In comparison to some of the bulkier solar panel-packing iPhone cases we’ve seen, such as the AQUA TEK S and Solar Surge, the EnerPlex solar charger case is positively Kate Moss-like. Made by Colorado-based Ascent Solar using its ultra light, thin and flexible CIGS solar panels, the EnerPlex for iPhone 4/4S adds just 72 g (2.53 oz) to the weight of the phone, while providing the ability to top up the battery from the sun’s rays.
Judging by the available pics, the EnerPlex looks to add less than a centimeter (0.39 in) of depth to an iPhone, while incorporating a battery alongside Ascent Solar’s flexible CIGS module, which it claims is the lightest and thinnest photovoltaic module in the world. The case has been designed to provide clear access to the iPhone’s buttons, speakers and charging port, and leaves the rear camera unobscured.
Ascent Solar claims the EnerPlex will provide up to an additional 170 hours of standby time, 3.5 hours of internet surfing, 5.6 hours of Wi-Fi, 19 hours of audio playback and up to 5.6 hours of video playback on a full charge.
The company has already received a purchase order of 50,000 EnerPlex units from its Asian distributor ahead of an early August 2012 retail launch there. The company says it plans to expand its EnerPlex line to support smartphones from other manufacturers, such as the Samsung Galaxy S III, in the near future. No word on pricing, but a wider global release is set for the fourth quarter of this year.
Here's a video from Ascent Solar showing off the EnerPlex's sleek lines.
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