This New Electric Motorcycle Charges Itself With Retractable Solar-Panel Wings
Here’s one way to do away with range anxiety once and for all. MASK Architects recently unveiled an electric motorcycle concept called the Solaris. It’s a slick-looking two-wheeler, but what really caught our attention is a set of retractable wings covered in solar panels that allow it to recharge itself whenever it’s parked in the sun.
We’ve seen plenty of battery-powered two-wheelers over the years, but the Solaris is the first we can recall that can charge itself. When parked, a set of wings deploy from underneath the motorcycle’s seat, according to New Atlas. The two elements unfold to reveal canopies covered in solar cells, which feed the bike’s integrated lithium-ion battery via an intelligent energy management system. The wings do need space to spread out, though, which may make it a bit of a hassle to park in public. MASK says the feature is able to capture up to 150 percent more solar energy than typical panels, which should more than make up for the inconvenience.
The self-charging system may be Solaris’s headline feature, but it’s also a stylish bike. The two-wheeler sports a bold look that renderings of the bike suggest was inspired by the shape of a sprinting cheetah. It features an aluminum-carbon frame topped with a minimalistic carbon-fiber body and a futuristic LED light package.
Although the MASK team refers to itself as “pioneers of engineering and technology,” the Solaris appears to just be a design study as of now. The concept’s web page lacks much in the way of technical details, outside of how its unique charging systems work. The closest thing we’ve seen to the firm’s bike recently is the motocross-inspired Stark Future Varg SM. That electric motorcycle is powered by a potent carbon-fiber-sleeved electric motor that makes 80 hp and 673 ft lbs of torque. If a production version of Solaris could offer anything close to that, and charge itself, it’s not hard to imagine it becoming a hit.
Of course, for the time being, Solaris is a concept and nothing more. Still, one hopes that an electric motorcycle manufacturer takes note and is inspired by it, or, even better, works with MASK to make the two-wheeler a reality.
This article originally appeared in Robb Report US.