Thought some folks would enjoy https://www.theverge.com/2019/7/5/20683111/toyota-prius-plug-in-hybrid-solar-roof-range-electricity-energy-environment
InsideEVs also has a post on this. The estimated added range of 27.65102 miles, when parked outside all day, uses the extremely optimistic JC08 Japan test cycle at 35.1815° N longitude (think Tennessee), so expect something much less in real-world use. (I guessimate 18 miles.)
I like it. Like everything solar and EV...cost/benefit is where it often breaks down. When the day and place comes that the cost of solar panel addition becomes less than the price of the electricity it generates, in a reasonable amount of time, that’s the day it really takes off... Until then we test and wait. Looking forward to success of the concept and happy to see it being tested. Think of the greenhouse heat generated by the sun in the interior of a hot car. Wouldn’t it be sweet if that heat energy could somehow be harnessed and converted into stored battery power as it sucks the heat out from inside the car? How about solar paint? Kinda like Tesla’s solar roof shingle concept? The technology of this stuff is kinda cool to think about and watch.
What was more interesting about this article was the fact that Toyota is starting to make baby steps into BEV with their partnership with Subaru. So they are trying to play both ends against the middle. They want to squeeze out as much as they can out of the hybrid. Here in Arizona, you leave your car outside in many work places, when going shopping etc. and if the battery can be charged during those parked times, it will help a little bit. Obviously, this is limited in scope as not all states or all days have the same amount of sunshine. It helps on the margins. However, Toyota is taking the back door route to be in the race for BEV. They want Subaru to develop a platform, on which Toyota can throw their tremendous manufacturing capability and leapfrog into the race, if needed. So this is their way of hedging their bets. Being in the race, but pretending not to be.
I'm willing to be told I'm wrong, but my understanding is that real-world results of trying to use solar cells mounted on an typical EV yield, at best, perhaps 5-6 miles of added range per day, and that's under ideal conditions. Now, it's possible this car may yield slightly better results by using more efficient solar cells, but the difference is going to be a fractional improvement; it's not going to multiply the yield by 2x or 3x. Figures cited by solar power advocates tend to reference the maximum power possible from the system, rather than the average energy which can be expected to be harvested in an average day under real-world conditions.
As you say ideal conditions. There are too many variables. If a car is parked in a garage or under shade, there may be no generation. In snowy and rainy conditions, there will be limited generation. Even in places with a lot of sunshine, how long is the car actually getting the sun rays? Some people may maximize their advantage, for most it will be around the edges. A Prius is rated at about 52 miles per gallon, the solar roof may push it to 53 or 54 or say even 55. But at what cost? What would be the cost of the panel including fabrication and the additional controls needed. Need more details on how they justify it.
I like the concept, but it smells of greenwashing. Toyota's EV strategy is following the Japanese line that BEVs are for commuter cars, and hybrid and fuel cell is for long distance travel. Solar panels on a commuter cars sounds awesome, small daily distances, so solar generation doesn't have to be too high. I expect Toyota are looking into this as a way to use smaller batteries in their vehicles, and accommodate users who don't have access to electricity where they park their cars. Where it falls apart is, many who travel small distances for commuting live in big cities. Cities typically have tall buildings that throw a lot of shade onto the streets. The result is we have a vehicle with good theoretical performance, getting hammered by real world scenarios. Oh well, keep it up Toyota, one day this may be the future. I'd love to something like this on an electric camper van. 20 miles generated a day would allow for 140 miles of travel every week without having to login. Giving travellers even more freedom.
Yes, exactly. Does the average EV driver really want to make sure their car sits outside all day, with no shade, every day, in order to take advantage of solar cells on the roof? Well, no doubt there are people who would do exactly that. But likely most people wouldn't, and it's certainly not an optimal way to treat your car. As Elon Musk says: The best place for solar panels is on the roof of your house, not the roof of your car. (Altho solar panels mounted on a stand-alone frame in your back yard is even better for most installations, but that's quibbling.)
Southern California would be the best place to use this car. Wouldn't it be great to recharge without using grid power ?? Where I live and work, I get tons of sunlight - all day - winter, spring, summer and fall....
I talked to my nephew who is into solar energy and his answer was that Elon is partially right. He believes that today, for passenger cars and vehicles, the cost benefit ratio may not make much sense, the marginal benefit obtained by the car-roof solar will be low and to that extent, he agrees with Elon. Where it is starting to make sense today is to put solar panels on commercial transport. Trains, buses, trucks, vans etc., would be good candidates, especially if there are out and about during daylight hours. Trucks and trains are already beginning to use it, for auxiliary power and cooling, even with ICEs or other power sources. The issue that crops up is aerodynamic drag and there is a push towards thinner panels and to embed the panels into the roof. A truck driving from Los Angles to Texas for example will receive a good amount of sunshine. If Elon develops trucks, it makes total sense to put solar panels in addition. https://www.truckinginfo.com/157690/how-fleets-are-using-solar-power My nephew does see a point where it may make sense across the spectrum, as there are great advances in flexible panels and the cost is dropping on regular basis. he just does not see it now.
Pretty car. The grill definitely reminds me of the whale shark from finding dory though haha. Spoiler Also love the FJ Cruiser in the back. Now that's a car I'd love to have a PHEV or REX type version.
I completely agree about the auxiliary power source. Here in sunny Kansas, where your car makes a good solar oven if left sitting under the summer sun on a cloudless day, it would be great to have a small solar panel (a few solar cells) on the roof powering a ventilation fan which would continually exhaust hot air out of the car. It just doesn't make any sense to try to cover the entire upper surface of the car with solar cells and expect that to add significantly to the car's range. It doubly doesn't make sense if the solar cells are fragile and much more easily damaged than the paint job by gravel and small rocks bouncing up from the road. A big crack in a solar cell can turn a beautiful car into something ugly quite fast.
