Solar Panel Cars

What is a solar-powered car?

Multiple solar electric vehicle startups claim they’re poised to begin distribution of solar-powered cars over the next several years. Solar electric vehicles operate much like traditional EVs but feature solar panels on the hood, roof and trunk. Adding solar charging to the increasingly efficient fleet of electric vehicles on our roads might be a game-changer for some car owners, but solar-only cars aren’t widely available as of publishing.

As with other EVs, you may still have to plug in your solar-powered car overnight. When parked in the sun, perhaps your vehicle could convert enough energy to drive between 10 and 40 miles, depending on the brand. If you have a short commute and live in a sunny area, you may find yourself charging from an outlet much less frequently.

While those with longer commutes may require more mileage than solar charging will provide in a single day, charging your car with the sun would still significantly reduce its electricity consumption — and your utility costs — throughout the year.

How do solar-powered cars work?

While companies have various approaches to creating solar electric vehicles (sEVs), they all fundamentally work the same way. Like other EVs, the car’s motor receives power from battery packs, which are charged using an external power source (either a dedicated charging port or a standard extension cord) — but sEVs can also charge via solar panels.

You can charge a solar panel car with an external power source, or you can power the car through its built-in solar panels if it’s parked in the sun.

Manufacturers have redesigned cars to be lighter and more efficient by streamlining their bodies to reduce drag, using carbon fiber and plastic instead of metal, and, in the case of some sEVs, using three wheels rather than four. These design enhancements make EVs more efficient and promote solar power as a viable charging alternative.

Any sEV will likely have to be plugged into external power fairly often, but solar charging may help reduce reliance on external chargers when you’re out and about. As with a normal EV, when you plug it in, your sEV will charge quickly from external power.

New developments in EV tech mean certain sEVs may be able to charge and be charged by other electric vehicles.

Solar panel cars pros and cons

As sEVs approach the road, a major challenge for manufacturers is overcoming the technological roadblocks associated with a sun-powered car, as well as certain societal impediments.

A clear advantage of solar-powered vehicles is their use of the world’s most abundant renewable energy source — the sun. EV owners already see massive savings on energy compared with gasoline- or diesel-powered vehicles, but sEV owners can expect further reductions in operating costs. While traditional EVs are much more climate-conscious than gas-guzzling cars, grid electricity is still often generated from fossil fuels.

Solar-powered cars also come with a number of major disadvantages. For one thing, not every part of the world sees constant sunlight. In the U.S., while cities like Phoenix and Las Vegas can see more than 200 days of sunshine a year, some areas, such as the Pacific Northwest, often have consistent cloud cover. That can make solar charging more challenging.

Solar EVs are often smaller and lighter than traditional EVs or combustion-engine cars. The smaller size and reduced weight increase the vehicle’s overall efficiency, but can also mean less storage space and passenger capacity. These lighter-weight materials are also still being tested for safety standards in accident tests.

Another challenge facing the solar vehicle market is funding. In recent years, some startups have abandoned their solar-vehicle projects or gone bankrupt.

Available solar panel cars

The sEV market is made up of a mixture of existing car manufacturers, existing EV manufacturers and startup solar EV hopefuls.

Hyundai

Some early-2020s Hyundai Sonata Hybrid model years featured a roughly 200-watt photovoltaic array on the roof. While this isn’t a feature on the 2026 model, you may consider a used or pre-owned Sonata Hybrid with the solar roof if you’re interested.

Toyota

Toyota’s Prius Plug-in Hybrid — specifically, the car’s XSE Premium model — has an optional solar panel roof.

Lightyear

Unlike Hyundai and Toyota, the Netherlands-based Lightyear has built cars with solar power in mind since the company's beginning. The first delivery of vehicles began in December 2022, when the Lightyear 0 hit the road as one of the first sEVs designed specifically for solar-powered driving.

While the Lightyear 0 is no longer being produced, the now-revamped Lightyear company continues to develop solar-powered charging systems for vehicles and hopes to eventually introduce a new vehicle, the Lightyear 2.

Aptera

Aptera, another new vehicle manufacturer in the solar EV scene, plans to re-create the idea of a car from the ground up.

The Aptera, its flagship vehicle, is a three-wheeled, two-seat car that looks more like an airplane than a standard car. Drivers in certain states may need a motorcycle license to operate it. The Aptera was designed to have an extremely low drag coefficient, a measurement of the resistance an object encounters as it moves through air.

While the vehicle is currently in testing and specs are subject to change, the company says it’s designed with about 700 watts of integrated solar cells, and that drivers will be able to go about 40 miles per day off the grid.