Exploring Solar Power for Electric Vehicles in Europe

The SolarMoves project is a groundbreaking three-year research initiative that aims to revolutionize the integration of solar power in vehicles. This innovative project combines simulation models of solar power production and consumption with real measurements taken during operation on the road. Various vehicles, including vans and trucks equipped with integrated photovoltaics, have been fitted with sensors to measure and determine solar radiation under real conditions across Europe for a year.

"The results of the year’s data collection will provide valuable insights into the electric efficiency improvement of electric vehicles through the use of integrated solar technology," stated Wim Soppe, project leader at TNO for SolarMoves. The primary goal is to assess the total potential of vehicle-integrated photovoltaics and make realistic predictions about the necessary charging infrastructure for a future where a significant number of electric vehicles are equipped with solar panels."

In a previous project called PV2GO, Fraunhofer ISE investigated the solar potential of German traffic routes from 2019 to 2023. This initial research provided valuable experience with irradiation sensors, which were further developed in the SolarMoves project. In PV2GO, sensors were installed on 57 cars and 5 trucks as part of a citizen science campaign, resulting in the collection and evaluation of over 46 million data points over 460,000 kilometers in a year.

Christian Schill, project manager of PV2GO at Fraunhofer ISE, highlighted the findings, stating, "Electric cars with roof-integrated solar panels could generate approximately 460 kilowatt hours of electricity per year, leading to an additional range of around 3000 kilometers annually based on average driving behavior." The SolarMoves project aims to expand on these findings and determine their applicability to the broader EU region, with the research set to continue until the end of 2026.

The consortium behind the SolarMoves project includes prominent organizations such as TNO, Fraunhofer ISE, and three on-board solar technology system suppliers for vehicles: Sono Motors, Lightyear Layer, and IM Efficiency. Commissioned by the Department for Mobility and Transport of the European Commission, SolarMoves seeks to quantitatively assess solar electricity generation on vehicle bodies and its implications for future charging infrastructure in Europe. To achieve this, 20 vehicles equipped with mobile irradiance sensors will gather real data to validate the energy yield models developed by the researchers.