Solar panels for your car
By Chris Gaylord | 07.14.08
Japanese newspaper Nikkei reported on a rumor last week that next years’ Toyota Prius model will boast even more fuel efficiency, thanks to a set of rooftop solar panels. Toyota won’t comment either way – but this got Technology Review asking, “Does car-mounted solar make sense?”
More than a decade ago, Mazda souped up its 929 luxury sedan with solar cells embedded into the sunroof. The optional feature powered small fans that ventilated the car while it was parked in the sun. Not a bad idea. But like most of the car-mounted panels that followed Mazda’s design, the cost never quite matched the usefulness.
“Most onboard solar systems to date have cost several thousand dollars while generating less than 100 watts of energy, [enough to power a single light bulb],” reports Technology Review. That much energy improves “a vehicle’s fuel efficiency by just a few percent.”
The US National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Colorado tinkers with solar-supported cars. They attached “the most powerful rooftop solar panel on the market” to an experimental Prius plug-in. The array coats the entire top of the car, providing up to 215 watts – but it usually delivers about 165 watts.
While not much of a kick, it could push the plug-in from 100 miles per gallon to 105. But is that 5 percent boost worth the extra $3,500? If Toyota does plan to install sun-soaking cells in its next Prius, maybe it can negotiate a lower price. Or perhaps Toyota is sitting on a solar technology that has yet to hit the market.
For now, says NREL, a better option is to forget about a rooftop panel and invest in stationary solar cells. Park the car and plug it in. While less imaginative, it avoids many of the problems that plague mobile arrays. Right now, car-mounted units don’t tilt to face the sun, meaning they often do not absorb as many rays as possible. Another problem: you can only fit so many solar cells on to a single car roof.
But even if sun-powered cars sound better to an automaker’s marketing department than to its engineering crew, the pitch could get more consumers thinking about a post-petroleum future. “Whether it’s perception or real doesn’t matter,” says UC-Davis professor Andrew Frank, “because it creates public awareness.”
[Via Technology Review]
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2. Forestwalkerjoe | 07.14.08
Yeah.. i have been reading here and there about a lot of BREAK THROUGHS in Solar Paneling. Wasn’t there another very BIG break in Israel this year too? each of these was to cause a greater absorption of Solar Energy? When will we finally get a CAR that is at least 90 % Solar powered? doesn’t have to have a Price Tag larger than my house payment,doesn’t require a battery of TECHS to make it work.. nor need a huge WIRE attached to it to charge up? I think its all there for us to make it work.. and now we are getting motivated to LOOSE THE OIL thing and GO FOR PURITY! NO Smog.. no bi products.. no CO2’s.. just pure Energy
FWJ
3. Priyanka | 07.15.08
Before solar powered cars becomes viable to the common man, we should expect a number of models which are more expensive cause the technology is still developing.
The innovations mentioned by Joe do make sense. Also they can make a skylight on the roof which can be “opened” so that it tilts to an optimum angle that might help with energy collection.
~Priyanka
http://www.mahindrauniverse.com
4. Jimmy Z | 07.15.08
In response to the comment by Joe__ I have noticed many new concept cars and even the Chevy Volt seem to have large areas of glass for roofs. I wonder if GM has already thought of this?
5. hmmm | 07.15.08
“Why only the roof?” Exactly! Eventually, anything we can paint will be able to absorb solar energy. The whole car will be absorbing solar energy but only the edges of the car will be the cells that collect it. Awesome.
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3. Toyota Prius hyrbid 2009 model with solar panel option, benefit of Solar panels in Prius | DWS Motor | 07.15.08
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1. JoeReal | 07.14.08
Why only the roof?
The hood is another large surface area that can absorb solar radiation.
Plus the windshield can also function as a solar concentrator. Latest news from MIT is that there is a spray on dye that will divert some wavelengths of light to the edges of the glass and then all you need is tiny amount of solar cells at the edges. This may be the most cost effective application for solar yet. One can design larger windshield that is tilted for optimum. It can reduce drag but increase solar collection. The effect of this concentrator is to lower the temperature of interior while the sun’s power is used to recharge the batteries or power up other accessories.