Why aren’t electric vehicles using solar panels integrated into the panoramic rooftops? Wouldn’t this eliminate the need for charging stations – to be able to collect a solar charge at most hours of the day and *during* the actual act of driving?

Question

Why aren’t electric vehicles using solar panels integrated into the panoramic rooftops? Wouldn’t this eliminate the need for charging stations – to be able to collect a solar charge at most hours of the day and *during* the actual act of driving?

In: 1963

Answer 1

A solar panel produces ~0.8kWh/sq m per day and the average electric car uses around 15kWh for a 100km trip. Just from this you can see the problem, there is not enough area on a car and the panels are too low power to make any meaningful effect