Mercedes-Benz’s New Solar Paint Could Generate Enough Electricity for More than 7,450 Miles of Driving Per Year

[Tsing]

The solar cells have a high efficiency of 20 percent. An area of 118.4 square feet (equivalent to the surface of a mid-size SUV) could produce energy for up to 7,456 miles per year under ideal conditions.

See full article...

 

[Elf_Boy]

Can one paint objects that are not cars?

Depending how expensive, and environmentally clean, this is this could be a massive new source of energy.

 

[Peter_Brosdahl]

Glad something's finally making its way to market. I remember hearing about solar paint ~10-20 years ago and then nothing after that.

 

[Brian_B]

Hmm

You may have all that surface area, but sunlight is very directional. Take a cube, to simplify it. 1/6 may get direct sunlight, you might get indirect sunlight on up to 4/6 of the faces but it will be very weak, and one face will be entirely shaded.

I mean, if Tesla hasn’t put solar on a car by now - a company that makes both cars and solar panels - there is probably a good reason for it.

Not to say solar paint isn’t a fantastic idea. Just not for EVs

 

[Grimlakin]

Hmm

You may have all that surface area, but sunlight is very directional. Take a cube, to simplify it. 1/6 may get direct sunlight, you might get indirect sunlight on up to 4/6 of the faces but it will be very weak, and one face will be entirely shaded.

I mean, if Tesla hasn’t put solar on a car by now - a company that makes both cars and solar panels - there is probably a good reason for it.

Not to say solar paint isn’t a fantastic idea. Just not for EVs

I mean you could always park in the spot that the building in London was melting cars in. I bet you'll generate a ton of power there.

This London skyscraper can melt cars and set buildings on fire

London isn't famous for hot weather, but that may change soon, and not because of global warming: The design of a new skyscraper in the city is melting cars and setting buildings on fire."It's absolutely ruined," Martin Lindsay told the BBC, referring to his Jaguar XJ. Lindsay had the...

www.nbcnews.com