Researchers developed an off-vehicle solar concentrator that uses a special Fresnel lens to direct sunlight to the solar cells while boosting the impact of the sunlight by a factor of eight. Fresnel is a compact lens originally use in lighthouses. Similar in concept to a magnifying glass, the patent-pending system tracks the sun as it moves from east to west, drawing enough power from the sun through the concentractor each day to equal a four-hour battery charge (8 kWh).With a full charge, Ford C-MAX Solar Energi Concept is estimated to have the same total range as a normal C-MAX Energi of up to 620 miles, including up to 21 electric-only miles