The rise in sales and popularity of electric vehicles across the world is now quite solid, as most carmakers are now shifting to EVs and strategizing their ultimate goals based on it. But some concerns remained, like setting up ample charging infrastructure or ending dependency on fossil fuel to engender power and cut carbon footprint. One carmaker has set on a mission to accomplish just that by utilizing solar power to charge up its electric vehicles.
Humble Motors, an electric vehicle startup based in California, which recently showcased World’s first solar powered SUV Humble One. Founded in 2020 by industry veterans including an award-winning Formula 1 race car designer, Humble Motors has restored the sunroof on top with a panel that has photovoltaic cells. These cells will help store solar energy that the vehicle will use to recharge itself, even on the go.
Humble Motors is using solar roof, electricity-generating sidelites, peer-to-peer charging, regenerative braking, and fold-out solar array ‘wings’ for the SUV. With all these technologies the SUV can recharge the battery while being parked, generating enough electrical energy to enhance driving range by 15-95 kms every day. The numbers may differ from different places depending on how much sunlight they get every year.
As long as the technical details of the Humble One concept SUV concerned, the specifications are tempting enough to delight many people. The four-door, five-seat SUV claims to have a range of over 800 kms on a single charge. The figure is better than even some of the leading electric vehicles currently available across the world. Humble Motors also declared that the SUV can churn out a maximum 1020 hp of power and is 0.25 drag coefficient.
The Humble One concept SUV stands 5,029 mm long, slightly longer than a Toyota Corolla. It is shorter than the Tesla Cybertruck, and weighs 1814 kgs, about 680 kgs lighter than the US carmaker’s flagship electric pickup.
Humble founder Dima Steesy said, “We think solar is the future of mobility and that solar-powered electric vehicles are the clear next step to tackling carbon neutrality in the transportation ecosystem.” The Humble One solar-powered SUV is still at a concept stage, but it commits some delightful prospects for the industry, which is actually shifting towards electrification.
Solar-powered cars will not only reduce dependency on fossil-fuel generated power to recharge electric vehicles, it also promises to help reduce overall cost for the producer or governments to set up charging infrastructure separately.