Mercedes-Benz is developing a new way to power electric vehicles that removes the need to plug the EV into a power station. The car manufacturer says it’s working on “solar paint” that harnesses power from the Sun to charge the vehicle. The idea is to cover the vehicle in solar panels to power EV owners’ daily driving.

Solar Paint

Mercedes-Benz claims that “solar paint” could power an electric vehicle; Photo: Mercedes-Benz

During a future technology showcase in Sindelfingen, Germany, the automaker teased the idea of solar paint. According to the German automaker, it’s a photovoltaic material that starts as a paste and is applied to panels in a layer thinner than a strand of hair. If the paint covered every panel of a mid-size SUV, it would create 118 square feet of sun-harnessing surface area.

Mercedes-Benz claims a vehicle plastered with this solar development could capture enough energy to drive about 12,500 miles a year in sun-soaked Los Angeles. However, in a cloud-filled city like Stuttgart, Germany, it could only harness enough sunshine to power a car 7,500 miles a year, although that is still an impressive number.

The automaker keeps the ingredients of the photovoltaic material secret. However, the company says it contains no rare earths or silicon and relies on readily available, non-toxic raw materials.

More Than Paint

A solar paint demonstration; Photo: Motortrend

It’s not just the paint that does all of the work. According to a report from Motortrend, “Each body panel needs to be galvanically isolated and wired into a power converter.” Electricity from the power converter is sent to the batter or directly to the motor. The solar material is coated with nanoparticle-based paint, which allows 94% of the Sun’s energy to reach the photovoltaic coating.

Because the paint itself isn’t harnessing the energy, it plays a role in how much the material absorbs. Owners have a full spectrum of color choices, with darker colors capable of capturing more energy than lighter hues. Think of wearing a black T-shirt in the summer compared to a white T-shirt. You’re most likely going to get hotter in the black shirt. The same idea applies to the paint, of course.

There’s no telling if the concept will make it to production, as it’s still an advanced research project. However, since Mercedes is openly talking about solar paint, maybe there is some hope in solar advancement.