Mercedes’ Solar Paint Could Give EVs Thousands Of Miles Of Range Every Year

The electric cars of the future could be quieter, safer, and more efficient

Electric vehicles have come a long way, but they still have significant hurdles to overcome. One of the biggest pain points is recharging, but Mercedes is working on a clever solution to deal with it. Known as “solar paintwork,” the company is researching new types of solar modules that could be seamlessly applied to the bodies of electric vehicles.

These efforts could eventually pave the way for a wafer-thin layer of paint that could generate enough electricity to cover over 8,699 miles (14,000 km) per year.

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That’s pretty significant, but those are “under ideal conditions” in Beijing. It’s also worth noting that equates to less than 24 miles (39 km) per day, so it likely wouldn’t completely replace traditional recharging.

That being said, getting a charge by simply parking outside has a lot of appeal and numerous companies have been exploring the potential. In Mercedes’ case, they’re looking at an active photovoltaic surface with solar cells that have an efficiency rating of 20 percent.

Speaking of EVs, Mercedes is working on a programmable micro-converter that can be installed at the battery-cell level. This would make it possible to regulate cells individually and make electric vehicles even better.

As the automaker explained, “Current research results show it is possible to provide a constant HV [high voltage] output of 800 volts, regardless of the state of charge and the state of health of the individual cells.” This could pave the way for longer ranges, optimized energy flow for bidirectional charging, and new levels of freedom for modularization.

Even brakes haven’t been overlooked as the company is researching an “innovative, more sustainable brake” that is no longer located at the wheel. Instead, it’s integrated into a closed motor-transmission unit.

The automaker didn’t go into many details, but said the new brake “hardly wears out and is virtually maintenance-free.” The new setup also doesn’t rust, emit particulate emissions, or fade under high loads. It also promises to be less noisy and have positive impacts on range and efficiency.

Lastly, Mercedes is working with Canada’s University of Waterloo on neuromorphic computing. This mimics the way humans think and could “make AI computations significantly more energy-efficient and faster.”

Mercedes is interested as safety systems could be able to recognize traffic signs, lanes, and other road users much better and react faster, even in poor visibility. These efforts could also be up to ten times more efficient.