Assemblies of solar cells are used to make solar modules that generate electrical power from sunlight, as distinguished from a "solar thermal module" or "solar hot water panel". A solar array generates solar power using solar energy.
The first instance of photovoltaic cells within vehicular applications was around midway through the second half of the 1900's. In an effort to increase publicity and awareness in solar powered transportation Hans Tholstrup decided to set up the first edition of the World Solar Challenge in 1987.
It was a 3000 km race across the Australian outback where competitors from industry research groups and top universities around the globe were invited to compete.
General Motors ended up winning the event by a significant margin with their Sunraycer vehicle that achieved speeds of over 40 mph.
Contrary to popular belief however solar powered cars are one of the oldest alternative energy vehicles. Current solar vehicles harness energy from the Sun via Solar panels which are a collected group of solar cells working in tandem towards a common goal.
These solid-state devices use quantum mechanical transitions in order to convert a given amount of solar power into electrical power. The electricity produced as a result is then stored in the vehicle's battery in order to run the motor of the vehicle. Batteries in solar-powered vehicles differ from those in standard ICE cars because they are fashioned in a way to impart more power towards the electrical components of the vehicle for a longer duration.