Impact of Environmental Conditions on the Degree of Efficiency and Operating Range of PV-Powered Electric Vehicles

Abstract

This paper investigates the impact of environmental conditions on the possible output power of photovoltaic (PV) installations on top of hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and battery-powered electric vehicles (BEVs). First, we discuss the characteristics and behavior of PV cells in order to provide an understanding of the energy source that we aim to integrate into vehicles. Second, we elaborate on how PV cells and panels can be simulated to estimate the potential extension of the electrical driving range (ERE) of BEVs and HEVs. In particular, we concentrate on the impact of the vehicle’s curved roof surface on the possible output of the PV installation. In this research, we present considerations for vehicles in both parking and driving conditions. More precisely, we demonstrate how the frequently changing environmental conditions that occur while driving represent significant challenges to the control of the operating voltage of PV cells. As the area for deploying PV cells on top of an electric vehicle is limited, attention needs to be paid to how to optimize and maximize the degree of efficiency of PV-powered electric vehicles.