Free Energy: Nissan Unveils Ariya EV with Solar Panels
Nissan has unveiled a concept of the Ariya electric crossover with integrated solar panels. The project was developed in collaboration with the Dutch company Lightyear, specializing in solar mobility.
What is known
The car is equipped with 3.8 m² of highly efficient photovoltaic panels on the hood, roof, and trunk door. According to real-world testing, the system can provide up to 23 km of additional range per day under favorable conditions.
Tests showed that in sunny cities like Barcelona, the solar system adds an average of 17.6 km of range per day. Annual averages are 10.2 km in London, 18.9 km in New Delhi, and 21.2 km in Dubai. Nissan estimates that the technology could reduce the number of charging connections by 35–65% depending on the usage scenario.
During testing, the Ariya with solar panels also covered a route of 1,550 km — from the Netherlands to Barcelona.
Nissan emphasizes that the concept demonstrates the potential of integrating solar generation into mass-produced electric vehicles. However, there are no plans for mass production yet.
Source: Nissan
