Some companies are beginning to install solar panels on their vehicles, and the latest to join this trend is Hyundai.
Thanks to a collaboration between Worksport and the Hyundai America Technical Center, the two companies are currently testing a solar tonneau cover and the COR energy storage system on Hyundai Santa Cruz pickup trucks.
Hyundai has not revealed many details, but the solar bed cover is expected to generate up to 650 watts of power when the vehicle is parked under sunlight. This energy will be directed into an upgraded version of Worksport’s COR energy storage system, which is essentially a portable solar generator with a standard capacity of 1,500 watt-hours.
Although there are still many questions about this system, Worksport says that Hyundai has prepared the 3D data for the project, and the two companies are exploring the potential benefits of using such technology on the Santa Cruz, in order to evaluate its feasibility for production models and the possibility of further collaboration.
Interestingly, both companies have also agreed on setting a trial timeline to evaluate this system on yet-to-be-named vehicles. While the exact model or models that will feature this technology have not been officially announced, it is reported that the vehicle will be ready for presentation to Hyundai officials by October 2022.
