silicon wafers. When constructing an array of solar cells, dozens of such wafers are used, since a single silicon wafer is not capable of producing significant currents. It is logical that the total power of solar cells depends on the total number of silicon wafers used in it and the surface area they create. The performance of solar panels directly depends on the intensity of solar radiation and the angle of placement of solar modules.

The electrical energy produced by solar panels is stored in daytime in additional batteries installed in the vehicle, and subsequently used to move it.
The use of photovoltaic cells can significantly increase the range of electric vehicles without recharging it. traction batteries from the mains.

Types of solar vehicles

Solar cars (solar-powered electric vehicles)

Solar cars use photovoltaic cells to convert solar energy into electricity, which then powers an electric motor. As a rule, solar cars move thanks to sunlight during the day, and at night they use the energy of standard batteries.

The design of solar cars is different from the traditional one. Almost their entire outer body is covered with solar panels. Since solar panels are quite large, manufacturers of these vehicles are doing their best to improve aerodynamics and reduce total weight solar cars. Most practical models of solar cars are designed to carry one or two passengers.

The first model of a solar car, designed by William Koob, was presented at international exhibition in Chicago in 1955. The creator of this vehicle assured everyone that a bright future awaits solar cars, and soon all the world's highways will be saturated with them. It seemed that Koob would be right, but for some reason everything did not turn out as expected ... Funding for the development of solar cars was closed under the influence of the large automotive company Ford. And only in the 80s, when the world community was really worried about the state of the environment, the idea of ​​producing solar cars returned again.

The first serial solar car Venturi Astrolab was released in 2006. The model was equipped with an asynchronous electric motor with a power of 16 kW and a torque of 50 Nm, a 7 kWh nickel-metal hybrid battery and a 600 W panel solar battery.

Solar panels

As discussed earlier, solar panels can be made up of dozens of photovoltaic cells capable of converting sunlight into electricity. Modules are formed from individual photocells, when placed together, an array of solar panels is formed. Large arrays of solar panels are capable of producing more than 2kW of electricity.

The placement of solar panels in solar cars can be:

• horizontal. This is the most common type of arrangement of solar panels in solar vehicles. As a rule, they are integrated in these vehicles in the form of a free canopy.
• vertical. Such an arrangement of an array of photovoltaic cells is much less common than a horizontal one. Usually, the placement of such a plan is characteristic of vehicles that, in addition to solar energy, use wind energy to ensure their work.
• with adjustable tilt.
• integrated over the entire outer surface of the vehicle. In some types of vehicles, manufacturers cover every centimeter of the outer hull structure with photovoltaic cells, with some photovoltaic cells always in the sun and others in the shade.
• remote

A typical solar car can travel about 400 km on the energy generated during the day by a solar panel. The fastest solar car is the Sunswift IV, which was developed by a group of students from the University of New South Wales. This solar car is capable of accelerating up to 88.8 km/h. The record speed of the Sunswift IV project was recorded and entered into the Guinness Book of Records on January 7, 2011, and the student-creators themselves were awarded a certificate confirming the uniqueness of their development. The power of the solar panel installed on the car was 1200 W, which is equal to the power consumption conventional hair dryer for drying hair.

The Sunswift IV solar car broke the speed record car mounted sunraycer General motors.

solar buses

Solar buses are electric buses whose engines are largely powered by solar panels mounted on the roof. The use of solar panels in buses reduces energy consumption and extends the life cycle of their traction batteries.

Solar buses have nothing to do with regular buses in which solar cells are used to provide additional power to transport accessories (heating, air conditioning, etc.). Such additional equipment buses are by far the most common.

Solar bikes and motorcycles

Few people know that the first vehicles to be equipped with solar cells were electric bicycles, with most of the developments using tricycle bicycle designs. Solar photocells were installed in these vehicles in the form of a hinged, rather large roof, a small panel in the rear, luggage part, in a trailer attached to a tricycle, or along the entire outer surface of a streamlined roof (the latter configuration is typical only for closed models). A little later, a model of a solar bicycle was created with a portable folding solar panel, with which it was possible to charge traction batteries during parking.

Solar bikes are hybrids electrical models, they use solar panel cells along with traditional bicycle electrical equipment. Solar batteries, which convert the light flux into electricity, provide recharging of traction batteries both while driving and at parking lots. A similar solar charging system is also used in solar motorcycles.

