Nissan Adds Solar Panels to EVs: Get Extra 23 Km of Range Daily by Sunbathing!

On January 30, Nissan unveiled a solar-powered concept car based on the Ariya at the 2026 Clean Energy Day event. By integrating photovoltaic modules into the vehicle body, the car can recharge via sunlight, adding up to 23 kilometers of extra driving range per day under optimal sunlight conditions.

The concept car features integrated photovoltaic modules with a total area of approximately 3.8 square meters on the engine hood, roof, and tailgate, generating electricity that is directly fed into the drive battery.

The project was jointly developed by Nissan's Dubai Product Planning team and the Barcelona Powertrain Design team, with photovoltaic technology in collaboration with Dutch company Lightyear, and battery integration and energy management systems independently developed by Nissan.

Real-world data shows that the solar charging performance of the system is affected by regional sunlight conditions. In sunny Dubai, the vehicle can gain an additional 21.2 km of range per day; in Barcelona, the average daily increase is 17.6 km; while in cloudy London, this figure is only 10.2 km.

During a two-hour, 80-kilometer test drive, the solar module generated 0.5 kWh of electricity, corresponding to an increase of 3 kilometers in range.

It is reported that the system can reduce external charging needs for electric vehicles by 35% to 65%. For commuters with an annual mileage of approximately 6,000 kilometers, the number of external charges per year can be reduced from 23 to 8 under ideal conditions.

However, Nissan has also made it clear that there are no current plans to mass-produce this solar-powered concept car.