Researchers At IIT Jodhpur Unveils New Solar-Powered Electric Vehicle Charging Adaptor

New Delhi, Jun 7 (KNN) Researchers at IIT Jodhpur have developed a low-cost adaptor that will allow electric vehicle owners to charge their vehicles directly from rooftop solar panels.

The adaptor, expected to cost less than Rs 1,000, connects a solar panel on one end to an electric vehicle's charging unit on the other end. It allows power to flow from the solar panel to the vehicle's battery efficiently.

"Currently, extracting maximum power from a solar panel for EV charging without a special converter is very challenging," explained Nishant Kumar, Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering at IIT Jodhpur who led the development effort.

With solar power and electric vehicles both being promoted to combat climate change and india's fuel import costs, the adaptor could prove highly useful if the government's rooftop solar initiative is successful.

"People are increasingly looking to buy EVs, and the government is providing subsidies," Kumar noted. "But lacking ubiquitous charging stations is a major hurdle, especially in remote areas where batteries can drain quickly."

The portable, low-cost adaptor can enable EV owners to charge their vehicles from their rooftop solar panels at home or from solar-powered charging stations governments plan to install over the next five years.

A prototype has been successfully tested, and the team plans to commercially launch the product soon to support India's transition to clean energy and transportation.

(KNN Bureau)