When I came across this solar-powered bike, I wondered which bikemaker could be behind it. Someone well-established like Honda or Verge? Or perhaps an innovative yet frugal Chinese brand? Well, it turns out, none of them. This ingenious breakthrough comes from an architecture and design firm. No kidding!
Named MASK Architects, the firm specializes in architectural design and consultation, and engineering services. The Solaris, as the motorcycle is called, is a one-off developed as part of the firm’s "Invent and Integrate" design approach initiated by its founders.
The two-wheeler can produce power on its own without the need for fuel or big, heavy batteries, dense charging networks, or electrical grids. And for all that, the company seems to have managed to produce a rather acceptable design for a motorcycle that relies on solar energy.
There are no permanently deployed clunky solar panels hooked to the chassis, no weird cage-like roof covering the bike … in fact, the motorcycle itself looks very well styled for a prototype.
So how does it work? A set of retractable circular solar wings deploys like a canopy over the bike when parked to absorb sunlight and juice up the integrated lithium battery on the bike. This setup not only increases the solar capture area by up to 150% as compared to conventional solar panels, but also lets the motorcycle serve as its own charging station.
An intelligent solar energy management system tracks energy distribution, storage, and collection in real time. A digital cockpit provides performance data and solar charging metrics. MASK also offers the option for app connectivity to make everything easier.
The bike itself is based on an aluminum–carbon structural frame (designed to keep weight low) with a lightweight aluminum swingarm. It boasts a clear, exposed structure, a beautiful, minimal carbon-fiber tail, and plenty of LED lighting across its body.
There’s a high-torque electric motor that powers the bike, which is supported by regenerative braking technology that helps recover energy during deceleration. There are, of course, no specifics on the motor, performance, or the components used.
The concept makes a lot of sense when you consider just how many areas of the world are isolated, still developing, or are considered sensitive natural habitats, where infrastructure is scarce. In such regions, solar-powered vehicles serve as a better alternative to ICE or even EVs.
But that’s not to say it’s all perfect. First of all, the umbrella-like solar wings might take up some serious space in a parking lot. Then, the wings themselves might look atrocious to many people, but let’s be real: that’s about some of the best solar concepts we’ve seen in a while.
But until we get more deets about the actual thing and plans for any viable production, it will remain exactly that: a concept.
Source: MARS Architects
