Structural VIPVPath to mass production

A development and industrialisation proposal from Savcor to Mercedes-Benz

Confidential · Proposal 2027–2028

Concept visualisation · S-Class

The integration opportunity

Energy-active body panels that keep the automotive finish.

Solar cells laminated inside structural body panels, beneath a coloured, coated surface designed to read as the vehicle's finish.

Structure
The panel is the part, not an add-on module
Surface
Solar cells subtly integrated beneath the coloured finish
Production
A process and pilot line planned for series volumes

Concept visualisation: S-Class hood with a subtle integrated PV cell pattern — Concept visualisation · S-Class hood and trunk lid

Concept visualisation: S-Class trunk lid with a subtle integrated PV cell pattern — Concept visualisation · S-Class hood and trunk lid

Proposed application areas · S-Class and Mercedes-Maybach

One structural PV technology, three applications.

01
Hood
Structural PV laminated within the hood, beneath a colour-matched finish.
02
Rear lid
The same construction applied to the rear lid, shown on the saloon trunk.
03
Interior PV shade
A PV surface for a shade moving across the panoramic-roof opening.

Supported by colour, material and finish development and a proposed pilot line: five costed programmes in total.

The proposal at a glance

One proposal, from prototype to pilot production.

Five costed programmes, each with its own maturity objective, running in parallel from January 2027.

Total budget requirement · estimate

€6,678,000

Development & tooling€850,000
Testing & test protocol€1,064,000
Appearance and pilot€4,764,000

€3,311,333 in 2027 · €3,366,667 in 2028

01
Hood
Production-geometry hood
Development €350,000 · Testing €560,000
TRL 6 → 8 target€910,000
02
Rear lid
Production-geometry rear lid
Development €380,000 · Testing €450,000
TRL 5 → 8 target€830,000
03
Interior PV shade
Early-stage PV-surface prototype
Development €120,000 · Test protocol €54,000
TRL 3 today€174,000
04
Colour, material & finish
Proposed for discussion with Mercedes-Benz Design
2027€264,000
05
Pilot industrialisation
Hood and rear lid
~18 months€4,500,000

Prototype photographs

Built, not rendered.

Structural PV prototype parts already exist, including hood geometry. Finish and colour are still in development.

HoodCurrent TRL 6
Rear lidCurrent TRL 5
Interior PV shadeCurrent TRL 3

Blue structural PV prototype panel on a drying rack — PrototypeStructural PV panel

Gloved hands placing hexagonal blue solar cells on a work surface — Prototype buildCell placement

Curved dark blue PV prototype panel with visible cell structure — PrototypeCurved panel, cells visible

Hood prototype with a colour-shift evaluation finish on a test fixture — Development sampleHood prototype with a colour-effect evaluation finish; not a proposed colour

Structural layer architecture

One laminated structure, six functional layers.

Savcor's proposed build-up on a double-curved panel: the solar pre-laminate sits between a coloured polymer skin and a thermoformable honeycomb sandwich with compressed, closed edges.

Finished section with closed edge and insert. Schematic, not to scale.

01
Coloured, coated polymer
Thermoformed or moulded · coated for durability
02
Encapsulant
03
Solar pre-laminate with IBC cells
Interdigitated back-contact cells
04
Encapsulant
05
Thermoformable honeycomb sandwich
Compressed, closed edges · inserts for hinges, latches and other components
06
Inner liner
Appearance, sound, fit and barrier functions

Proposed mass-production flow

Three component streams, one 3D lamination.

Component preparation

Integration

Finishing

Front plate

Solar
pre-laminate

Rear plate

01

Preprocess

02

Thermoforming

Cells · encapsulation · back sheet

03

Pre-lamination

04

Preprocess

05

Forming

06

3D lamination

On tool, autoclave crosslinking

07

Post-processing

08

Painting

09

Assembly

Proposed process from the Savcor production plan. Quality checks for each stage follow on the next pages.

Stages 01–03 · component preparation

Front plate and solar pre-laminate.

