Should we put solar panels on hybrid electric cars so that they will charge when in a sunny parking lot, etc.?

Question

I just thought of the idea and it sounds pretty cool to me.

Answer 1

yes

Answer 2

I would be good for countries near the equator

Answer 3

No I think this would really not promote any further energy savings and the biggest thing is that manufacturers of hybrids like Toyota and Honda are trying to really streamline their vehicles and cut down on drag so I don't see in the near term this being very helpful.

Answer 4

The problem with the Solar Car is a scientific fact dubbed the Solar Constant.  The sun only sends about 1,000 watts per square yard to the surface of the earth, and even thats at mid-day with no clouds.  Were taling one horsepower per square yard of car exposed to sunlight, so even with 100% efficiency of solar cells (they're really a fraction of that now) you would have to leave the car parked so long to recharge enough to drive it wouldn't be worth it.

Answer 5

Now you are thinking.  I completely agree.  The big corporations could build them, but the government can't figure out how to tax sunlight.  You already pay a sales tax on a vehicle, excise tax on tires-- some places add the excise tax then charge you a sales tax on it.  That is the best idea since the invention of the puddle duck racer.

Answer 6

There are many scientists around the world already working on that (except it is totally solar powered with no gasoline). They have already invented some and even have races with them, but they are trying to make it look and feel more like a normal car. The ones they built are one passenger and have extremely high tempertures in the hull (place where you sit). Also, the entire top part of the car is solar panels and they have to make the top part extremely wide to get enough sunlight. Another thing is that the cars they made can only work in places with a whole lot of sun light, like the desert where they hold most of the races.

     Sorry, but someone had already came up with that idea.

Answer 7

They have kits for the prius.

Answer 8

Any electric or plug-in hybrid car can be solar powered.

eg http://www.green-car-guide.com/features/...

Tesla Motors can arrange installation of solar panels on an owners home or owners can purchase electricity that has been created by the company’s large scale solar farm partners. This pollution-free electricity is fed into the grid and directly offsets the electricity used to charge the car.

it is not practical to put on the car because of the extra weight & wind resistance, the area required, and little issues like driving through tunnels in cities like Boston where there is little light at street level.

The problem with plug-in hybrids is that the patents for NiMH batteries are owned by texaco or Chevron, and they prevent making or selling large enough batteries to make the electric only range >3 miles.

But there are Li-ion batteries that will deliver, http://www.phoenixmotorcars.com,  so we can get rid of the noisy, smelly part of the hybrid.

Answer 9

I think putting solar panels on a hybrid electric car makes a lot of sense.  Besides the initial cost and ongoing maintenance of the system it uses a renewable source of energy to charge and extend the range of the vehicle.  

If the hybrid can also plug into and get charged from a solar powered system or an ordinary household socket then that would be even better.

The link below goes to a company that from the photos has a pretty slick integrated solar roof for the Prius and some other slightly clunky versions for other vehicles.

Answer 10

i think thats a great idea!

P.S sam the man im your fan!

Answer 11

At this point technology has not made solar panels of a size that would work on a car -- they panels have to be too large to retain enough heat to generate energy

but a really good idea -- ANY INVENTORS OUT HERE?

Answer 12

Considering the size of a small vehicle it would make very little difference and u would need a very strong frame to hold it on the roof whiled driving down the road at 70 mph. The wind will rip it off.

Answer 13

Most of the answers supplied are pretty far off from accurate. The short answer here is solar power costs more than power from the power company at present.  A car roof does not have enough space to supply more than a few miles per day driving with a very efficient car and the whole roof covered in a place with reasonable sun per day. Solar power on a clear day at noon supplies about 100 watts per square foot, when pointed right at the sun. The solar power on my home's roof is ~15% efficient solar cells. Some are currently being made and being tested that they claim are ~50% efficient. At that rating, you could harvest about 50 watts per square foot. 1 horsepower is about 746 watts (a little more really due to losses). Hybrids have what, 30 horsepower or sol electriv motors. So you would need 60 square feet of solar power at noon (pointed right at the sun) to run that, about 8 by 8 feet and that is with cells at 50% efficiency that are not even being sold yet. Current costs are $3 to $5/watt minimum to buy (capacity wise). I hear the price will come down as much as 80% over time. How much time, who knows? I am all for plug-in hybrids, GM may put one out next year. Expect a lot of progress in solar, hybrids and batteries over the next few years. But if everyone waits until they get better, no one buys what is sold now. And if no-one buys what is sold now, no one is going to spend the (BIG) money to improve on what they are selling now. Makes the problem somewhat tough, you know?

Answer 14

There is one Mercedes Benz model that use solar panel to keep air conditioning running while left alone in the sun. It's ultra luxury model(and not hybrid). But that solar stuff is going to cost lot of money. Not very ideal for mass production. Remember that hybrids already have $2~3000 premium over non-hybrid models. I'm sure you may be able to find people who can install such system in your car.

Lot of people are looking at plug in hybrid though. It will be cheaper and might be more reliable. You probably get obsessed with washing solar panel if you do get one on your car.

Answer 15

y not.

I bet the govt. will find a way to make us pay for it though!

Answer 16

Volkswagen has a prototype hybrid van with a solar panel on the roof.  It is only a gimmick, and the solar panel can only run a fan to help keep it cool.  The amount of electricity  it would generate is not sufficient to run a car.

Answer 17

The industry needs to advance the manufactoring of solar panels so that the price comes down drastically.

Once 10.5 section of solar panel generates 120 watts/hour. Not powerful enough to start your car moving...but can add a few extra amps to to the power cells thus giving a little more 'get up and go'.

Answer 18

Sounds like  a great idea. Like anything else the bugs

can be worked out as we go along.

Answer 19

That is an excellent idea.  Just remember---there will always be some shmuck who says it is stupid.

Answer 20

yes we should any idea is better than gasoline we're buying that is funding the terrorists. Oh yeah, jw but how would we go if it was cloudy or nightime?

Answer 21

Yes absolutely!  We have to find a way however, that it will not cause "a drag" while driving, since this would ask more energy from the engine.

Answer 22

You do realize the Electric part of the car charges while it is being driven, right?  Sort of makes a solar panel redundant.

Solar panels are heavy and currently inefficient.  The weight would make a car use more energy than it can benefit from having a solar panel.

Now if you want to see solar tech doing something really cool.  Look for Solar powered water heaters.  Your water Heater is a HUGE part of your electric/gas bill.  Mounting the tank and a panel on the roof not only pulls one of your biggest energy (and cash drains) off the grid, it works surprisingly well.