German Automaker Unveils World’s First “Solar Paint” Car
A renowned German car manufacturer has just introduced the world’s first automobile featuring “solar paint” technology. Thanks to this innovation, the vehicle can generate enough solar power to drive up to 12,000 km per year, and even as much as 20,000 km under optimal conditions.
Mercedes-Benz has unveiled its Vision Iconic prototype – the first car equipped with the company’s new “solar paint” photovoltaic solution – at Shanghai Fashion Week in China.
According to Mercedes, the solar paint coating consists of innovative modules only 5 micrometers thick, which can be applied to the vehicle’s body “like an ultra-thin powder layer” or to other base materials.
The coating utilizes advanced nanotechnology, allowing up to 94% of sunlight to pass through and be converted into electricity. Each module weighs 50 grams per square meter, thinner than a human hair, and achieves around 20% efficiency over an 11 m² surface area, roughly equivalent to a mid-size SUV.
The company states that under standard radiation conditions at its Stuttgart (Germany) facility, the coating can generate enough electricity to power the vehicle for up to 12,000 km per year, and up to 20,000 km in Bac Kinh.
The solar paint can be applied in any color, and it does not use silicon or rare earth materials. It can also generate and store energy in the battery even when the car is turned off.
“Vision Iconic represents our vision for the future of mobility,” said Markus Schäfer, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG.
He added that with groundbreaking innovations such as neuromorphic computing, steer-by-wire systems, solar paint, and Level 4 autonomous driving, combined with cutting-edge technologies, Mercedes-Benz is gradually setting new benchmarks for the era of electrification and digital transformation.
The prototype features neuromorphic computing capabilities, which reduce data processing energy consumption by up to 90%, improving the efficiency of autonomous driving systems. Additionally, Vision Iconic adopts a steer-by-wire system, eliminating mechanical links between the steering wheel and the front wheels to save space and simplify interior design.
(Source: vietnamnet.vn)
