IDTechEx: Race for First Commercial Passenger Cars that are Energy Independent
BOSTON, August 15, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --
Solar racers hurtled over Australian cattle grids, then the world's fastest solar car, Australian Sunswift eVe received road legal status as a passenger car. This one off represented a shift in solar-powered transport from purpose-built race cars to meeting commercial vehicle standards but who will now go into series production?
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In fact, the Germans and the Dutch are racing to beat the Chinese to this crown. Hanergy of China has demonstrated prototype cars using gallium arsenide ultra-light, ultra-efficient photovoltaics but currently prohibitively expensive. Hanergy promises affordability on launch in 2020 and an unprecedented 40% solar efficiency later. Its panels extend on parking, garnering extra power. All contestants have batteries for extra performance but also a "perpetual" speed in daylight as an energy independent vehicle not using the battery.
In contrast, Lightyear of Eindhoven Netherlands and Sono Motors Germany, both start-ups, are aiming for 2018 or 2028 to launch their commercial energy independent electric cars using affordable single crystal silicon. Contrary to popular understanding, this works well at up to an angle of sixty degrees so it does make sense to put it on the sides not just the top of the vehicle.
Both Lightyear and Sono Motors talk at the World's first conference on Energy Independent Electric Vehicles which takes place at the Technical University of Delft where so many record breaking solar cars and boats are developed. The conference will also discuss the other projects, including Immortus from Australia which is starting by commercialising its electricity generating shock absorbers developed for its planned street legal solar passenger car. Yes, many new technologies are already cascading from these programs taking over from Formula One which becomes an anachronism. For example the Stella Lux racer that led to Lightyear has in-wheel motors and uniquely efficient aerodynamics. The IDTechEx conference Energy Independent Electric Vehicles, September 27-28 has a table top exhibition and, on the 26 and 29, six Masterclasses on the EIVs and their rapidly evolving key components. Learn about piezo/ photovoltaics sails and airship fabric, structural electronics such as solar windows, biomimetic and energy positive drones and Toyota's roadmap.
See also the IDTechEx Research on report on EIVs. We also offer consultancy services in this area.
Contact:
Charlotte Hibbert
Marketing & Research Co-ordinator
[email protected]
UK: +44-(0)1223-810286
SOURCE IDTechEx
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