- Solar charging panels can help recharge car batteries
- First generation ‘solar roof’ system will be introduced to Hyundai Motor Group vehicles from 2019
- Semi-transparent solar roof is the world’s first solar-charging technology for internal combustion engine vehicles
THE Hyundai Motor Group, comprising Kia Motors and Hyundai Motor, is planning to introduce ‘solar roof’ charging technology.
Solar panels will be incorporated into the roof or bonnet of vehicles, and will support internal combustion (ICE), hybrid and battery electric vehicles with additional solar-sourced electrical power.
There are three types of solar charging systems being developed by Hyundai Motor Group.
The first-generation system is being produced for hybrid vehicles; the second-generation technology brings a semi-transparent solar roof system to ICE vehicles; the third generation will introduce lightweight roof solar charging EVs.
Jeong-Gil Park, Executive Vice President of the Engineering and Design Division of Hyundai Motor Group, is developer of the technology. He said:
“In the future, we expect to see many different types of electricity-generating technologies integrated into our vehicles. The solar roof is the first. It will mean cars no longer passively consume energy, but will begin to produce it actively.
“It is an exciting development for us, designing a technology for vehicle owners to help them shift from being energy users to being energy producers.”