Mercedes Benz has invested increasingly in the further development of the electric car division in recent years. Now the Stuttgart company has presented its latest invention: a paint that can use solar energy to extend the range of vehicles.
Electric car: Efficient solar paint being planned
Up to 12,000 kilometers: Such a distance could soon be covered free of charge with electric cars from Mercedes Benz. The traditional German manufacturer is currently developing a special paint for its vehicles that can absorb solar energy and convert it into range for the car.
Mercedes itself announced this at the weekend. The paint itself consists of paste-like solar modules. “At five micrometers, they are significantly thinner than a human hair, weigh only 50 grams per square meter and are full of energy,” explains the car manufacturer.
With an efficiency of 20 percent, the modules are also highly efficient. With a surface of eleven square meters, such as that of a medium-sized electric SUV, the aforementioned 12,000 kilometers could be generated under optimal conditions.
Research is still ongoing
However, the solar paint for electric cars should not only be highly efficient. The environment was also taken into consideration during development. “It is free of rare earths, contains no silicon and only non-toxic and easily available raw materials. “It could easily be recycled and is significantly cheaper to produce than conventional solar modules,” praises Mercedes.
However, it will still be some time before the first vehicles are actually given the ultra-modern paintwork. The Mercedes teams are currently still working on ensuring use on all surfaces of the electric car, regardless of the angle of inclination or the shape of the vehicle parts.
By Tim Petzerling
