The US-based research agency said only 30% of electric vehicles were fitted with energy harvesting devices in 2011, with manufacturers put off by the limited additional range they provide. But, with batteries making up half of the vehicle’s cost, the report suggested that they were a cost-effective way to reduce the price and size of EV battery packs.

Electric vehicles, it said, usually have a range of around 160km, which makes adding a few extra kilometres worthwhile. Regenerative braking, energy-harvesting shock absorbers and thin, flexible photovoltaic film were all seen as potential growth areas for the electric vehicles.

IDTechEx also suggested EV range could be boosted by reducing the weight of vehicle wiring, replacing sensors and actuators with wireless versions.

‘With autonomous unmanned vehicles (AUVs) having up to two forms of energy harvesting and superyachts having three, the day when EVs have at least five forms of energy harvesting is approaching,’ said the report.