Ford C-MAX Solar Energi Concept – sunny side up

Ford C-MAX Solar Energi 03

It’s all looking bright and sunny for Ford – the automaker has come up with a variation of its C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid, one that offers battery charging via solar panels in addition to the usual electrical outlet plug-in route.

The C-MAX Solar Energi Concept, which will make its public debut at next week’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, is a collaborative project between the automaker, the Georgia Institute of Technology and SunPower, Ford’s solar technology partner that is providing the high-efficiency solar panels for the vehicle.

The study takes a day’s worth of sunlight to deliver the same performance as the conventional C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid, and features a roof covered with SunPower solar cell panels, with an off-vehicle solar concentrator specially developed by Georgia Tech.

Ford C-MAX Solar Energi 05

Researchers came up with a system that employs a special Fresnel lens to direct sunlight to the solar cells while boosting the impact of the sunlight by a factor of eight. Similar in concept to a magnifying glass, the system draws enough power through the concentrator each day to equal a four-hour battery charge, equivalent to eight kilowatts.

With a full charge, the C-MAX Solar Energi Concept is estimated to have the same total 997 km range – and up to 34 km of electric-only operation – as a conventional C-MAX Energi, which features a 2.0 litre hybrid electric powertrain. Despite the solar panels, the Solar Energi retains a charge port and can be charged via cord and plug from the grid, if so desired.

Once done doing display duty at the CES, Ford and Georgia Tech will begin testing the vehicle in numerous real-world scenarios, and the outcome of those tests will help to determine if the concept is feasible as a production car.

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Anthony Lim

Anthony Lim believes that nothing is better than a good smoke and a car with character, with good handling aspects being top of the prize heap. Having spent more than a decade and a half with an English tabloid daily never being able to grasp the meaning of brevity or being succinct, he wags his tail furiously at the idea of waffling - in greater detail - about cars and all their intrinsic peculiarities here.

 

Comments

  • kadajawi on Jan 03, 2014 at 4:06 pm

    Wouldn’t it make more sense to have the solar cells with the lens standing somewhere at your house, charging batteries that later charge the car, instead of having the cells on the roof of the car? After all, you need sunlight… which is there during the day. But where is such a car, which would be suitable for commuters, while the sun is there? Not at home. Once the car is at home and could use the sun… it is gone.

    But yeah, I like the idea of using a lens to increase the intensity of the sunlight… you can also get by with smaller solar panels which would reduce the cost of such a system.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 28
    • slk3879 on Jan 03, 2014 at 4:28 pm

      I guess one of the advantage of having the solar cells with the car instead of a static station is than you can always charge the car while you are on the move.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 19 Thumb down 0
      • Archangel on Jan 04, 2014 at 12:30 am

        Agree with slk3879. Charge the car while on the move is very efficient. Endless possibilities like our beloved prime minister said. Hehe.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 1
        • kadajawi on Jan 04, 2014 at 1:40 pm

          Not efficient. The article says 1 full charge (8 kW) takes one day with the car port roof that has the lens. With that full charge you can drive for 34 km. But the lens means an 8 time increase in charging speed… so if you have parked elsewhere, or are driving, you will only get 1/8th of charge. A full charge (again, 34 km) will take 8 days. 4 km per day. Might as well install pedals inside the car for passengers. Let them generate electricity by using home trainers inside the car.

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 2
      • kadajawi on Jan 04, 2014 at 1:30 pm

        Yes, but the charge is so small without the “booster” lens that maybe you can power the aircon with it, but probably not much more. Putting solar cells on a car’s roof isn’t a new idea, but they were given up because it’s not worth it. Adding the lens to increase the amount of sunlight hitting the solar cells is what makes this special, and worthwhile.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
      • Too complicated for me to understand

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • ABTguy on Jan 03, 2014 at 4:25 pm

    Come come to Malaysia, we have abundant of sun light here !! Please install some more on the bonnet so it probably takes 3-4 hours to charge it to full in Malaysia !!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 29 Thumb down 0
    • bvc100 on Jan 03, 2014 at 4:41 pm

      For Malaysia, if someone can harness the power not only from the sun (when it’s sunny) but also rain (like the current season), then it’ll be superb.
      I’ve no idea on the latter for now. Anyone got an idea?

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 10 Thumb down 0
  • solar panels for house cost thousands a panel. i wonder how much this roof mounted solar panel with lense will cost.

    will the expensive panel cost beat the cost for charging at home with plug.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 0
    • kadajawi on Jan 04, 2014 at 1:31 pm

      And instead of putting the solar panels on the car, put them on your roof and use it to power your house, and perhaps charge the car too. The house is always outside, exposed to the sun whenever possible.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • 4G63T DSM on Jan 03, 2014 at 5:37 pm

    So a full day of charging is only 8kW. Which is equivalent of 34Km.

    in most cars this range, you will burn about 3L of petrol to go 34km. Which means given our RON95 at 2.10, is 6.30 per day of free sunlight.

    That’s actually not bad, especially multiplied 365days/year.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 13 Thumb down 0
  • I already think about this. Before this I think it is not impossible to have solar cell panels at sunroof. So now, Ford make it happen. Good

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 6
    • qwerty on Jan 05, 2014 at 3:23 pm

      This is not new tech actually. The current gen Prius already has it installed on the higher spec version when it went on sale in the US few years ago.

      Prius on sale in our region doesn’t have it because of the price hike.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • Denaihati on Jan 03, 2014 at 10:29 pm

    nice concept, alternative charging by solar panel. travel from perlis to jb about 10hrs, might be use full…
    hope the study will be success as production car.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 0
    • kadajawi on Jan 04, 2014 at 1:37 pm

      Not really. It only charges “fast” when you park the car under a special spot where you have installed the roof that has that lens. Otherwise you will only get 1/8th of the charge, to get 8 kW (full charge, enough for 34 km) you’ll need to charge the car for 8 (!) days. Only when you use the additional car port roof you’ll get 34 km from a days worth of charging.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • EnergyAnalyst on Jan 04, 2014 at 8:49 am

    Before all get to overly excited , may I ask , how competent do you think the SDAC technician is in handling solar panel on a car ? what is the level of your confidence towards them?

    Solar panel is not cheap and could be the next most expensive thing other than your engine, don’t play play because it will cost you an arm and leg just to have them

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 1
  • Mister Smart on Jan 05, 2014 at 7:03 pm

    This car is not even in production here. Further research will be done, and ppl here talk like it’s on sale already. Gimme a break! It’s a good idea, hope they can come up with one worth producing.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • LET THEM DO THE TESTING FIRST. BASED ON THE THEORY MIGHT BE NOT GOOD ENOUGH. BUT THIS BATTERY CHARGING VIA SOLAR PANEL IS AN ADDITIONAL TO THE PLUG IN.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • Let them.do the testing first. This battery charging via solar panel is an additional item. This car already got plug in charger. Price for solar panel might be expensive today but it will getting cheaper later by mass production.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • Marcus on Jan 06, 2014 at 7:30 pm

    It will be a top selling car in middle east.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
 

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