Chinese automaker FAW Hongqi has unveiled a prototype solar sunroof that uses next-generation perovskite photovoltaic technology to turn part of an electric vehicle into a power generator.
The full-size prototype, installed on Hongqi’s EHS7 electric SUV, can reportedly produce up to 300 watts of power under sufficient sunlight and generate around 400 kilowatt-hours of electricity annually.
While solar roofs are not new, Hongqi’s approach replaces conventional crystalline silicon cells with thin and flexible perovskite photovoltaic materials. The company ultimately hopes to expand the technology beyond the sunroof and onto other parts of the vehicle, potentially allowing an EV to generate enough electricity for up to 80 km (50 miles) of driving range per day.
A solar roof built with next-generation materials
According to reports, Hongqi integrated the perovskite photovoltaic elements directly into the panoramic sunroof of the EHS7, which is sold in China as the Tiangong 08.
Unlike conventional crystalline silicon solar cells, perovskite-based photovoltaics can be thinner, lighter, and more flexible. Those characteristics could make them better suited to the curved surfaces and complex shapes found on modern vehicles. However, integrating the material into a car roof presents its own engineering challenges.
Hongqi’s researchers reportedly had to address the sensitivity of perovskite materials to water, oxygen, and ultraviolet radiation, while also adapting the photovoltaic layer to the curved glass surface of the panoramic roof. The prototype reportedly generates up to 300 W in sufficient sunlight, with annual energy production estimated at approximately 400 kWh.
