Assessment of Vehicle-Integrated Photovoltaics: A financial and environmental perspective

Abstract

Integrating photovoltaic (PV) technology into electric vehicles (EVs) promises an environmentally friendly transportation solution by increasing the energy efficiency of vehicles. On the other hand, the limited integration area of the vehicle causes PVs to have relatively lower power output. This situation creates a discussion about how reasonable a solution for PV-EV integration is from various perspectives. This study aims to provide a realistic assessment of PV-EV integration using manufacturer-provided data on solar-assisted EVs in the market. Assessments are examined in three categories: financial assessment based on payback period, environmental assessment based on carbon emissions, and usage-based assessment based on charging dependency. The findings indicate that the PV systems integrated into contemporary solar-assisted market vehicles demonstrate a return on investment within 8.7 years. From an environmental perspective, hybrid vehicles can provide up to a 12 % reduction in carbon emissions, while fully EVs can achieve reductions of up to 32.5 %. Usage-based assessments showed that PV-EV integration is especially advantageous for countries with low daily travel distances. According to the assessment, the use of PV panels in vehicles can potentially extend the usage time without recharging by up to 170 %.