As part of its ambitious growth plans, Hanergy Solar is exploring wider applications of its technologies, investigating how solar power can be incorporated into many new areas to improve efficiency and enhance performance. In doing so it has turned to Aston Martin Racing for its latest project.
In line with current FIA WEC regulations, GT cars must be fitted with an air conditioning system that keeps the temperature of the cockpit below 32 degrees centigrade or 12 degrees below ambient temperature.
High temperatures in the race car can have extremely negative affects on drivers and, with the WEC travelling to hot destinations such Austin and Bahrain, it is a concern for all of the teams. However, running air conditioning causes loss of power to the engine and negatively affects the car’s fuel efficiency.

Aston Martin Racing is continually improving the comfort of its range of Vantage race cars that compete in championships around the world and the technology could be introduced to the V12 Vantage GT3 and V8 Vantage GT4 once developed.
Prodrive, which runs Aston Martin Racing on behalf of the famous brand will move to new premises in Banbury next year, so the company is also investigating how Hanergy’s solar technologies can be integrated into the new building to improve efficiency.
About Hanergy Solar Group
Hanergy Solar Group is the world’s leading thin-film photovoltaic technology enterprise with major businesses in R&D, design and assembly of large-scale thin-film solar turnkey production lines, as well as the development and operation of downstream solar power projects and application products. Hanergy Solar Group entered the solar power industry and grew rapidly since 2009, by continuing to fulfill the equipment sales agreements of thin-film solar turnkey production lines, and further extending the business to the downstream area of solar power.
Looking at the way companies are investing on Solar technologies on vehicles for electric mobility, I feel that if Solar Panels can power Air Conditioners in a car then charging the batteries would be a walk in the park. Also on a bigger sized car having greater surface area the solar cells would be sufficient and and there would be no need to "plug-in" to an electric socket to charge the car. Solar charging also keeps the batteries in top trim and never lets the batteries to deplete even when people go on extended holidays, when the car is in the open and not in the garage.