Whether you’re an urban courier or going off-grid, charging up your vehicle not only costs money but precious time.
Sardinia-based architecture firm Mask Architects acknowledges that while electrification can be great in transportation, we might only be halfway there. Their solution is a solar-powered electric motorcycle that can charge itself with a set of deployable paneled wings. Still just a proof of concept, the technology could certainly find its way into production vehicles if companies pay close attention.
Inventors First, Architects Second
If you’re familiar with Mask Architects, you know founders Öznur Pınar Çer and Danilo Petta don’t operate like a traditional design studio. Since establishing the firm in 2020 in Olbia, Sardinia, they’ve considered themselves as “inventor architects” — a practice that folds aerospace engineering, green energy systems, and advanced construction methods into everything they touch. Their EXOSTEEL construction system brought 3D-printed steel exoskeletons to modular housing, and projects like the ONYX H2-BO 85 earned them a 2024 Green Good Design Award. The Solaris extends that same cross-disciplinary ethos into transport design, treating the motorcycle as a technological intervention.
The biomimetic approach here draws from leopard anatomy. The stretched front geometry, muscular frame structure, and forward-leaning stance translate the animal’s biological movement into mechanical form. The design influences aerodynamics, weight distribution, and the riding experience itself. An aluminum-carbon composite chassis keeps the bike light and agile while maintaining structural integrity, and the swingarm is constructed from solid aluminum for durability under load.
How It Actually Works
The retractable photovoltaic wings are the headline feature here, and for good reason. When parked, they deploy from beneath the seat and unfold into a circular solar array that Mask claims captures up to 150 percent more energy than conventional flat panels. An intelligent energy management system monitors collection, storage, and distribution, feeding power into a high-capacity lithium battery pack. The result is a motorcycle that functions as its own charging station — no cables, no infrastructure, no dependence on a grid.
Once underway, a high-torque electric motor delivers instant acceleration without gears, while regenerative braking recaptures kinetic energy that would otherwise be lost as heat. The digital cockpit tracks speed, battery levels, and solar intake in real time, with optional app connectivity for riders who want deeper performance metrics. If the sun cooperates, your range becomes theoretically unlimited — though real-world conditions like cloud cover and short winter days will obviously pose some issues.
The LED lighting package runs along the body for nighttime visibility, and the entire bike is engineered to handle rain and prolonged sun exposure without degradation.
Where It Could Go
Operating exclusively on solar power eliminates CO₂ emissions and noise pollution, but more importantly, it removes the need for fuel stations or charging networks entirely. That opens up applications in remote regions, developing communities, protected natural areas, and anywhere infrastructure is fragile or nonexistent.
Of course, the Solaris is still a concept, and Mask’s web page is light on technical details beyond the solar system itself. There’s no confirmed production timeline, no performance benchmarks like 0-60 or top speed, and no indication of what a real-world price point might look like. And if a motorcycle manufacturer takes notice and decides to collaborate with Mask on bringing this to production, we’d have a real contender on our hands.
Spec Sheet
Model: Solaris
Motor: High-torque electric motor
Chassis: Aluminum-carbon composite
Charging System: Retractable circular photovoltaic wing array (claimed 150% increased solar capture vs. flat panels)
Battery: High-capacity lithium system with intelligent energy management
Braking: Regenerative braking system
Features: Digital cockpit, optional app connectivity, LED lighting package
Design Philosophy: Leopard-inspired biomimetics
Range: Not disclosed
Status: Concept
Pricing & Availability
The Solaris is currently a proof of concept with no confirmed production plans or pricing. However, Mask Architects’ history of turning speculative projects into built realities suggests this could evolve beyond renderings if the right partner comes along.
Recap
Mask Architects Solaris Electric Motorcycle
Mask Architects just unveiled the Solaris, a concept motorcycle with retractable solar wings that let it charge itself without plugging in anywhere thanks to a set of deployable charging wings.
