Ford has recently unveiled the C-MAX Solar Energi concept equipped with a solar roof panel at the 2014 CES.
The interesting concept is a plug-in hybrid with a battery pack that can be charged not only from an electrical outlet but also with the help of the solar energy. It comes fitted with a specially developed concentrator which acts like a magnifying glass to direct the sun’s rays to the solar panels mounted on the vehicle’s roof.
According to the Blue Oval company, a day’s worth of sunlight can provide the vehicle with the same level of performance offered by the C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid which can do 108 MPGe city / 92 MPGe highway / 100 MPGe combined and offer a range of 620 miles (998 km). Ford claims that using this vehicle would reduce annual gas emission by as much as four metric tons per owner each year.
The 2014 Ford C-MAX Solar Energi concept will be shown at CES and is the result of a collaboration between Ford, SunPower Corp. and Georgia Institute of Technology. The concept will be further tested in the coming months to see if its production feasible and any decision will be taken only after that.
