The thin-film manufacturer and Chinese carmaker Joylong Automobile applied thin film cells to the roof of a small commercial vehicle which was tested for a month. Hanergy says its K-Car could offer an effective daily range of 50-100km without charging.
By Max Hall for PV Magazine
Thin-film manufacturer Hanergy claims to have produced the “world’s first commercial solar power vehicle” after a month of testing confirmed its Chinese K-Car ran for 20km daily in “normal” sunlight for 30 days without recharging.
The Chinese company issued a press release on Friday explaining its CIGS thin-film modules had been applied to the roof of a Japanese Kei-Car, the smallest category of vehicle permitted to drive on that country’s highways.
The Chinese K-Car developed by Hanergy Mobile Energy Holding Group’s Hanergy Glory Solar Technology subsidiary and Shanghai-based carmaker Joylong Automobile was reportedly tested at the China Automotive Technology and Research Center.
Hanergy said the vehicle battery retained more than 60% of charge after the 30 days of testing. The cell maker claimed 60-80% of battery charge remained at the end of each day’s run, equating to a further 30-80km of range for an overall daytime range of 50-100km without charging, thanks to the rooftop cells.
