Toyota testing solar cells on electric cars:
07 Jul '19 15:27https://techxplore.com/news/2019-07-toyota-solar-panels-electric-cars.html
Years ago I thought this was going to happen. The photocells on this car are expensive triple junction cells of 34 % efficiency, about twice what rooftop cells do now so economically maybe not so viable right now but I think eventually those cells will be not 35% but 80% or more efficient and I think eventually the whole car will be coated with high efficient solar cell PAINT which means no actual individual sets of cells plastering the surface but inherent in the paint.
Even as it stands now, the Toyota vehicle touts when you look at the numbers, if you are commuting say 14 or 15 miles to work, a 30 odd mile commute, solar cells can make for a completely independent transport, no fossil fuels, no sucking off a power grid. And if the $ numbers get to 80% like I think they will eventually, that can triple your totally independent commute distance. My commute is about 250 km so even if the cells were 100% efficient, I would be stuck sucking off a power grid to get back and forth to work but at some point that will end when I retire, this commute for me has been going on 18 years now and an endgame for me at least in sight so I think a car plastered with solar whether physical individual cells like this Toyota test car or some more advanced solar cell paint, a short drive to the store and such will prove to be an independent transport system, like driving to a store say 10 miles away, present day technology can make you independent right now and future increases will clearly increase the amount of miles you can drive each day and remain off the grid.
Years ago I thought this was going to happen. The photocells on this car are expensive triple junction cells of 34 % efficiency, about twice what rooftop cells do now so economically maybe not so viable right now but I think eventually those cells will be not 35% but 80% or more efficient and I think eventually the whole car will be coated with high efficient solar cell PAINT which means no actual individual sets of cells plastering the surface but inherent in the paint.
Even as it stands now, the Toyota vehicle touts when you look at the numbers, if you are commuting say 14 or 15 miles to work, a 30 odd mile commute, solar cells can make for a completely independent transport, no fossil fuels, no sucking off a power grid. And if the $ numbers get to 80% like I think they will eventually, that can triple your totally independent commute distance. My commute is about 250 km so even if the cells were 100% efficient, I would be stuck sucking off a power grid to get back and forth to work but at some point that will end when I retire, this commute for me has been going on 18 years now and an endgame for me at least in sight so I think a car plastered with solar whether physical individual cells like this Toyota test car or some more advanced solar cell paint, a short drive to the store and such will prove to be an independent transport system, like driving to a store say 10 miles away, present day technology can make you independent right now and future increases will clearly increase the amount of miles you can drive each day and remain off the grid.