Mercedes has presented a list of research programs and future technologies it is working on. Among them, a new type of “solar paint” has caught our attention which, they claim, could generate enough energy to drive up to 20,000 km a year in ideal conditions.
We already knew about the idea of integrating solar panels into the body, but never before had the entire painted surface of a car been able to capture solar energy. This is not a new idea, since in the field of research work is done by spraying photovoltaic material on surfaces… doing so on a vehicle is something striking and pay attention to the statements indicated in the Mercedes press release:
- Solar paint would only add 5 micrometers thick and 50 g in weight per square meter compared to a standard paint
- It would operate at around 20% efficiency.
- An area of 11 square meters (like an average SUV) “could produce enough energy for up to 12,000 km per year under ideal conditions” in Stuttgart, Germany. The figure would reach 20,000 km in Los Angeles, or 14,000 km in Beijing.
- Contains no rare earths, no silicon, no toxic or limited supply materials
- Is recyclable.
- It is “considerably cheaper” to produce than conventional solar modules.
Taking all the data with a grain of salt, the company claims that, after analyzing daily driving habits, it could eliminate the need for recharging for electric vehicle owners in Los Angeles who commute to work every day. In Stuttgart, where an average of 52 km is traveled per day (and it is cloudier), it would generate 62% of the energy needed for those daily trips.
Obviously, the formula of the paint they are investigating is not indicated, but due to its efficiency and the materials that they say it does not have, everything indicates that it is a solution of perovskite sprayable, a mineral that has been cited on numerous occasions as the future of photovoltaics.
The problem it has had is that it has not been able to last long enough to make it worth the effort… since it is vulnerable to water… and ultraviolet light, ironically. There are coatings that could make it more resistant, but for now not on a commercial level, not even on a small scale.
Mercedes proposes that the solar coating be applied directly to the body panels, with the color on top to protect the photovoltaic panels from dirt… The company says it has devised a nanoparticle-based paint that will let 94% of the energy through solar so that it is captured by that solar coating that is below.
The idea of aerosol solar energy is not bad… But wouldn’t it make more sense to convert large roofs or entire walls into solar panels that collect energy before a vehicle? Let’s see what the next step the brand takes in this area.