Front plate

01Preprocess

Screen printing / laser cutting

Input

Extruded PC

Output

2D pre-form part

ChecksVisual · Dimensions · Bond strength

Front plate

02Forming

Thermoforming

Input

2D pre-form part

Output

3D front plate

ChecksVisual · Dimensions

Solar pre-laminate

03Pre-lamination

Pick & place, then lamination

Input

Cells, encapsulation, conductive back sheet

Output

Solar pre-laminate

ChecksVisual · Dimensions · EL · IV

EL: electroluminescence imaging · IV: current–voltage measurement

Stages 04–06 · rear plate and integration

Rear plate and 3D lamination.

Rear plate

04Preprocess

Milling & friction welding

Input

2D honeycomb

Output

Plate with inserts and cut-outs

ChecksVisual · Dimensions · Bond strength

Rear plate

05Forming

Compression moulding

Input

2D honeycomb

Output

3D rear plate

ChecksVisual · Dimensions

Integration

063D lamination

Evacuation lamination on tool; crosslinking in autoclave

Input

3D front plate, solar pre-laminate, encapsulation, 3D rear plate

Output

3D solar laminate

ChecksVisual · Dimensions

Stages 07–09 · finishing

From laminate to complete part.

Finishing

07Post-processing

Trimming, opening contacts, mounting and connecting junction boxes, testing

Input

3D laminate, connectors

Output

3D solar part

ChecksVisual · IV · EL

Finishing

08Painting

Spray painting

Input

3D solar part, paint with effect pigments

Output

Coloured 3D solar part

ChecksVisual

Finishing

09Assembly

Final assembly

Input

3D solar part, mounting components, seals, latches

Output

Complete solar part

ChecksVisual · Dimensions · Function

Proposed process from the Savcor production plan; not a validated factory design.

Manufacturing geography · planning assumption

Proposed manufacturing footprint.

The planning assumption places manufacturing in Stuttgart, with the Savcor solar pre-laminate supplied from Finland and other inputs sourced in Germany.

Manufacturing locationStuttgart, DE
Savcor solar pre-laminateFinland
Front and rear platesGermany
Encapsulation foilsGermany
Paints and printsGermany
ConnectorsGermany
Inserts and edge finishGermany

01 · HOOD

Hood

The most advanced application, demonstrated with the prototype in a relevant environment.

TRL 6

Current status

TRL 7

Target after 10 months of development

TRL 8

Target within 18 months

Proposed targets for the technology; not qualification of the pictured vehicle.

Concept visualisation · S-Class

Concept visualisation · Mercedes-Maybach

Hood · development proposal

One production-geometry hood, developed and tested in parallel.

Development & tooling

Jan – Oct 2027

Actual production geometry · single hood · all tooling included

€350,000

Testing

Jan 2027 – Jun 2029

Staged test parts; complete by June 2029 at the latest

€560,000

€380,000 in 2027 · €180,000 in 2028

Hood total · estimate

€910,000

02 · REAR LID

Rear lid

The hood's structural architecture, developed in parallel and shown here on the saloon trunk lid.

TRL 5

Current status

TRL 7

Target after 12 months of development

TRL 8

Target within 20 months

Proposed targets, assuming development in parallel with the hood.

Concept visualisation · S-Class

Concept visualisation · Mercedes-Maybach

Rear lid · development proposal

One production-geometry rear lid, tested in parallel.

Budget based on the original tailgate scope; its application to the saloon trunk lid is a planning assumption.

Development & tooling

Jan – Dec 2027

Actual production geometry · single part · all tooling included

€380,000

Testing

Jan 2027 – Aug 2029

Staged test parts; complete by August 2029 at the latest

€450,000

€240,000 in 2027 · €210,000 in 2028

Rear lid total · estimate

€830,000

Hood & rear lid · test programme

Staged testing, from flat samples to production parts.

