Solar energy has benefitted many industries around the world, but few have used it in transportation. While seen in some pioneering cars, solar energy has never been used to power a motorcycle—until now. MASK Architects has envisioned a future where there is virtually no limit as to how far we can go with SOLARIS, the world's first self-charging solar motorcycle.
Öznur Pınar Cer and Danilo Petta, founders of MASK Architects, have described SOLARIS as more than a vehicle. To them, it is an environmental intervention. This sun-powered motorcycle promises full autonomy, as it doesn't rely on fuel or the electrical grid. Instead, it is its own charging station, as its photovoltaic wings can be opened to collect sunlight when the bike is parked.
Following a vision where design is not an aesthetic gesture but a technological invention, the creators didn't draw from the latest vehicles. Instead, they turned to biomimetic design, finding inspiration in the way a leopard looks and moves. This can be seen in the muscular, forward-leaning shape of the frame, both improving the performance and setting itself apart with a unique appearance.
SOLARIS features a high-torque electric motor, a regenerative braking system that recovers kinetic energy, and a lightweight aluminum–carbon composite chassis designed to provide agility and strength. Meanwhile, an intelligent solar-energy management system monitors collection, storage, and distribution of energy in real time, allowing it to run like electric vehicles do. Riders can also track performance and solar intake in real time with the help of a digital cockpit, as well as an optional app.
On top of letting riders go the distance with only the sun literally at their backs, SOLARIS could make this type of mobility available to millions who otherwise could not access it. Among its potential users, the designers appeal to environmentally conscious individuals, eco-tourism operators, people in areas with limited charging infrastructure, logistics providers, and cities that could benefit from self-powered vehicle programs.
“A solar motorcycle that creates its own power, rewrites the economics of mobility, and offers a new path toward a world where energy belongs to everyone,” say the designers. While SOLARIS is only in its conceptual stage, it’s definitely a revolutionary idea that could change how we all move for the better.
To stay up to date with the future of SOLARIS, follow MASK Architects on Instagram.
MASK Architects introduced the concept for SOLARIS, the world's first self-charging solar motorcycle.
SOLARIS is its own charging station, as its photovoltaic wings can be opened to collect sunlight when the bike is parked.
This sun-powered motorcycle promises full autonomy, as it doesn't rely on fuel or the electrical grid.
“A solar motorcycle that creates its own power, rewrites the economics of mobility, and offers a new path toward a world where energy belongs to everyone,” say the designers.
MASK Architects: Website | Instagram
My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by MASK Architects.
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