Toyota has reportedly begun the solar testing for electric cars as its market competition heats up.

Although the electric car market is still in its growth phase, reports say it is already saturated with various companies looking to edge out the other, however, in order to establish their footprints, more innovations are needed. And that is exactly what Toyota is reportedly working on.

The Japanese manufacturer is looking to reduce the need for its electric cars to depend on charging socket which is a major feature of electric automobiles.

While the company is perfecting its electric vehicles, Toyota is said to be working on a new and improved version of solar power cells which had previously been used on Prius PHV limited to Japan.

Electric car is an automobile that is powered by rechargeable batteries charged with electricity which makes it non- dependent on diesel. It was first produced in the 1880s, but the acceptance was low as of then before gaining prominence due to environmental issues like climate change and pollution.

The cravings for electric cars has seen tech companies make an inroad into the automobile market, with Google, Amazon and Apple aiming to gain market share. Google began manufacturing of its own electric car called Waymo, Amazon partnered with Rivian for its own electric cars and Apple has Titan.

Aside electricity, a vehicle can also be powered by the solar energy. The prototype solar power cells can convert solar energy at 34% and up. It can change the car’s battery while on motion without having to park for recharge, recuperating lost power immediately.

According to report, solar cells sometimes could be placed on vehicles’ body components like the rear door and the hood. But solar-powered cars are not widely accepted as the traditionally plug-in electric cars.

Samson Oyedeyi