If vehicles were solar powered how would they make money?

Question

Since solar power is free how would the big corporations make money off of you?

Answer 1

Big Oil has a huge amount of influence on the U.S. government, which is one of the reasons why there is so little R&D in renewables over here. And they're in pretty tight with the auto manufacturers. Those are the three legs that keep each others' profit margins standing up despite our best interests.

As for solar cars, the 'analysis' here is a bit off base. A solar powered car wouldn't have a full solar panel on it -- that's just silly. But there are already small trickle feed solar panels to keep your (conventional) car battery topped up. That sort of thing could power the ignition, radio, etc. to reduce load.

The power for actual transportation comes from a battery you charge up at home (or work, anywhere you park would do) with a solar array. Or just plugging it in to a regional grid supplied by solar.

There are some extraordinary things happening with thin film technology that should allow us to cover just about any surface with photovoltaics. So the entire surface of the car could be covered with a durable PV film.

At least in areas that don't salt in winter.

Answer 2

I'm sure the government would have some type of car solar panel tax. Like a gas tax to fund road repair and construction.

Answer 3

Right now, "big corporations" are taking your money and giving you nothing in return thanks to subsidies for things like ethanol, wind power and recycling.

As for the solar powered car, it is not feasible.  Powering a VERY small car (75horsepower) with today's solar technology would require a panel measuring 15 feet by 20 feet.

Answer 4

The solar power car dealers would raise the price of the cars, or would lower them and use mass production. (When alot of somehting is made, and the costs are low.)More people would buy them and thy would make money that way.

Answer 5

If a completely solar powered car was a legitimat possibility with the capabilities of energy storage today, then I suspect it wouldn't be the gas industry making money off of you, it would be the car companies.

Solar powered cars aught to be very expensive, and break down often, whether it be complex elecrical circuts, or solar panels breaking. I think a hybrid is more possible with the capabilites today, and gas companies would still make money off of it. just like they still make a small amout of money off of the Prius.

Of course, you would expect lots of lobbying against any hybrid, and even more for a purely alternative energy car.

Answer 6

because people would buy them more than regular gas powered cars because gas prices are going really high up nowadays

Answer 7

which corporations are you talking about?

if its the auto industry they'll always have some sort of maintenance on the car, plus i think a solar panel versatile enough to be on a car would be very easy to damage and costly to repair

if its the oil companies they'd probably buy out the technology, or make it work with an additional energy that they would supply ie:oil or hydrogen.

the way the current technology is right now you cannot run a car 100% off solar power the panels do not gather enough energy for the range people(putting panels on something the size of a car would probably not gather enough solar energy) want plus the added factor of clouds, how long the sun is out, living near the equator and such solar power would probably be in conjunction with another fuel source like a hybrid gas/electric engine

were theres a will theres a way...same thing with the government....taxes for the use of roads are added into gas prices but i'm sure they'll find a way to tax for sun use lol