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Longread

Solar cells in vehicles (VIPV): between research and realism

A realistic vision on the potential and challenges for further market adoption of vehicle-integrated photovoltaics

Summary

In the World Solar Challenge, student teams compete in solar-powered prototype cars. In this year’s race (that takes place in Morocco), the KU Leuven Agoria team counted on imec to fabricate their solar panels.

Vehicle-integrated photovoltaics (VIPV) has also already entered the commercial market as an option in four-door vehicles and through a few highly innovative startups.

Imec expert Loic Tous depicts a realistic future for the further breakthrough of VIPV and lists the technology research challenges that lie ahead.