Humble builds solar SUV with up to 100 km of extra range

In the US state of California, the manufacturer Humble Motors wants to take advantage of the local temperatures and launch an electric SUV on the market that also draws solar energy in addition to electric power. The model Humble One is intended to be particularly efficient through a combination of lightweight construction, aerodynamic design, and solar cells, equipped with 761 kW of power and a battery range of 500 miles, or about 800 kilometers. According to the company, an additional range of 10 to 60 miles per day can be generated by the solar cells, meaning 16 to 97 kilometers.

The cells cover 7.5 square meters of the vehicle's surface: the roof, the side windows, and the doors. The manufacturer is aware that the concept does not work equally well everywhere. To fully exploit the potential of the Humble One, it strongly depends on "where you live." However, if the approach gains traction, the market would be present, especially as the vehicle could fill another gap: In many places, a comprehensive charging infrastructure is not available, but advanced solar vehicles are not dependent on it. Humble Motors sees great future potential here.

However, for now, a large battery and existing charging technology are being used, connected to the charging point or household socket. Humble Motors quotes a base price of $190,000, and pre-orders are already said to amount to about 20 million dollars according to the company. The Humble One is expected to go into production in 2024 and be delivered in 2025.