China is about to get solar cars, but they won’t work as well as you hope

A Chinese glass maker, Fuyao, has built a solar-generating glass panel meant to be used as a car's sunroof or roof glass. The company says it can produce around 150 watts of power per square meter, which is close to what a standard solar panel makes, even though the glass is see-through. Unconfirmed reports say BYD may offer it as an option on its electric vehicles for about $1,192, producing up to 720 watts at peak.

That sounds promising, but it doesn't mean solar-powered cars are here. The sunlight hitting the roof of a car simply isn't enough energy to drive the wheels — even a highly efficient electric vehicle needs far more power to accelerate than a roof panel like this could ever supply. Instead, the point of this glass is to offset power drawn by a car's electronics: things like internet connectivity, air conditioning, or a security camera system that records while the car is parked, which normally drain the battery over time.

For a homeowner, this isn't something to plan around yet. It's not confirmed which automakers, if any, will offer it, and it isn't aimed at powering a car's drive at all, just trimming a bit of the electrical drain from accessories. If you're looking to actually put solar to work for your own transportation, the more established option remains charging an electric vehicle at home from rooftop solar panels, rather than waiting on solar glass built into the car itself.