The first fully solar bike, capable of moving solely due to the sun's rays, was developed in 2006 by Canadian Peter Sandler. The invention is called E-V Sunny Bicycle. In this model, solar panels were integrated into the wheels. The energy generated by solar panels allowed the bike to accelerate to 30 km / h.

The use of solar cells in railway, water transport

A number of countries are currently in the practice of installing solar array systems along certain electrified sections. railway. The solar-powered tunnels provide power to the trains that rush by, even at super speeds. Such solar installations are capable of producing thousands of megawatt-hours of electricity. A similar solar tunnel 3.4 km long is successfully operating, for example, between Paris and Amsterdam.

The trains themselves are also supplied with solar panels. A striking example is the locomotive in India called the "Queen of the Himalayas" between Kalka and Shimla stations. This train is equipped with 100 W solar panels, allowing it to travel on a single charge for about two days.

Until recently, solar boats were limited to rivers and canals, but in 2007, the Sun 21 solar boat made its first experimental long-range voyage. She crossed the Atlantic Ocean in just 29 days, thanks to which she got into the Guinness Book of Records for making the world's fastest transatlantic crossing, only thanks to solar energy. The solar boat was equipped with solar panels, the energy of which made it possible to move at a stable speed of 10-12 km / h around the clock.

In May 2012, the round-the-world trip of the solar boat Turanor PlanetSolar was completed. The solar ship, 30 meters long and 15.2 meters wide, left the port of Monaco in September 2010. This is the first circumnavigation of the world powered entirely by solar power. The Turanor PlanetSolar is the largest watercraft ever built.

Air vehicles

Engineers all over the world are working on the creation of air vehicles equipped with solar panels. Today in the sunshine air transport solar and hybrid airships are the most common.
Of particular interest is the development of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Solar power could allow them to stay in the air even for several months. Such air vehicles could solve some tasks similar to satellite ones.

The first successful experimental 48 hour solar drone flight was completed in September 2007.

In 2010, a solar plane made a 26-hour test flight in Switzerland that began at 7 am on July 8 and ended at 9 am the next day. The plane first rose to an altitude of about 8500 meters, and during the evening descended to a height of 1500 meters, where it remained all night. Just 15 days later, on July 23, 2010, the British defense company QinetiQ organized an experimental flight of its Zephyr-6 model of a solar ultralight unmanned aerial vehicle. This flight was a record - unmanned aircraft, weighing 30 kg, spent more than two weeks (336 hours) in the air, flying in the skies of Arizona.

Solar energy for space vehicles

Solar energy is often used to power satellites and spacecraft operating inside the solar system, since it can serve as an energy source for quite a while. long period time without excess fuel mass.

Satellites have on board several radio transmitters that need to work in a constant mode. Solar energy is usually not used to adjust the position of the satellite, however, it is used to maintain the fuel supply process.

© Sergey Volter 2013
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The ecology of our planet, which is deteriorating every year, and technical progress that does not stand still, have served as powerful catalysts for the development and production of such environmental transport as a solar-powered car.

The work of vehicles with solar batteries for recharging car batteries is based on the accumulation of natural energy of the Sun and its transformation into electricity, which feeds an electric motor that drives vehicles.

The essence of the transformation is the use of "p-n" conductivity, created by solar batteries in cells formed by two silicon layers, during the production of which various substances are added to them.

A diagram will help to understand the essence of the transformation in more detail:

Phosphorus is added to the “n” layer on top during the manufacturing process, and boron is added to the “p” (lower) layer. Thus, at the boundary of two layers, " p-n junction”, which determines the conductivity “p-n” for the photocells that make up the solar battery.

The rays of the sun, acting on the first layer, form into negative particles - free electrons, and positive, so-called "holes" in the lower layer.

An electric field appears between them, leading to the appearance of a potential difference.

When connected to two layers of load, current will appear in the circuit. Particles with a minus sign tend upwards, and those with a “+” sign make their way downwards.

If an electric motor is taken as the load and electronic devices are additionally installed, in various modes providing the required operating mode, as well as a certain number of batteries connected, the circuit can be used as a drive, which also serves to set the machine in motion.

Such a vehicle will be called a solar-powered car. It was invented back in the 20th century.

