All good things come from above: With solar cells on the roof, a bus trailer from the Munich transport company (MVG) is now starting a pilot project in regular service. The energy from the sun, which is captured with photovoltaic modules on an area of around twelve square meters on the vehicle roof, supports the electrically operated systems in the bus, including the air conditioning and the screens on board. “This is an important building block towards climate-friendly mobility,” said Munich’s second mayor Katrin habenschaden (Greens) on Thursday at the presentation on the grounds of the MVG bus depot on Hans-Thonauer-Strasse.
The sun, which had been shining lavishly throughout March, was hiding behind gray clouds this morning, but diffuse light is sufficient for the modules on the roof to produce electricity. The test in line operation is intended to show how much energy the solar cells can produce, also depending on the shading that can also occur on some routes due to the tall buildings on the roadside.
Veit Bodenschatz, Managing Director and Head of Bus at MVG, pointed out that the air conditioning in the trailer consumes more electricity than the towing vehicle can supply from the battery, especially on hot summer days. The solar cells could therefore provide decisive relief. It is expected that photovoltaics on the trailer roof will help avoid around 2500 liters of diesel fuel per year and vehicle.
Production of a car with solar cells on the body will start in 2023
The photovoltaic system for operation in local public transport was developed by the Munich start-up Sono Motors. Sono boss Laurin Hahn said at the presentation that in view of the climate catastrophe it was important to do everything possible to avoid fossil fuels. Sono Motors is one of the most successful Munich start-ups and is valued at 1.7 billion euros. Six months ago the company, which now has 250 employees, made the leap to the stock exchange. From 2023 onwards, the “Sonio”, the car with solar cells on the body, is to be produced in Sweden.
Laurin Hahn, who nine years ago started working on an old Twingo with his school friend Jona Christians in a garage in the south of Munich and gave it solar cells and an electric motor, now spoke of a “milestone on the mission to equip every vehicle with solar cells “. Solar technology in transport has great potential. For the first time in the company’s young history, this technology will now be used in local transport and will help to reduce emissions of climate-damaging carbon dioxide.
The city is subsidizing the pilot test during ongoing operation as part of the “Integrated action program to promote electromobility in Munich”. Mathieu Baudrit, Head of Solar Development at Sono Motors, thinks the money is well invested: “We’re tapping into the world’s cheapest source of energy.”