Toyota will be testing new and more efficient solar roofs for its electric cars which can add as much as 44.5 km of range a day while parked and can add up to 56.3 km (35 miles) of power to the driving system and the auxiliary power battery.
According to a report by TechCrunch, the solar cells manufactured by Sharp might just be 0.03mm thick but can deliver power that can charge the car’s battery while being driven which sets it apart from the company’s previous version of the solar panel.
The vehicle with the new solar roof will be tested in Japan this July and will perform trials across different regions to test it in different weather and driving conditions.
Toyota earlier offered an optional solar panel for its Prius back in 2010 which could be used to power secondary systems.
(Photo source: techcrunch.com/ theverge.com)
