Solar panels can be installed on the hood and ceiling of a vehicle.

A ‘vehicle solar system’ solution was exhibited at the ‘Korea Electronics Show 2024 (KES 2024)’ held on the 22nd at COEX in Samseong-dong.

The solution introduced by Solarstic consists of solar panels for the hood and ceiling of the vehicle and a solar controller. When the panel that absorbs sunlight generates electricity, the solar controller controls the generated electricity using MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking) technology and transforms it to match the vehicle battery voltage.

In addition, the solar module was made of plastic using the injection method used for vehicle exterior parts. Through this, the weight was reduced by more than 50% compared to existing solar modules made of glass, and the production period was also shortened by 1/20. Various designs, such as complex curvature, can also be implemented. At this exhibition, solar panels manufactured to fit Hyundai Motor Company's IONIQ 5 hood were introduced.

A SolarTex official said, “Applying a solar system for vehicles can reduce the charging frequency of electric vehicles,” and added, “It will be a solution that can compensate for mileage loss even for users who use a lot of V2L (Vehicle to Load) power, such as freezers.” explained.

He said, “Even in a parked environment where the vehicle is turned off, charging is possible as long as there is solar power. Therefore, the response is good and demand is high in North America, where outdoor parking is more common, than in Korea, where underground parking is mainly used.”

At the same time, he looked at the trend, saying, “The number of automobile manufacturers seeking to introduce these solutions in response to the climate crisis and consumer needs is increasing,” and “In 2019, there were only two companies, Hyundai Motor Company and Toyota, but now the number has increased to nine.”

He said, “The method of producing solar modules for vehicles is also used for BAPV (Building Applied Photovoltaic System, Building-Attached Solar) modules for building roofs,” and added, “The target is replacement demand in old industrial complexes.”

He added, “While existing solar modules weigh about 12kg per 1㎡, the solar modules produced by Solatex have been reduced to 6.5kg.”

Meanwhile, KES 2024 will be held at COEX Halls A, B, and D until the 25th.

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