Mexican Media Brands
Toyota Tests Improved Solar Panels to Charge EVs
Toyota Motor Corp. has begun testing a Prius Prime plug-in hybrid sedan fitted with next-generation solar panels on the hood, roof, rear window and spoiler.
#hybrid #electronics
Share
Toyota Motor Corp. has begun testing a Prius Prime plug-in hybrid sedan fitted with next-generation solar panels on the hood, roof, rear window and spoiler.
The photovoltaic cells developed by Sharp Corp. are thinner and more efficient than the roof-mounted Panasonic units currently offered on the Prius in select markets. That system—which helps power auxiliary components while the car is running and cab partially recharge the battery when parked—boosts fuel efficiency by as much as 10% on sunny days.
The new Sharp cells have an efficiency rate of 34% and can generate about 860 watts of electricity, according to Toyota. This compares with 180 watts and a 22.5% rating for the current Panasonic array.
During initial tests, the new solar panels added 35 miles of electric range to the Prius demonstration vehicle. But Toyota says performance is significantly less on cloudy days.
The new solar cells are about 0.03 mm thick, which Toyota says allows them to be form fitted to the car’s body panels. The overall system adds about 180 lbs to the car.
Toyota officials tell Reuters that production applications are “years away.” Significant cost and weight reductions are needed before that happens, they acknowledge.
RELATED CONTENT
-
On Military Trucks, Euro Car Sales, Mazda Drops and More
Did you know Mack is making military dump trucks from commercial vehicles or that Ford tied with Daimler in Euro vehicle sales or the Mazda6 is soon to be a thing of the past or Alexa can be more readily integrated or about Honda’s new EV strategy? All that and more are found here.
-
On the 2016 Chevrolet Camaro: The Sixth Generation
The fifth-generation Camaro brought the nameplate back from what could have been oblivion. The sixth is taking it in the right direction.
-
2019 Volvo XC40 T5 AWD Momentum and R-Design
Back in 2004, Volvo introduced a concept vehicle, called “Your Concept Vehicle,” in which case the pronoun essentially referred to women because as the company pointed out, the YCC was “the first car designed and developed almost exclusively by women.” Some would say that Volvo was ahead of its time—way ahead—with this idea.