A bit of history

Solar-powered cars owe their appearance to the Americans. But, due to the fact that at that time there were no appropriate technologies to collect compact dimensions solar powerful designs, the mass production of solar vehicles was never started.

Only low-energy batteries were produced. Therefore, this branch of the automotive industry did not find development at that time. They returned to cars using solar energy only in the nineties.

By that time, there was an opportunity that made it possible to raise Car efficiency on solar batteries. The amount of electricity generated by the panels has also increased. Batteries of a new generation made it possible to create and transfer the required energy reserve when moving over a considerable distance.

There are also new materials used for the manufacture of car bodies, modern systems transmissions and types of electric motors. All this also had a positive impact on the development of the industry.

Today, high-strength and very light plastic is used in the production of body elements, for transmission - parts that are characterized by a minimum value of rolling resistance, and brushless motors containing rare-earth magnets for the poles.

The motor-wheel was also an innovative invention. The electric motor, in this case, is equipped with each driving wheel, which increases the efficiency for the transmission mechanism.

Solar panels have become flexible. This could not but lead to an increase in power, since it became possible to mount them on any part of the body, thereby increasing the area capable of accumulating energy.

Solar car models

Virtually no leader car company, which would not lead the development of vehicles operating on solar batteries.

Among the most famous is the Ecletic car developed by the French company Venturi.

Characteristics

• Power high-power plant - 22 hp;
• Distance covered without recharging - 50 km;
• Permissible speed - 50 km / h.

The backup power source of the model is a wind generator installed on the roof. But the developer also provided for a second possibility - replenishment with energy from the household power grid.

Another project of the French engineers Venturi is the Astrolab model.

Options

power reserve production model almost twice as high as the previous one. Power is 16 kW, speed is limited to 120 km / h.

Due to the use of plastic for the manufacture of the case, the weight of the model is only 300 kilograms. She has a solar panel installed on the roof of the car.

The Dutch brainchild called "Stella" looks futuristic, which was developed by employees of the University of Eindhoen. This family car, equipped with a high-power solar battery and having touch screen. Its body has many aluminum parts made of carbon.

The energy that a car using solar panels generates is even more than is necessary to recharge the batteries, the capacity of which is rather big, so the range reaches 600 km.

Specialists from Green GT (Switzerland) also contributed to the development of the automotive industry, and specifically to cars with solar panels.

They created the "Solar World GT" car, which has a power of up to 400 hp.

The engine and capacitive battery allow you to accelerate to 275 km / h, accelerating to hundreds in just 4 seconds.

Domestic solar cars are also successfully developed in Russia, more precisely, in St. Petersburg.

A lightweight composite is used for the body of the solar-powered car, due to which the weight is only 200 kilograms. The shape resembles a catamaran. The expected speed is 150 km/h.

And, of course, Japan could not do without, which created the auto-ombile that won the Australian annual race in 2011. It was called "Tokai Challenger 2", and it surprises in many ways:

• CFRP hull shape and weight not exceeding 140 kg;
• Developed speed - 160 km / h.

Price

Since solar cars are still piece goods, their cost cannot be called low. While cars are not put on stream, little is known about their characteristics. Car makers are in no hurry to reveal secrets.

About the same models that have already been launched into the series, there is more data. So, the price of the French Astrolab is known, which is approximately 92 thousand euros.

pros

The undeniable advantages of solar cars are:

• Environmental friendliness;
• Low weight;
• Small size;
• Profitability;
• Unlimited solar power;
• No need to develop infrastructure (filling and charging stations are not needed);
• Long service life;
• Cheap energy;
• Large resource panels.

Minuses

Disadvantages do not allow the widely described cars to enter everyday life.

They are in line with the benefits:

• piece production and innovative technologies, greatly increasing the price;
• lower than that of a car with an internal combustion engine, speed and distance traveled without recharging;
• lack of car services in this segment of transport.

However, the new direction, ie. the creation of solar vehicles is capable of displacing cars with internal combustion engines from the market in the near future.

In addition, the concerns finance the development of solar vehicles, created by small bureaus and teams.

Important: Mass production solar vehicles will reach unprecedented sizes, as soon as the efficiency of the panels reaches 50%.

Today it will not be a problem to buy a capacitive solar battery for a car even on the Internet.

Video: Solar-powered cars take off