This demonstration addresses the challenge of reducing energy consumption and operational emissions in short, repetitive urban routes such as university campuses. Conventional electric buses rely solely on grid charging, limiting efficiency and flexibility. The VIPV bus demo explores how vehicle-integrated photovoltaics can contribute to on-route energy generation, extend operational range, and support more sustainable, resilient, and self-sufficient public transportation solutions under real-world operating conditions.

One VIPV Bus provided by Bozankaya will be used in a line that serves METU Campus and will be operated by the Rectorship of METU. The aim is to test the electric bus’s range gain, demonstrate its energy from solar power, and assess its impact on the battery in a scenario involving frequent stops and starts.