Solar-Charged Electric Vehicles: A Comprehensive Analysis of Grid, Driver, and Environmental Benefits

To date, solar-powered electric vehicles (EVs) have often been considered as niche projects or with small vehicle rooftop panels that can slightly extend the electric driving range. This article proposes a large-scale solar EV concept with low-cost, flexible, and thin-film solar cells integrated onto the steel of all upward-facing vehicle body panels as a viable solution to help mitigate EV charging and range concerns and the high cost and solar power intermittency of individual residential rooftop solar installations. Only by considering the full range of benefits, namely to the grid, driver, and environment, the value of solar-charged EVs can truly be appreciated. This article models the effect of panel tilt and partial shading on the solar energy capture of 150 drivers to analyze grid, driver, and environmental benefits in Los Angeles (LA) and Detroit over the course of a full year. The simulations predict net annual vehicle energy use reductions of 21.5% in LA and 17.5% in Detroit for average cloud conditions, compared to a nonsolar EV.