New solar panel device charges Chevy Volt completely in 6 hours

The 2011 Chevrolet Volt provides a lot of benefits for drivers who can afford the upfront costs. Benefits like driving 40 miles without using any gas, and long term economic savings. But one challenge each potential customer has to work through before taking the plunge is how to charge it. The biggest economic advantages from the Chevrolet Volt come from its electric-only mode and that means its lithium-ion batteries need regular access to electricity. That in mind, Envision Solar has a solution in the form of single vehicle Solar Socket.

The Solar Socket provides enough energy over 6 hours to charge a Chevy Volt’s batteries completely (that’s assuming enough sunlight is present). It provides shade for the Chevrolet Volt while converting sunlight into 1.8kW of power. That’s a good direction for GM to pursue with Envision Solar because together the companies are providing a way for the Volt to recharge without carbon-generated energy.

The Volt provides a flexible channel because it can repurpose energy in a pure electrical form, but as long as carbon generates that electricity the overall impact on the environment is muted. Offsetting energy production away from gasoline to another form of carbon (like coal) is a likely scenario unless other solutions become readily available.

Envision is currently marketing Solar Sockets to homeowners but they could also easily be installed in parking lots en masse. The device slowly moves throughout the day so that it gains maximum exposure relative to the sun’s position in the sky.

Providing shade for the Volt is an important benefit too because electric cars can quickly consume a majority of their energy keeping batteries cool. That power drain extends even further when considering the air conditioning cooling the inside of a cabin.

Of course none of this makes a difference if drivers don’t buy Chevrolet Volts, but here is an encouraging forecast:

Pike Research forecasts that the market for plug-in hybrid and battery electric passenger cars and light duty trucks will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 106 percent between 2010 and 2015, resulting in sales of more than 3.24 million vehicles during that period. Via an Envision Solar press release.