A solar power system to allow an electric vehicle to run without having to charge its battery has been developed by Sharp Corp. and the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), the entities announced Monday.
In theory, the solar-powered vehicle can travel up to 50 kilometers in one day. Sharp and NEDO are also collaborating with Nissan Motor Co. to examine issues involved and aim to put a solar-powered EV into practical use by 2030.
Solar panels are attached to the roof and hood of Nissan's e-NV200. The panels are 1.5 times more efficient in generating electricity than those for residential use and can be attached conforming to the shape of the vehicle.
Sharp has provided the same solar panels to Toyota Motor Corp.'s plug-in hybrid vehicle, Prius PHV, and has been testing its driving range and fuel efficiency since 2019.
"Within 10 years, we want to reduce the production cost of the panels to a hundredth of what it now costs," said a person in charge of the solar panel project.
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