The Japanese automaker has announced that it will display a prototype retractable solar PV roof aboard a Nissan Sakura Kei at an upcoming mobility industry event in Japan.
Japan’s Nissan Motor Corporation has announced that it will showcase a prototype of its solar-powered electric vehicle (EV) Sakura Kei at the upcoming 2025 Japan Mobility Show.
The Sakura, which measures 3.4 m x 1.5 m and has a top speed of 80 km/h, was a best-selling electric car in Japan for the three consecutive financial years following its 2022 launch, according to the company.
The roof-mounted vehicle-integrated PV (VIPV) concept, called Ao-Solar Extender, has a 300W fixed component and a 200W component that can be stowed to generate a total of 500W while driving in the extended position, the company said.
The in-house developed VIPV unit is designed to minimize air resistance and generate energy, regardless of whether the car is driving or parked. The target weight is 30kg and made with standard monocrystalline silicon solar cells, a company spokesperson said pv magazine.
The current design features glass packaging, but other “suitable materials” could be considered in the long term to reduce weight, the spokesperson said. No further details have been released.
The Ao-Solar Extender could potentially deliver an additional 3,000 km of driving range per year, depending on sunlight conditions and driver behavior.
“An analysis of driving data from Sakura owners shows that many primarily travel short distances for errands and school runs, suggesting that solar-generated energy could nearly eliminate the need for grid-based charging for a significant portion of owners,” the company said in a statement, noting that the VIPV could also serve as a backup power source during disasters.
“The Ao-Solar Extender system concept originated during Nissan’s 2021 internal ideas competition and is planned for future commercial launch. The timing will be announced at a later date,” the company said.
A similar, expandable solution for solar panels was launched a year ago by the American startup DartSolar. as reported by pv magazine. The solar roof rack reportedly fits a variety of vehicle sizes and types 360 W fixed power, expandable to 1000 W within 15 seconds.
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