The EV market is flourishing, and there’s still enough room to accommodate newcomers as long as they bring something new to the game. One such contender is California-based startup Humble, which has just revealed an all-electric SUV concept called One. It aims to cure range anxiety by recharging its battery pack using a high-tech solar panel roof.
The automotive industry has its foot down on the accelerator when it comes to developing electric vehicles. Established manufacturers have joined the race after Tesla came seemingly out of nowhere and flew by them.
The Palo Alto-based company’s success story inspired many startups from the Sunshine State to focus on developing electric vehicles and help accelerate the transition to zero-emission mobility.
Newcomers such as Fisker, Lucid, Karma, or Faraday Future are working on their own vehicles and electric propulsion systems, aiming to one-day challenge Tesla’s supremacy.
The latest company to join the California EV club is called Humble Motors, and it aims to revolutionize the industry with the world's first solar-powered SUV.
Photo: Humble Motors Inc.
It’s called Humble One, and judging by the concept art, it looks awesome. The company states that SUV will be engineered to be as lightweight and efficient as possible while also providing enough space and comfort for the driver and three passengers.
Measuring 16.5 feet (5.03 meters) in length, it will be just a little longer than a Toyota Corolla and shorter than a Tesla Cybertruck. With a curb weight of approximately 4,000 lbs (1,815 kg), it’s also set to be 1,500 lbs (680 kg) lighter than the sharp-looking pickup.
Humble also tells us that the SUV will have a 0.25 drag coefficient and its powertrain will be capable of delivering a maximum output of 1,020 hp (760.6 kW) and 500 miles of range (804 km).
Photo: Humble Motors Inc.
How they plan to achieve these figures is yet unknown, but the highlight of this EV is the revolutionary roof which features 82.45 square feet (7.65 square meters) of patent-pending photovoltaic solar panels said to provide up to 60 miles (96.5 km) of range daily.
That would be enough to free the vehicles from the dependency of charging points, at least in urban daily driving scenarios. This capability would make the Humble One extremely appealing.
However, since no further details have been made available, one can’t help but remain skeptical at this point. Like I mentioned before, there are many EV startups in California, all of which have been bragging about their innovative concepts for years but haven’t released any game-changing vehicles yet.
Photo: Humble Motors Inc.
According to the information Humble has provided, the team in charge of developing the One consists of a broad mix of physicists, engineers, and designers who previously worked for automotive manufacturers like Ferrari, Piaggio, or Ford.
Maybe the combined expertise of these people will lead to an EV that will revolutionize the industry but until we get more details, it’s hard to assess this concept's potential.
Still, those who are sold by the information available can already place an order for the Humble One, which costs no less than $109,000, excluding additional taxes and options. According to the company, the SUV is set to enter production in 2024.
Vlad's first car was custom coach built: an exotic he made out of wood, cardboard and a borrowed steering wheel at the age of five. Combining his previous experience in writing and car dealership years, his articles focus in depth on special cars of past and present times. Full profile
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