Ford brings solar concept car to CES

The solar panels that power the Ford C-Max Solar Energi Concept are installed on the roof

Ford has revealed that it is investigating the potential of a solar powered hybrid car, unveiling its Ford C-Max Solar Energi Concept at the 2014 International CES (Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas.

Describing it as a first-of-its-kind, Ford believes the Solar Energi concept could ‘deliver the best of a plug-in hybrid without depending on an electricity grid for fuel’.

The car is powered via a solar panel on the roof, which delivers a performance equal to the C-Max Energi plug-in hybrid with a day’s worth of sunlight.

Ford reckons that by going solar, a typical owner could reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by four metric tons.

On a full charge, the solar vehicle is estimated to have a range of up to 1,000km. This equals the range in the conventional C-Max Energi hybrid.

However, it is also fitted with a charge port and so can be connected to the grid.

Ford Global director of vehicle electrification and infrastructure, Mike Tinskey said: ‘Ford C-Max Solar Energi Concept shines a new light on electric transportation and renewable energy.

‘As an innovation leader, we want to further the public dialogue about the art of the possible in moving the world toward a cleaner future.’

Ford has teamed up with SunPower and the Georgia Institute of Technology to try to figure out how to amplify the sunlight to make such a vehicle practical for everyday use.

The next stage for the Ford C-Max Solar Energi Concept is real-world testing, which will determine if we’ll ever see the vehicle on the road.