Next-Gen Prius: Cars with Solar Panel from Toyota

Car manufacturer Toyota will include solar panels for their latest output car, according to a report published by Japan's Nikkei newspaper. Toyota will add to the panel this energy catcher for the Prius hybrid car in the summer of 2009.

This panel will reportedly be used as power for electronic devices on the Prius, such as air conditioning systems (air conditioning), which requires 3 to 5 kilowatts of electrical energy to function properly. The details are still unclear, but the Toyota is planning to launch the third generation of the Prius next year.

The Prius is a hybrid car that uses gas and electric which aims to save energy while driving, such as the use of a gas engine to recharge the battery on the car. The Prius also uses electrical energy very efficiently.

The automotive vehicle manufacturers in the world now competing to produce natural gas vehicles. Although the use of electric energy is very promising, solar panels are still far to meet the power of a car engine. This can be seen from the constraints of weather such as rain clouds or areas with the amount of sunshine is less, it can affect the charging energy so that the Prius can run.

"The car with a roof of solar panels can be used as alternative energy such as for cooling the engine when we parked, probably only a small contribution when we are driving", said Felix Kramer, founder of CalCars told TechNewsWorld. CalCars is a nonprofit organization that promotes plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs).
"This will be a lot of the spotlight and will give the impression to people that Toyota has pioneered and made a unique and valuable. We expect Toyota to continue to stay focused in advance PHEVs (additional hybrid vehicles with electric power). With the big leap for a battery that has great power and network listik for refilling machine, this could be a new source of energy than gas. ", Continued Kraimer. Kraimer added, can be predicted for the future that will use solar panels for buildings, including the garage. learn more



Author: Fredrik Jonh Ulysses
FTI - University Atmajaya