Sono Motors is planning to make the solar technology it created for its electric vehicle accessible to a wider audience. The company is beginning this expansion by collaborating with autonomous shuttle developer EasyMile.

The Germany-based company announced on Tuesday, during a presentation at the virtual 2021 CES technology event, that it will be offering licenses for its solar body panel technology to other businesses. EasyMile, a provider of electric, self-driving shuttle buses for organizations like governments and universities, will be the first to incorporate these solar panels into its vehicles, as stated by Sono Motors co-founder and CEO Laurin Hahn following the unveiling of the company’s next-generation Sion solar electric car.

At first glance, the Sono Motors Sion appears to be a standard compact car with a dark-colored finish. However, a closer look reveals that the vehicle’s entire exterior is constructed from hundreds of solar cells embedded in a polymer material rather than glass.

According to Arun Ramakrishnan, senior solar integration manager at Sono Motors, this construction method results in panels that are more durable, cost-effective, and efficient than currently available alternatives, and they can be adapted for use on a variety of surfaces.

The solar body panels are designed to be lightweight—similar in weight to conventional car body panels—and the polymer coating protects the cells from fracturing, the company explained.

These solar cells transform sunlight into electricity, which is then stored in the vehicle’s battery. The cells function whether the vehicle is in motion or stationary, and Sono Motors estimates they can add approximately 21.7 miles of driving range per day for the Sion, based on typical weather conditions in Munich.

The goal is to lessen the reliance of vehicles on traditional charging stations, Hahn stated.

The solar body panels are not intended to eliminate the need for conventional charging. Instead, they aim to decrease the frequency with which a vehicle needs to be plugged in. Sono Motors indicated that integrating solar technology into the Sion extends the charging interval from weekly to approximately every four weeks, based on an average daily commute of 10 miles in Germany.

Sono Motors also showcased a trailer equipped with the solar body panels on Tuesday, demonstrating one potential application of the technology. This trailer, currently a prototype, is capable of producing up to 80 kilowatt hours of energy each day.

“Consider the substantial possibilities,” Ramakrishnan commented, suggesting the technology could benefit refrigerated transport vehicles and other commercial fleets.