SOLARIS solar-powered motorcycle concept revealed
You may, if you’re old like me, remember the kids’ TV cartoon called M.A.S.K. (Mobile Armoured Strike Command), a sci-fi series in which Matt Trakker fought against the terrorist group V.E.N.O.M. (Vicious Evil Network Of Mayhem) in wild transforming vehicles.
Well, this next bike could be straight from the show, and its designer isn’t a big-name motorcycle maker or investment-hungry start-up; it’s an architecture and design firm called MASK!
You may also like to read our best electric motorcycles feature.
Founded by Öznur Pınar Cer and Danilo Petta, MASK has revealed what it calls SOLARIS, which, in digital form anyway, is a fully solar-powered, autonomous motorcycle concept designed to operate without fuel or any charging infrastructure.
The SOLARIS without the wings deployed
The idea is simple enough: the bike generates its own electricity using retractable photovoltaic “wings” which extend when parked, forming a circular solar array. This collects and stores energy in a high-capacity lithium system, turning the bike into its own charging station. No cables, no plugs, and no dependency on a local grid.
The SOLARIS solar-powered motorcycle
Once underway, SOLARIS runs via a high-torque electric motor and features regenerative braking to recover energy on the move. The chassis is claimed to be made of lightweight aluminium–carbon composite, and the bike uses an intelligent energy-management system to monitor collection, storage and distribution. A digital cockpit and optional app allow riders to track performance and solar intake.
MASK says every component has been designed with autonomy in mind – aiming for low maintenance, long-term operation and freedom from external energy sources.
The SOLARIS solar-powered motorcycle
The styling follows what MASK calls a “biomimetic” approach, based, weirdly, on the movement and stance of a leopard. That influence feeds into the front geometry, frame structure and riding position, with the claim that it improves aerodynamics and weight balance as much as aesthetics.
According to MASK, the concept could have advantages in remote areas or developing regions where fuel supply or charging networks are limited or unreliable. With no need for either, the bike could operate without infrastructure support. MASK thinks that makes it a potential fit for eco-tourism operators, logistics fleets or pilot schemes in smart-city projects where low-emission transport is being trialled.
The SOLARIS solar-powered motorcycle
Operating purely on solar power also means obviously zero tailpipe emissions and reduced noise – but let’s not get started on the emissions from the production of the batteries. MASK is positioning SOLARIS not just as a motorcycle but as a demonstration of decentralised, self-generated mobility.
MASK isn’t the first design firm to put forward a motorcycle, with Aprilia leaning on Philippe Starck for its now-cult Moto 6.5. BSA also used a UK-based design firm for a potential reboot in the late 1990s to early 2000s. The bike featured on a TV show, although it ultimately never went any further.
The SOLARIS solar-powered motorcycle
SOLARIS is being presented as a vision of independent transport rather than as a production-ready machine. MASK calls it an “environmental intervention” and an alternative to the current fuel and charging-based economic model.
Whether it evolves into a usable motorcycle remains to be seen, but as a concept it asks a clear question: what happens to mobility when you remove the socket – and the pump – entirely?
Just remember not to deploy those solar arrays while you’re riding!
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