British automobile manufacturer Aston Martin has a rich history, and their existing rides are able to duke it out with the very best of them in the supercar category. Having said that, what does the future bode for Aston Martin? Well, the Aston Martin factory team did announce a partnership with the Hanergy Global Solar Power & Applications Group, where this synergistic relationship will involve the installation of solar panels on the roof of the Vantage GTE that will see action in the World Endurance Championship.
These solar panels will not do their bit to power the wheels, give the engine a few more horses underneath the hood, or juice up the batteries when it comes to a hybrid assist system. No sir, the solar panels are there to ensure that the car itself remains nice and cool, powering the air conditioning system instead. Considering how the air conditioner tends to suck juice from the engine, and the effect is even more pronounced on a sweltering race day, using solar panels to keep the car’s drivers nice and cool is a decent strategy that is worth looking into.
It is hoped that this system can be installed on the V12 Vantage GT3 and V8 Vantage GT4 that the company supplies to customer teams in due time. It would be nice to see such technology trickle down the to end user though, imagine if cars could be kept cool while parked with the engine turned off, using solar power to suck out all of the hot air instead.
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