Overview
- The EU‑funded SolarMoves study, published on Thursday, May 21, 2026, analysed 1.3 million kilometres across 23 vehicle types using vehicle profiles, Meteosat satellite data and local weather measurements.
- Researchers report that passenger cars with integrated photovoltaic modules can supply up to 55% of annual energy in Central Europe and up to 80% in Southern Europe under favorable conditions.
- The study highlights the biggest gains for logistics vehicles, finding electric trucks could extend daily range by about 15% and trailers can generate roughly 55 kWh per day in summer or up to 90–110 kWh with side modules.
- A modelling scenario projects that fitting all new European vehicles with solar modules by 2030 could cut grid electricity demand by about 15.6 terawatt‑hours, though that result depends on wide adoption and optimistic assumptions about parking and use patterns.
- Commercial paths are diverging: several solar‑car start‑ups have stopped full vehicle programs and now sell modules, while some firms report production milestones, leaving the technology validated by research but uneven in market readiness.