On June 25, 2019 was presented the Lightyear One, the first car driven with solar energy. A model that is not yet available, at least until next year or 2021, but that already gives us a small idea of how solar cars will work in the future.
That’s what solar cars will look like
The Lightyear One model is powered by the energy obtained from the surface of five square meters of solar panels located on the roof and hood. These panels capture enough sunlight when outdoors to charge the vehicle’s battery until it has a full minimum range of 400 kilometres.
The solar cars will have an electric motor to which the energy coming from the solar panels reaches. It is very likely that each manufacturer will have such panels along the vehicle according to their design, although they may do so in a very similar way to that used in the Lightyear One.
The solar panels are responsible for obtaining the solar energy that will be converted into electricity to move the car. This electrical energy will be stored in batteries, or there may be cases in which it is directly stored in the engine. Everything will depend on the design of each manufacturer.
The key to solar cars being able to move is that the solar panels are arranged against each other in the form of a sandwich. From this combination, it is facilitated that the electrons flow perfectly and it is created the sufficient electrical voltage so that the car can move.
The autonomy of solar cars will be a key and determining factor. The efficiency of the solar panels and the way in which the energy reaches the batteries or the engine will be precisely what determines this autonomy. The most expensive solar cars will therefore be those with the greatest autonomy.
