New Toyota Prius to have solar panels
 

The new Prius due next spring will include solar panels on the roof to help power the air conditioning.

Source: Wall Street Journal Marketwatch

Cool! More dangerious waste for Chiness kids to throw in there rivers when they "recycle" them.

doesn't the S-Class have something like that. But only to keep the air circulating in a hot car up and out of the sun roof?

I keep a can of cold beer in my crotch.

Toyota Exec A: How can we gouge Prius buyers even more and charge $3000 more for the same car as last year? Something that will appeal to the green crowd.
Toyota Exec B: Solar panels?
Toyota Exec A: BRILLIANT!

Actually that might not be such a bad idea. I've often wondered how the car's a/c in a place like Phoenix where it's permanently on degrades it's fuel economy. With that inadquate engine and such I'd assume getting the a/c powered by an independent source might actually be workable.

- Peter.

I think it's a great idea. I can especially see the appeal in having the solar-powered AC keep the interior cool while the car is parked. Imagine leaving your car in the sun on a hot summer day and getting in after a few hours and it's still cool inside. I think every car should have this option.

I don't think solar panels are going to be enough to cool it with A/C, but I'd be ecstatic if the car was just at ambient temps!! Down here in MS the car can easily reach 140*F inside... :eek: That gives the A/C quite the extra workout once you start the car.

I would presume it does because it's an option on the Passat.

-Jason

The solar panels are actually there to power the digital engine noise generator. If you don't want to spend the money for that option, you can just go with the standard deck of playing cards and clothes pins. The Prius owner clips the cards to the fender so that the wheel spokes hit them, thus producing a makeshift engine sound . . . .

The AC compressor on the Prius is electric, not unlike the one in your refrigerator. It is not driven off the gasoline engine.

I think that Audi had this back in the 90's with the A8. Never made it here though for some odd reason.

Maybe they could put a pinwheel on top of the Prius to power the A/C while it's zipping along the happy biways of la-la land.

Wow, something we agree on! :D

Some of my Toyota and Ford Mustang friends of mine have dyno'd their vehicles with and without all the accessories on. It surprised me to find out that 5 rwhp is robbed when the AC is turned on.

The way I see it too is that if solar becomes more and more commercialized, the industry needs to react to stay in competition. Better, cheaper, faster, as they say in business school. And we would all eventually benefit when we can put attractive, non-descript solar panels on our roofs to power a good % of our own home electricity use instead of putting in the pockets of our so-called friends in the middle east

There is considerable appeal to this concept. I do it a cheaper and easier way by just leaving a window or two open, but even driving a beater I have to be somewhat selective about where I can do that.

I don't know exactly why, but for some reason I get feelings of contempt and hostility every time I see a Prius.