Not a pipe dream
This is certainly not a pipe dream. A Dutch company called Lightyear is already working on the world’s first long-range solar electric vehicle. It is called Lightyear One and it is set for commercial availability by the end of this year. The Lightyear One – which is constructed from high-tech materials to have the lowest weight possible while maintaining stringent passenger safety – has five square meters of integrated solar cells on its roof and bonnet. They are housed in safety glass so strong that a fully-grown adult can walk on them without causing dents. The manufacturer claims that the vehicle – which can also be charged at a fast charging station or even a regular outlet – will have a range of 725 km.
What about trucks?
The Lightyear One is a car. What about trucks? In January this year, Swiss haulage firm Rhyner Logistik acquired a fully electric Renault Trucks Range D Wide Z.E. with solar panels on its body to provide power to the refrigeration unit.
MAN Truck & Bus is also exploring this technology. In fact, the truck maker and a Munich start-up company by the name of Sono Motors have signed a letter of intent to jointly examine the technical and economic feasibility of integrating Sono solar technology on the eTGE electric van from MAN.
The companies are looking at using solar power to generate additional range or to power the air-conditioning or cooling systems. According to Sono, the solar technology is intended to be a lightweight, robust and cost-effective solution. Because of the large surfaces on buses, trucks and vans, the panels are particularly suitable for commercial applications such as last-mile delivery.
No substitute
Solar power is not intended to replace diesel, electric or hydrogen propulsion. The companies are looking at supplementing the electric power on the eTGE. As such, the vehicle-integrated photovoltaic solutions (ViPV) are not intended to replace existing energy storage devices such as batteries or fuel cells. Instead, they are designed to reduce energy consumption and the number of charging intervals required, thereby extending the range. In addition, it is conceivable that the solar energy generated can be used for secondary functions such as heating, air conditioning or cooling units.
Dennis Affeld, Senior Vice President & Head of Sales Truck & Van at MAN Truck & Bus, is pleased about the partnership with Sono Motors and sees it as a bundling of the know-how of both companies for testing various prototypes. “The aim is to find out how much energy can be obtained through PV technology over the course of the year. With this knowledge, we can then assess whether the technology will pay off for our customers and at the same time protect the environment,” he reveals.
Jona Christians, Co-Founder and CEO of Sono Motors, concurs. “It’s a great opportunity for Sono Motors to team up with an industrial partner as respected as MAN and work together for a more sustainable future. Our solar technology offers a lightweight and adaptable platform that is ideal for light commercial vehicles such as the battery-powered eTGE from MAN,” he says.
Solar panels can save fuel
Scania is also exploring the use of solar panels. The Swedish truck maker is developing a solar cell clad trailer to power a plug-in hybrid truck. Initial tests indicate possible fuel savings of five to 10% in Sweden and twice that amount in sun-rich southern Spain.
In Sweden, there is enough sunlight from spring to autumn to generate energy. During the rest of the year, there is insufficient sun in that country. In contrast, southern Spain has 80% more hours of sunlight.
The truck will be operated in daily transport assignments by the Swedish haulier Ernst Express, which also collaborated with Scania in trials of the world’s first electric road with overhead catenary lines. Ernst Express will operate an 18-metre long solar cell clad trailer with a total area along the sides and roof of 140 square metres. In total, the solar panels are expected to annually generate 14,000 kWh in Sweden.
“Solar cells have previously been employed on boats and caravans but then only to power auxiliaries such as refrigerators and cookers and not the actual powertrain,” explains Eric Falkgrim, Technology Leader in Vehicle Design at Scania R&D.
Solar power ideal for charging
While solar power is ideal for supplementing other power sources on commercial vehicles, it could also prove to be extremely useful when it comes to charging electric trucks. In California, a small start-up called WattEV is building the nation’s first 25-megawatt, solar-powered, electric-only public truck stop to serve electric truck transport between California’s fast-growing Central Valley and Southern California’s bustling ports and shipping hubs. The 110-acre truck stop, which will have an initial set of 12 high power battery-electric chargers, will combine a 110-acre solar PV farm with battery storage.
“We aim to enable the addition of 12 000 heavy-duty battery-electric trucks to the roads in California by the end of 2030, exceeding existing forecasts,” says WattEV CEO Salim Youssefzadeh. “If it works in California, it’ll work just about anywhere in the country.”
With the amount of sunlight available in South Africa, we reckon solar power could work extremely well here too!
Photography by Jeremy Zero, Biel Morro and Rampal Singh on Unsplash
