Panasonic Corporation has announced that it has developed the HITTM Photovoltaic Module for Automobile, which was adopted for the new Prius PHV released in February 2017 by Toyota.
Panasonic’s automotive prismatic lithium-ion batteries were also used for the drive batteries, as with the Prius PHV that was released in 2012.
Panasonic Corporation has worked on the development of new applications of solar cells through the use of high-performance technologies that have been accumulated through the development, manufacture, and sales of photovoltaic modules for residential, public and industrial use.
Panasonic’s solar cells have a structure that combines a crystalline silicon substrate and an amorphous silicon film, and feature high conversion efficiency and good temperature characteristics, claims the manufacturer.
Conventional automotive solar cells can output up to several tens of watts and have been used only for the auxiliary charging of 12 V batteries and ventilation power sources for parked cars; however, the use of the features of Panasonic’s solar cells allow a high output (approx.180 W) in a limited area on a car’s roof, enabling the charging of the drive lithium-ion batteries as well as 12 V batteries, resulting in a possible extension of an EV’s travel distance and increased in fuel economy.
Panasonic has also developed technologies to laminate 3D curved glass to match the new Prius PHV’s body design, achieving the installation of modules on the roof without impairing the design.a