Development of the Modern Automotive Industry Based on the Solar Technology Application

Abstract

In the past decades, the automotive industry is growing proportionally with the rapid population increase. On the other hand, increasing energy consumption and the use of fossil fuels have led to increased environmental pollution. A new trend in the automotive industry in the last twenty years is the development of new types of vehicles that are powered by renewable energy and the solar-powered vehicle is very popular among them. Solar photovoltaic technologies are very convenient for electric and hybrid vehicles, due to the direct conversion of solar energy to electricity, the low cost of photovoltaic panels, and their positive environmental impact. There are various types of solar cars developed by different companies, which have remarkable development in terms of materials, energy management systems, and used mechanical and electrical components. This paper represents an overview of solar energy applications in the automotive industry and the development of solar and hybrid cars. Also, a comparative analysis of different solar vehicles is presented, with the possibilities for further investigation and development of solar energy applications in the automotive industry.