Batman meets Tron with the Solar Powered Vehicle

We know that solar-powered vehicles could be the next big thing in view of depleting fuel sources and their exorbitant costs. So why is it that they aren’t more popular? Sure, they aren’t really cheap to make but considering people shell out a lot of cash for conventional cars, you would think they would do the same for solar-powered ones. Granted, there aren’t many that have been mass produced but the few that have don’t seem to have exactly made it to the list of top cars. The reason is because they don’t score well in the looks department and receive low marks for performance.

Solar-Powered Concept Car

To deal with the problem of looks, London-based designer Omer Sagiv has created a concept called SPV or solar powered vehicle. Combining what we feel are vehicles from the Tron: Legacy and Batman flicks, Sagiv has given us a solar-powered car that looks pretty awesome. Kind of like a manta ray, the SPV has a flat surface that’s filled with solar panels to harness as much energy out of the sun. The black beast’s PV cells lend it a lightly striped and checkered pattern while fins at the side make it look like its ready to fly.

The reflective rectangular-shaped creation sports a bump in the middle which is where the cockpit is located. If you’ve seen stealth bombers, you can’t miss the similarity they share with the SPV in terms of aesthetics. A shaft in the middle of the vehicle’s surface acts like an integrated cooling system so that the solar panels don’t burn out. According to Sagiv, the aerodynamic form of the shaft allows it to gather more sunlight especially when it’s driven for long distances under sunny skies. Entry and exit is by way of the rear where part of the structure can fold up.

Picture Gallery

Solar-Powered Concept Car

Solar-Powered Concept Car by Omer Sagiv

The reason why the SPV appears so glossy is due to its aluminum structure that contains flexible thin film modules. It is these modules that enable it to harvest as much energy as possible, making it an energy generating machine on the go. But what has to take the cake is the SPV’s ability to recharge your home power with the surplus energy it collects from its many PV panels. In addition, the car can also be recharged from a conventional power outlet if the sun decides to play hide-and-go-seek.

The SPV may or may not see the light of commercial production. But like all green concept cars, it gives us an insight into what the future of solar-powered cars could look like. We do have the technology and the means to produce these marvels; we’re just waiting for the day when automakers begin taking a keen interest in changing the way automobiles are produced.

Via: TheAltanticCities