We’ve seen a few key improvements in both paint and electric vehicles over the past year. And while those two industries might not seem all that connected beyond EVs having paint on them, Mercedes looks to be making that connection a lot deeper with a new solar paint that could reportedly remove all range anxiety from owning an electric vehicle.
Mercedes-Benz revealed the new paint back in November, claiming that it could power an EV for up to 7,456 miles per year in optimal lighting conditions. Of course, what those optimal lighting conditions are isn’t exactly clear. However, based on how other solar technologies work, it would probably require a good deal of sunlight to create that much electricity.
The new solar paint is what we call photovoltaic paint. It’s essentially a “nanoparticle” paint that can be applied to the body of the EV. It soaks up solar energy and can transfer it into the vehicle’s battery for storage, providing less reliance on external charging.
Mercedes-Benz says it is both environmentally friendly and cost-effective to produce and that it is based on non-toxic and readily available raw materials. Of course, this type of technology will have the most effect in places with lots of sunlight throughout the day.
Considering the range anxiety surrounding electric vehicles and the push by many manufacturers to get EVs into more homes, it isn’t surprising to see companies pushing toward new solutions like solar paint. The company says that the vehicle’s topcoat allows up to 94 percent of the sun’s energy to pass through it to the photovoltaic coating underneath.
Because the photovoltaic paint is situated between the body of the vehicle and the top layer of paint, which means it doesn’t affect the actual appearance of the vehicle. Considering we’ve seen some big leaps in both paint and EV technology—like paint that can peel right off the walls and EVs that can charge their battery in just five minutes—this new paint could be another game-changer for the EV world.
