The electric vehicle industry has been constantly growing over the last decade with improvements mainly geared towards longer range, faster charging times, and increased efficiency. DartSolar, the leading company specializing in sustainable technology, has unveiled a new solar roof system for EVs that improves performance while offering a remarkable 10-year lifespan.
DartSolar’s innovative solar roof system addresses one of the most significant challenges for EV owners: maximizing range. This system embeds state-of-the-art solar panels into the roof of the vehicle where they harness the light and convert it to energy. This additional output can then be utilized to run nonsensitive loads, charge the battery, and even increase the distance an EV can travel during daylight.
Tesla Solar Roof Generating Up to 5 kWh Daily Adding 20 Miles of Range Per Day
This solar-assisted technology therefore has twofold advantages. First, it minimizes the use of normal charging stations such that one can charge their vehicle and drive a longer distance before charging again. Second, which makes EVs even more viable, the energy can be generated from clean, renewable energy sources – the power of the Sun.
Technical Specifications
The solar roof is a 960-watt system composed of six 160-watt photovoltaic panels. The panel is made up of fiberglass-backed ETFE-coated panels. The overall height of the solar panel is just 1.5 inches and weighs 90lb (41kg).
The solar panels are capable of producing up to 5kWh of power per day, adding an extra 20-45 miles of driving range daily. The expanding rate of solar panels is also impressive in just 15 seconds. Now talking about the most important thing how much is the installation cost? Well, it’s not that expensive at $2,950.
DartSolar has ensured that its solar roof system can support most of the existing EV models. Depending on the size of the vehicle from a city car up to an SUV. The system is designed in such a way that most EV owners should be able to take advantage of this technology.
Moreover, the company is committed to making the product accessible to the average consumer. By leveraging mass production and economies of scale, DartSolar aims to keep the cost of the solar roof system competitive without compromising on quality.
What’s Next for DartSolar?
DartSolar isn’t stopping at its 10-year solar roof system. According to sources, the company is developing a second generation of products that will be even more efficient and will have a longer lifespan. Consecutive versions can also include smart features like angle control to alter the positioning of panels and tie the system to vehicle telematics for energy consumption monitoring.
Moreover, under existing and new collaborations with EV makers, DartSolar aims to provide factory-integrated solar roofs. Such an approach would optimize the process and introduce this unique solution to a great number of drivers globally.
Conclusion
Created by California-based inventor Omid Sadeghpour, DartSolar’s solar roof system is evidence of enhanced integration of renewable power sources for powering electric cars. It also can change the perception and power of EVs because using efficient, durable, and sustainable materials in one is possible.
Implemented on vehicles with a lifespan of ten years, using DartSolar’s solution would present consumers with a perfect reason to shift to EVs, with the added advantage of the efficiency boost. With the trend today to shift towards going green, innovations such as this solar roof system are paving the way.