Jan 2027Jan 2028Jan 2029

Flat miniature samplesMonths 1–3
Full-size flat samplesMonths 4–6
Production-geometry partsFrom about month 6, as testing requires

Hood

Jun 2029 at the latest

Rear lid

Aug 2029 at the latest

Testing cost allocation · EUR	2027	2028	Total
Hood	380,000	180,000	560,000
Rear lid	240,000	210,000	450,000

Testing starts in January 2027, in parallel with development, and continues into 2029. Costs are allocated to 2027 and 2028; financial phasing to be confirmed.

03 · Interior PV shade · indicative panoramic-roof integration concept

Shade inside. Solar energy above.

A PV surface for an interior shade that moves across the panoramic-roof opening. Savcor proposes to develop the PV surface; the mechanical shade system is not part of this proposal.

Scope: PV-surface development
Objective 2027: An early-stage PV-surface prototype and its test protocol
Maturity: TRL 3 today; the target level is to be agreed

Development & tooling

€120,000

Test-protocol development

€54,000

Total · 2027

€174,000

04 · Colour, material & finish (CMF) · 2027

Solar technology. Subtly integrated.

Solar cells subtly integrated beneath the coloured finish. Proposed for discussion with Mercedes-Benz Design: a barely perceptible cell pattern for the S-Class, and a more visible, refined expression for Mercedes-Maybach.

01
MaterialsCatalogue of materials · touch and feel
02
ColoursCatalogue of colours · appearance versus power output
03
Colour matchingTo the vehicle's painted body
04
Graphic studiesSelected special effects, such as logos and graphics

€264,000Development budget, 2027

Concept visualisation: Mercedes-Maybach with a visible, refined PV cell pattern on the hood — Concept visualisation · Mercedes-Maybach

05 · Pilot industrialisation · hood & rear lid

A proposed pilot line for hood and rear lid.

Greenfield equipment installation in an existing building: low-volume mass-production tools and lines.

Proposed Mercedes-Benz contribution

€4.5M

Proposed, not yet agreed

Duration · planning assumption

~18

months; schedule placement to be confirmed

Capacity · planning assumption

20,000

units per year; unit definition to be confirmed

Proposed production functions

Forming, cutting & inserting
Lamination
Painting
Assembly

Programme view · January 2027 – December 2029

Development in 2027, testing into 2029.

Development
Testing / test protocol
Pilot industrialisation (indicative)
Proposed TRL target

202720282029

HoodDevelopment

Jan–Oct 2027

TRL 7 targetTRL 8 target

Testing

Jan 2027 – Jun 2029

Rear lidDevelopment

Jan–Dec 2027

TRL 7 targetTRL 8 target

Testing

Jan 2027 – Aug 2029

Interior PV shadePrototype

2027

Target maturity to be agreed

Test protocol

Test-protocol development

CMFColour, material & finish

2027

Pilot industrialisationHood & rear lid

~18 months · placement indicative

Indicative schedule. Testing is shown to the latest stated end dates; pilot placement and financial phasing are to be confirmed.

Budget summary · estimate

Programme budget requirement.

€6,678,000

Budget 2027€3,311,333
Budget 2028€3,366,667

Planning allocation as stated. Testing continues into 2029; financial phasing to be confirmed.

Budget requirement by programme · EUR
Programme	Development & tooling	Testing / test protocol	Total
Hood	350,000	560,000	910,000
Rear lid	380,000	450,000	830,000
Interior PV shade	120,000	54,000¹	174,000
Subtotal	850,000	1,064,000	1,914,000
Colour, material & finish	–	–	264,000
Pilot industrialisation²	–	–	4,500,000
Total			6,678,000

Test-protocol development.
Proposed Mercedes-Benz contribution.

Concept visualisation · Mercedes-Maybach

For discussion

From prototype to production, together.

01Application geometry and scopeHood, rear lid and interior PV shade on S-Class and Mercedes-Maybach
02Development and validationDevelopment, testing and maturity targets for 2027–2029
03Pilot and commercial frameworkPilot line, capacity and the proposed €4.5M contribution

Thank you.