Toyota Prius to Get Solar Power
Toyota’s next generation Prius, due out as early as next spring, will be outfitted with solar panels to help run the on-board electronics, according to a report from the Nikkei newspaper.
Smaller start-up car companies, such as Th!nk, have plans for solar power augmented cars on the books too, but the incorporation of solar panels on the Prius would mark the first time a major car manufacturer has done such a thing with one of its models.
Currently in its second generation, the third generation Prius has been widely anticipated for some time now. Due for a complete overhaul, the addition of solar panels to the Prius would corroborate the expectation of major changes in both style and function in the next generation model.
According to Marketwatch, the Nikkei reported that the solar panels would provide a portion of the two to five kilowatts needed to power the air conditioning unit. The solar panels would be supplied by Kyocera.
Toyota plans to pump up production of the Prius next year to 450,000 units. This would represent a 60% increase in production over 2007 numbers, Marketwatch also reported.
Although that sounds promising, Toyota has kind of dropped the ball this year by failing to meet demand for the popular hybrid and causing a worldwide Prius shortage. Blaming a lack of battery production capacity, Toyota has promised to open another battery facility soon.
Let’s hope they can actually meet demand for the Prius next year, especially if they plan on including such excellent and logical features as solar powered on-board electronics.
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Toyota needs to come out with a two seater commuter special with a Prius style powertrain to save the lifestyle and jobs of those Americans who have invested in McMansions out in the ‘burbs or further from their jobs. As gasoline gets more expensive these poor folks get hurt by falling home values and tighter personal cash flows. They need a Toyota-tough tandem two seater hybrid electric with plug-in capability. Such a machine can do an end-run around the Volt and saturate that market with a practical, realistic alternative to the SUV. VW had the product for this desperate market gap, but opted for reasons only European business-folk understand to walk away, in deciding not to put their turbo bio-diesel, hybrid electric plug in wonder car into production for North America. Maybe Toyota sees a chance to make a fair buck here and will fill the gap?
@ Uncle B
If not Toyota, hopefully somebody will fill this niche soon. There are many smaller car companies out there making cars like what you describe that are due to hit the market in the next 12 months.
Sorry but Hybrids are not the way to go, I like my SUV with its V8 on the long drive back and forth to work each day.
HONDA COULD START PRODUCING THE INSIGHT AGAIN. THIS WOULD GIVE US A 2 SEAT HYBRID
AND POSSIBLY 60 MPG
RIGHT NOW MY SON GETS 40 MPG WITH HIS INSIGHT AND DEALERS DO NOT KNOW WHY.
Toyota is getting a large amount of news for what is just a publicity stunt that confuses people that think that there is enough energy in the sunlight falling on a regular car to power it. Electricity from solar cells costs far more than electricity from high priced diesel which is about $0.50 per KWH. The maximum energy from three square yards of solar cells of the best kind is about one horsepower with full sun, and you would never get enough electricity over a period of ten years to pay for the cost of the cell arrays. The reason for high prices gasoline is because the stock market is collapsing and everybody who would have speculated on Microsoft now is speculating on crude oil, and politicians will not stop this buying of an artificially limited resource. The US companies could produce three time the crude at this now three times the price, but they don’t want to invest a dime that would reduce their profits, and they know that oil come out of the ground at the cost of less than $20 a barrel, even in the US. Tar sands oil is produced for less than $35. The politician who are now pretending to stop global warming and destruction of ecology are ruining the US economy which relies on cheap energy, and actually starving many people, even in the US to death.. ..HG..
Toyota is getting a lot of free notice for perpetuating the falsehood that the solar energy falling on a car can power it. Three square yards of the best efficiency solar cells would yield a peak of one horse power. The price of the cells would never be paid back compared to high priced diesel produced energy even. ($0.50/KwH) Solar is not a current answer to transportation energy nor a future answer except for a limited number of wealthy people.. ..HG..
Even if the solar panels aren’t a commuter-special, they’ll cut way back on gas useage by defraying the air conditioner’s power drain
Even if Toyota doesn’t switch to a 2-seat commuter car, the solar-powered air conditioner will make another huge dent in the fuel usage and cost of the commute.
Have I missed some fantastic solar efficiency breakthrough or are the fact checkers asleep at the calculator? The best incident solar energy is what, about 800w/sq m? Even if the Prius was COVERED in solar panels at an average 10% efficiency, would you even get 1kW from the whole thing? Dont get me wrong; I think some built in solar aux power is a good idea.
But this is a lot of hype, just like the car to a large degree. I had a 97 Honda Civic HX coupe that looked sharp and still got 43 mpg after I ran the heck out of it for 150k miles. But I applaud Toyota for knowing their customers.
I swear we are at the height of ignorance in this country. Our industrial economy comes down to one equation— Energy use/person ~ $$$/person (dont start about energy efficiency… the above still holds true in the long run) I realize many very smart people are working on ethanol, oilgae, et al. I read this blog every day hoping to see that slam dunk technology that changes the ballgame. I aint seen it yet, and what I have seen is apparently a decade from making a serious run at oil.
There are only three solutions in the short term, and everybody knows it:
1. Drill, drill, and then drill some more
2. Let the market work - if the price is artificially high, the speculating idiots will take the bath they deserve when we all make permanent lifestyle changes that drastically lower demand.
3. Let the market work, pt II - If the price is not artificial, eventually we will have an alternative BECAUSE THERE IS TOO MUCH MONEY AT STAKE NOT TO!
Lastly, I’m sick of hearing how we are ‘addicted’ to oil. This implies that there is some emotional aspect that isnt there. Gasoline stinks, and its dangerous. I assure you, if I could run my car off cherry KoolAid, I would be a KoolAid runnin’ redneck. Instead, I am being forced to drink the KoolAid - with a smile - because I’m saving the planet.
If you go use Solar pannels in your company you can charge your prius for free while you are at work solar power is free, according to klugesolar.com the time is now for your company to go green and if they can’t affor to buy the photovoltaic system they can get a power purchase agreement! same in your home if you have solar energy and a plug-in toyota Prius your cost for charging your car is free! if you drive below 44 mph you will only use the electric motor.
in most metropolitan areas of the country you never drive over 40 due to heavy traffic (at least that is the way in CA, NY, and FL) in Japan by using plug in hybrids the cars are giving them more than 200 MPG (it all depends on how fast you drive and how far and various variables)