Mercedes-Benz claims to be developing a solar paint job that may provide enough energy to meet the daily demands of the typical LA driver.The Mercedes-Benz

Solar paint is not a new idea in and of itself; there are a few different techniques, mainly within the research space, that allow photovoltaic material to be sprayed directly onto surfaces. Painting entire cars with it, however, would be quite a leap forward – and that’s what Mercedes-Benz is talking about as part of a new “Pioneering innovations for the car of the future” presentation outlining some key research programs it’s working on.The solar paint layer would live underneath the car’s color paint, protecting it from the elementsMercedes-Benz

• The solar paint would add just 5 micrometers (0.0002 in) of thickness and 50 g of weight per square meter (0.17 oz per square foot) to a standard paint job
• It would operate at around 20% efficiency
• An area of 11 sq m (118 sq ft), or roughly the painted surface of a mid-size SUV, “could produce enough energy for up to 12,000 km (7,456 miles) a year under ideal conditions” in Stuttgart, Germany
• That annual figure would be closer to 20,000 km (12,427 miles) in LA, or 14,000 km (8,700 miles) in Beijing
• It contains no rare earths, no silicon, no toxic or supply-limited materials
• It’s recyclable
• It’s “considerably cheaper to produce than conventional solar modules”