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SOLAR Power Option for Toyota Prius

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Old 06-03-07, 08:47 AM
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Gojirra99
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Default SOLAR Power Option for Toyota Prius



This option consists in a solar-panel made from high efficiency mono-crystalline photovoltaic cells, with modules rated at 200-300 watts. The power obtained is used to charge the 3kW secondary battery that can be used to drive the vehicle up to 20 miles per day on electric power.

With fuel economy improved by around 29%(this depends on the driving style you have) owners could recuperate most of the $2000-$4000 cost of installing the system within 2 to 3 years. Performance will be improved further with the addition of higher-capacity batteries that currently are in development, potentially adding another 10 miles of electric-only drive.
More : CLICK HERE
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Old 06-03-07, 09:50 AM
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JAC JZS
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This is great but unless there are additional tax incentives this is another hybrid that seems more attractive on the used car market.

Last edited by JAC JZS; 06-03-07 at 10:07 AM.
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Old 06-03-07, 12:11 PM
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Originally Posted by JAC JZS
This is great but unless there are additional tax incentives this is another hybrid that seems more attractive on the used car market.
or buy a used Prius and add the solar panels lol.

Good idea. Nice to see that the panels seem to be efficient enough to warrant an installation.
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Old 06-03-07, 02:29 PM
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Looks like a carbon fiber hood
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Old 06-03-07, 06:29 PM
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It would be really nice to have one in Greenland(?) because the sun is up for like forever.
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Old 06-03-07, 06:43 PM
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just another step in technology in the right direction. I can one day picture 0 emission, self sustaining vehicles.
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Old 06-03-07, 06:48 PM
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Originally Posted by Nextourer
or buy a used Prius and add the solar panels lol.

Good idea. Nice to see that the panels seem to be efficient enough to warrant an installation.
Yeh lets put the solar panels on ur car
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Old 06-03-07, 08:17 PM
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Good idea.

Perhaps Toyota should look into that to make it a factory-installed option...
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Old 06-04-07, 01:21 PM
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Originally Posted by Nextourer
or buy a used Prius and add the solar panels lol.
That actually makes a lot of sense...
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Old 06-04-07, 03:01 PM
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The future looks brighter for the auto industry. Imagine this a hydrogen/electric hybrid with solar panels. We're not going to need to buy as much oil from these oil producing countries anymore.

This is the preamble to the future...

Last edited by Trexus; 06-04-07 at 05:20 PM.
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Old 06-04-07, 05:42 PM
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Originally Posted by Milla...
That actually makes a lot of sense...
Oh... heh. I was just throwing out ideas. Didn't expect anyone to actually comment on that lol.

I mean, there has to be a way to make old hybrids usable. Solar panels are one option. 3rd party companies that do battery swaps (like engine swaps lol) so you don't have to pay the fulll price of a new hybrid etc etc


Originally Posted by JAC JZS
Yeh lets put the solar panels on ur car
Sure... you got the cash and the installer? It probably works for you since you're in Cali. Less effective for me since I'm up north.
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Old 06-04-07, 07:52 PM
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Originally Posted by Nextourer
Oh... heh. I was just throwing out ideas. Didn't expect anyone to actually comment on that lol.

I mean, there has to be a way to make old hybrids usable. Solar panels are one option. 3rd party companies that do battery swaps (like engine swaps lol) so you don't have to pay the fulll price of a new hybrid etc etc




Sure... you got the cash and the installer? It probably works for you since you're in Cali. Less effective for me since I'm up north.
Yeh, that's true
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Old 06-04-07, 07:57 PM
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For something small like my solar panel lights for my front entrance, it'll work for sure (it's only uses a NiCd AA-sized battery). It's pretty effective (a full day will last 8 hours into the night).

But then again, it's not critical that the battery be charged by solar power (of course the higher the usage, the faster you'll "recover" the costs so to speak).

What we need is more efficient panels.
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