German automaker Mercedes-Benz has unveiled the Vision Iconic prototype, the first car featuring its “solar paint” photovoltaic solution, at Shanghai Fashion Week in China. The company said the coating comprises innovative modules just 5 micrometers thick that can be applied to the car body “like a wafer-thin paste” or other substrates.
The protective layer is described as a new nanoparticle-based paint that allows 94% of solar energy to pass through. Each module weighs 50 grams per square meter, is thinner than a human hair, and achieves around 20% efficiency over an 11-square-meter surface area, equivalent to a medium-sized SUV.
Mercedes claims the coating can generate electricity for up to 12,000 km of travel per year under standardized irradiation at its facility in Stuttgart, Germany, or up to 20,000 km in Beijing. The solar coating can be applied with any paint color and does not use silicon or rare earth materials. It can generate energy when the vehicle is off and store it directly in the battery.
“Vision Iconic embodies our vision for the future of mobility,” said Markus Schäfer, member of the board of management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG. “With groundbreaking innovations such as neuromorphic computing, steer-by-wire steering, solar paint, and Level 4 highly automated driving, along with cutting-edge technology, we are setting new standards for the electric and digital age.”
The prototype also features neuromorphic computing to reduce energy required for data processing by 90%, supporting autonomous driving systems. The Vision Iconic includes steer-by-wire steering, eliminating the mechanical link between the steering wheel and front wheels to save space and simplify interior design.
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And like every beautiful Mercedes concept car so far, they will never build it. Just like Audi who never built even one of their stunning concept EVs from a few years ago.
Why? Like most other legacy auto companies, Merc are deeply in bed with big oil.
What a waste of design talent and imagination.
That’s awesome that this can be done. I have always said it could soon we will be at 💯 I have an idea on how we replace the energy as we use possibly idk I’m no scientist but would think it would work
This is an interesting development.
That’s nothing but the epitome of German engineering! Mercedes Benz once again raising the bar and setting new standards. Kudos to them!!!
What I really want to know is how this paint works in stages. Does the paint have its own zones/ arrays. Can certain areas of the car produce while the other areas of their car cannot? The paint seems to be something very substantial and potentially game-changing depending on what it is painted on besides a vehicle. The efficiency increases substantial based upon the 12,000 km for 5,000 mi range that it can add per year. On average person could drive say 20,000 mi and this could reduce the need for 25% of energy for the year.