Vehicle-Integrated Photovoltaics into Cars

The invisibly integrated solar cells in the car roof feature high power density.
© Fraunhofer ISE
The invisibly integrated solar cells in the car roof feature high power density.
Shingled cells, integrated in a PV car roof.
© Fraunhofer ISE
Shingled cells, integrated in a PV car roof.
Schematic construction of a PV car roof.
© Fraunhofer ISE
Schematic construction of a PV car roof.

It is estimated that from 2028 onward, about one-third of all newly registered vehicles in Germany will be electric vehicles, some of them with hybrid drive units.
 

Increasing the mileage of electric cars by integrated photovoltaics

  • Solar cell integration into vehicle roofs and other vehicle components
  • Mileage gain in Germany of app. 3500 km per annum
  • Further optimization of solar cell technology for 50% increase in yield

Attractive appearance with coloured coatings

  • MorphoColor® for any colours of the spectrum with high colour saturation
  • Only 7% relative loss in module cover transmittance
  • Underlying solar cells are masked
     

Efficiently connected solar cells 

  • Compact integration by matrix shingle interconnection
  • No inactive areas between the cells
  • Reduced power losses under partial shading conditions
     

Silicon solar cells in spherically curved modules

  • Lamination of the shingled cells e.g. between two curved glass panes
     

Our Services

  • PV technological consultancy
  • Design and development of prototypes for integrated PV
  • Determination of the solar energy yield for regions, roadways, railways or transportation routes
  • Module reliability testing
  • Integration into vehicle power supplies (drive unit of electric vehicles, auxiliary batteries)
  • Energy and load management, power electronics and battery  systems
  • Analyses of electricity yield and costs
  • Coordination and management of R&D projects with industrial partners

Integrated PV in a Car Roof

PV car roof

The MorphoColor® coating with free choice of color makes the shingled cells almost invisible.

PV car roof

... with shingled solar cells.

PV car roof

... with integrated IBC solar cells.

PV car roof

... with multi-wire interconnected solar cells.

PV car roof

... with almost invisible IBC cells.

PV car roof

... with shingled solar cells.

Selected Research Projects

 

Lade-PV

The project "Lade-PV" is intended to demonstrate the marketability of PV applications in freight transport.

 

PV2Go

Solar Potentials of German Traffic Routes