Sunday, July 21st, 2019

Toyota begins testing of solar-powered and self-charging Prius

Author: GILES PARKINSON
Source: The Driven
Publication Date: July 15, 2019
Link: Toyota begins testing of solar-powered and self-charging Prius

Stephan: This is major news. If these tests work adaptation will be like the computer revolution spreading with extraordinary rapidity. The effect on the petroleum industry will be to make most of it irrelevant within a decade, at most 15 years. When was the last time you bought a roll of film to take pictures? Why would anyone buy gas if your car charged itself as it drove, or sat parked? Battery distance on a charge would become irrelevant?

The solar Prius
Credit: thedriven

Car manufacturing giant Toyota Motor Corp is to begin trialing later this month a new version of its Prius hybrid car, this time with up to 860 watts of thin-film solar that will be able to charge its “solar battery” as it drives, and add more than 50kms to its fossil fuel-free driving range.

The trials taking place in Japan use high efficiency (34 per cent) Sharp thin film solar cells situated on the bonnet (or hood), roof, rear hatch door and rear hatch door varnish.

The aim in the series of trial being co-ordinated by Toyota, Sharp and research organisation NEDO is try and reach 1kW output from solar panels on the car, which they see as a potential game changer – not just for hybrids, but also full battery electric vehicles.

“The goal is to contribute to the creation of a new solar battery panel market, including the transport […]