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

Not enough surface area and they’re not efficient enough yet.

ELI5: Not big enough and too slow.

There’s a recent Joe Rogan Experience episode with Elon Musk and they talk about this exact concept. The only vehicle that Musk believes this could work on is a sprinter van size vehicle, think moving/delivery van. The panels would need to unfold from the roof to triple their surface area to efficiently charge the vehicle.