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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

    The PV recedes beneath the finish

  • Production

    A process and pilot line planned for series volumes

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

Proposed application areas · Mercedes-Benz S-Class

One structural PV technology, three applications.

  1. 01

    Hood

    Structural PV laminated within the hood, beneath a colour-matched finish.

  2. 02

    Rear lid

    The same construction applied to the rear lid, shown on the saloon trunk.

  3. 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.

Concept visualisation · S-Class

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.

Preferred structural concept: thermoformed honeycomb. A glass-fibre or carbon-fibre composite construction is an alternative to be evaluated if required.

Finished section: the layers consolidated over a honeycomb core with an insert; at the right the core is compressed into a closed edge. Coloured surface + PV layers Insert Honeycomb core Inner liner Closed edge
Finished section with closed edge and insert. Schematic, not to scale.
Exploded view of the proposed double-curved structural VIPV panel, top to bottom: coloured coated polymer, encapsulant, solar pre-laminate with IBC cells, encapsulant, thermoformable honeycomb sandwich with compressed closed edges and inserts, inner liner. Closed edge
  1. 01

    Coloured, coated polymer

    Thermoformed or moulded · coated for durability

  2. 02

    Encapsulant

  3. 03

    Solar pre-laminate with IBC cells

    Interdigitated back-contact cells

  4. 04

    Encapsulant

  5. 05

    Thermoformable honeycomb sandwich

    Compressed, closed edges · inserts for hinges, latches and other components

  6. 06

    Inner liner

    Appearance, sound, fit and barrier functions

Proposed mass-production flow

Three component streams, one 3D lamination.

Component preparation · in parallel

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; not a validated factory design. Each stage includes quality checks: visual and dimensional inspection, with bond strength, EL (electroluminescence) and IV (current–voltage) measurement and function testing where relevant.

Manufacturing geography · planning assumption

Built in Stuttgart by Savcor.

Savcor manufactures the solar pre-laminate itself. This protects Savcor's core know-how and can simplify transport. Stuttgart is Savcor's proposed assembly location.

  1. Savcor · FinlandSolar pre-laminate · core PV know-how
  2. Suppliers · Germany (assumed)Front and rear plates · encapsulation foils · paints and prints · connectors · inserts and edge finish
  3. Savcor · Stuttgart (proposed)Assembly into complete parts: 3D lamination, finishing, painting and assembly
  4. Mercedes-BenzReceives the finished hood and rear-lid parts

The final production and logistics model will be aligned with the supply chain. Other locations, or transport of finished parts, are also possible.

Schematic of the proposed arrangement: Savcor solar pre-laminate from Finland to the proposed assembly in Stuttgart by Savcor; other inputs sourced in Germany. FinlandSavcor solar pre-laminate Proposed assembly in Stuttgartby Savcor Other inputs · Germany (assumed)

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 · S-Class

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 · S-Class

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.

Allocated testing cost · EUR20272028Total
Hood380,000180,000560,000
Rear lid240,000210,000450,000

Testing starts in January 2027, in parallel with development. Testing costs are allocated to 2027 and 2028. Schedule: hood testing completes by June 2029 and rear-lid testing by August 2029 at the latest.

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

Concept visualisation · S-Class, panoramic roof

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

A finish in which the PV recedes.

A colour and material catalogue that can be applied to different part geometries, developed together with Mercedes-Benz Design, with an almost invisible PV expression for the S-Class.

  1. 01
    MaterialsCatalogue of materials · touch and feel
  2. 02
    ColoursCatalogue of colours · appearance versus power output
  3. 03
    Colour matchingTo the vehicle's painted body
  4. 04
    Graphic studies · optionalSelected special effects, such as logos and graphics
€264,000Development budget, 2027

Special effects optional; scope and pricing to be agreed separately.

Concept visualisation: S-Class hood with a more visible PV cell pattern studyConcept visualisation: S-Class trunk lid with a more visible PV cell pattern study
Concept visualisation · S-Class, pattern study

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.

Budget estimate

€4.5M

Tooling, fixtures and automation

Duration · planning assumption

~18

months; schedule placement to be confirmed

Capacity · planning assumption

10,000

vehicle sets per year

Proposed production functions

  • Forming, cutting & inserting
  • Lamination
  • Painting
  • Assembly

Production capabilities: see page 6, proposed mass-production flow.

Preliminary mass-production price target · not a binding offer

Following successful completion of the project, Savcor targets a mass-production price of around €400/m². The calculation basis and exclusions are to be confirmed.

Programme view · January 2027 – December 2029

Development in 2027, testing into 2029.

  • First payment (scheduling assumption)
  • Development
  • Testing / test protocol
  • Pilot industrialisation (indicative)
  • Proposed TRL target
202720282029
CommencementFirst payment
First payment · Jan 2027 (scheduling assumption)
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 is to be confirmed. Programme commencement and timing depend on receipt of the agreed initial payment and confirmation of requirements.

Budget summary · the proposal at a glance

One proposal, from prototype to pilot production.

Five costed programmes, each with its own maturity objective. Development is planned to commence in January 2027; pilot timing remains indicative.

Total budget requirement · estimate

€6,678,000

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

Development and tooling fall in 2027; testing costs in 2027 and 2028. Testing itself continues into 2029 (schedule).

Intended outcomeMass-production-ready hood and rear lid, and a clear understanding of how to develop the interior PV shade further. Exact deliverables will be agreed as requirements are refined.

  1. 01

    Hood

    Production-geometry hood

    Development €350,000 · Testing €560,000

    TRL 6 → 8 target€910,000
  2. 02

    Rear lid

    Production-geometry rear lid

    Development €380,000 · Testing €450,000

    TRL 5 → 8 target€830,000
  3. 03

    Interior PV shade

    Early-stage PV-surface prototype

    Development €120,000 · Test protocol €54,000

    TRL 3 today€174,000
  4. 04

    Colour, material & finish

    Proposed for discussion with Mercedes-Benz Design

    2027€264,000
  5. 05

    Pilot industrialisation

    Hood and rear lid

    Budget estimate: tooling, fixtures and automation

    ~18 months€4,500,000

For discussion

From prototype to production, together.

  1. 01Application geometry and scopeHood, rear lid and interior PV shade on the Mercedes-Benz S-Class
  2. 02Development and validationDevelopment, testing and maturity targets for 2027–2029
  3. 03Pilot and commercial frameworkPilot line, capacity and the €4.5M budget estimate
SAVCOR

Thank you.

Concept visualisation · S-Class