Ford reveals solar-powered people-mover

Ford has produced a solar-powered version of its C-MAX people-mover that it claims could power most trips by the average driver using only free power from the sun.

Due to make its world debut at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas next week, the Ford C-MAX Solar Energi Concept is based on the plug-in hybrid C-MAX Energi wagon already available in the US.

Retaining its donor vehicle’s ability to be charged via a household power outlet, the concept adds a roof-mounted solar panel that is said to act like a magnifying glass.

Ford claims it takes a day’s sunlight to deliver the same performance as the standard C-MAX Energi PHEV, with the solar panel capable of generating 8kW of power -- equal to a four-hour battery charge.

The Blue Oval says the technology, which will undergo testing to determine its production feasibility, could therefore be particularly useful in areas with underdeveloped or unreliable electricity infrastructure.

The C-MAX concept car’s solar panels were supplied by Ford’s solar technology partner, SunPower, while the Fresnel-type 'concentrator' lens, which features concentric arrangements of tiny prisms that track sunshine like a thin magnifying glass, was developed by the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Ford says the car has the ability to travel on solar power alone for 75 per cent of all trips made by an average driver, which could result in a reduction of greenhouse gas output by four metric tons per annum – about what an average US household produces over four months.

The standard C-MAX Energi combines a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with an electric motor for a combined power output of 140kW and fuel consumption of 5.4L/100km, but Ford says its solar capability could have that to around 2.5L/100km.

A number of current production models already employ roof-mounted solar panels to operate interior ventilation systems, but this is the first time on-board solar panels have been used to directly power a car’s battery pack.

“Ford C-MAX Solar Energi Concept shines a new light on electric transportation and renewable energy,” said Mike Tinskey, Ford’s global director of vehicle electrification and infrastructure.

“As an innovation leader, we want to further the public dialogue about the art of the possible in moving the world towards a cleaner future.”

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