Topical Review for Vehicle Integrated Photovoltaics

Abstract

Vehicle integrated Photovoltaic (VIPV)-powered vehicles are expected to play a critical role in a future carbon neutrality society because it has been reported that the VIPVs have a great ability to reduce CO2 emission from the transport sector. Development of high-efficiency, low-cost, highly reliable solar cell modules is very important for VIPV. This paper presents a topical review for the VIPV. In this paper, impacts of high-efficiency solar cell modules on increases in electric vehicle (EV) driving distance, reducing CO2 emission and charging cost saving of EV powered by VIPV are shown. The paper also overviews development of high-efficiency VIPV modules and discusses about reliability, partial shading 3-dimensional curvature and color variations of VIPV modules. Future prospects for VIPV modules are also presented in this paper.