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Toyota won't just be adding solar panels to its popular Prius gas-electric hybrid car—like the solar electric conversion kit seen at left—it'll be powering a version of it exclusively via sunshine, according to The Nikkei, Japan's business newspaper. In fact, Toyota will be relying on the solar-electric car to "turn around its struggling business," which resulted in its first operating loss in more than 70 years, the Associated Press reports.

ScientificAmerican.com and other media outlets reported last summer that Toyota was planning to begin selling a Prius with some solar panels as early as May of this year. But the latest reports are that the Japanese automaker is seeking to build a totally solar-driven vehicle.

Toyota declined to comment—and denied the existence of such a vehicle to All Cars Electric—but, in any event, such a car would not be ready for sale for years. That may be because it would be tough to keep the price down— not to mention to draw enough power to fully fuel a car—with photovoltaics spread across its body, even if manufacturers used the superefficient, super-expensive ones employed on satellites.

Still, the news is a possible ray of sunshine for an alternative-fuel car market deflated by word that hybrids led the decline in U.S. vehicle sales last year and that the Challenge Bibendum—an alternative car show sponsored by Michelin—set to be held in Rio de Janeiro this year will be delayed until at least 2010 because of "increasing financial constraints of several of Challenge Bibendum's traditional partners."

Despite the setbacks, however, interest and enthusiasm for new energy efficient and environmentally friendly transportation modes remains strong among automakers and governments. And some enterprising folks have used Toyota Prius's as emergency generators this winter or tiny Tango EVs (for electric vehicle) to plow their driveway:

It certainly seems that electric propulsion is vying to regain the power it ceded to gasoline engines a century ago. Major manufacturers such as 3M and Johnson Controls have formed a consortium with U.S. government labs to develop longer lasting, more powerful batteries for such vehicles and innovative start-ups, such as U.S.-based Better Place and China's BYD Motor are working on both the infrastructure and the cars themselves (though Warren Buffett-backed BYD won't begin selling its F3DM electric car, already available in China, until 2011 in the U.S.).

So the question remains: how will these cars get their juice? Electricity direct from the sun via photovoltaics or intermediaries like the wind? Or electricity produced by burning fossilized sunshine in the form of coal? Either way you look at it, really, the Toyota Prius is already largely fueled by solar energy, just a much dirtier form.

Credit: Courtesy of Solar Electric Vehicles

9 Comments

1. 1. karlchwe 11:03 PM 1/5/09

   Not a bad idea, especially since parking lots and parking garages don't have outlets to charge all-electric cars (nor a way to let drivers pay for the juice.)

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2. 2. hotblack 02:23 AM 1/6/09

   Infrastructure. Gas stations need to become battery-swap stations, or it'll never pass Go.

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3. 3. Gosha 02:36 AM 1/6/09

   The manufacturers of automobiles behave originally.
   On a site SUBARU the message hangs that the letters with the offers on modernization of automobiles are thrown out in a garbage basket.
   Other firms simply do not leave the channel for communication(connection) of the authors of the new offers with the managers of these firms.
   The author of the given message tried to offer to car factories to master manufacture of the converter of a thermal energy of an environment in a constant electrical current. The breadboard model of the converter exists.
   Such converter completely excludes necessity of burning of fuel, works round the clock and continuously.
   At cost, commensurable with cost of the solar battery he gives out of energy in 300 times more. The converter by the area of one square meter located under a roof of the car, allows, even without accumulators, in a continuous mode, to give back in the electric drive of wheels up to 80 kw. At presence of the accumulator, in conditions of urban driving, the maximal capacity which is given back in the electric drive, can reach(achieve) 400 kw.
   Help to inform this information up to the managers of factories on manufacture of automobiles and through 2 - 3 years you will have the automobile ecologically accomplished(ecologically perfect), any dimensions (even small), capable to extort in wheels up to 400 kw of capacity.
   The government allocates to the automobile giants money under modernization of manufacture. To you that idea, which can be realized.
   The automobiles become cheaper, will cease to pollute an environment, will cease to require(demand) refueling stations and money to fuel for them.
   Juriy Vinogradov
   E_mail://vetto@nm.ru
   SKYPE:// Vinogradovge , http://news.rosprom.org/news.php?id=5617
   

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4. 4. JamesDavis 08:09 AM 1/6/09

   Can auto manufactures come up with any more lame brain excuses for not mass producing electric cars? Do any of these idiot auto manufactures ever read Scientific America, Popular Mechanics, or watch How Its Made? We need to get rid of these three big idiot fool manufacturers in America and turn Japan into an auto manufacturer and pay them whatever they need to start mass producing electric cars for the world, or at least for America.

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5. 5. Will Gibson 06:56 PM 1/6/09

   With the evolution of more efficient photovoltaic and solar thermal concentrator technologies, somewhere there must be the genius who snapped to the idea of integrating the hybrid automobile into the overall design of a residential power system. The hybrid's charge-control computer and fossil-fueled auxiliary power plant could service the residence as an auxiliary power source if neded, and the residential solar array could, in turn, recharge the vehicle while it sits in the garage. If the vehicle's power-pack were designed to be readily interchanged, one could keep a set of batteries "topped-off" at all times, or better yet, just buy two cars and charge one while the other is in use.

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6. 6. Gosha 06:42 AM 1/7/09

   Interestingly to me to communicate with you, as to the inhabitant of Russia.
   It appears, in USA of the same blackcock on a current, as well as in Russia.
   But, in Russia I though sometimes hear in the address: it can not be, because it can be never!
   In USA the readers at all do not trouble themselves with the answer - they above it!
   Read only last message on a forum. As all of us are similar!
   And in Russia, as well as in USA, nobody the source of renewed energy with specific cost in 300 times interests, than solar battery and working round day without any batteries less.
   It would not be desirable to address to the Japanese or in China, but will come!

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7. 7. alpineski31 01:00 PM 1/13/09

   It is great to see research finally being put into use by older Japanese companies and start-up American groups, as seen in Mondays article, Toyota to offer car powered by the sun? Although a exclusively solar cars functionality may be questionable due to erratic weather patterns in most areas of the world, those who can afford one will most likely have a backup car for rainy days. Infrastructure will be very important in order to shift the world from gas stations to battery stations.
   As a high school sophomore who is interested designing cars, I feel that advancing new car designs is going to be very important in keeping a clean Earth in the years to come. With population always on the rise, more and more cars will be on the roads. These cars need to be cleaner, quieter, and less wasteful than the vehicles we currently use or even more conflicts will occur between nations of the world. With Toyota releasing the design for the 2010 Prius this week, which includes a solar roof to help lift the strain off of the battery and achieve well over 50 MPG, it is clear that there are still people that care about having a natural Earth.
   Keep up the great work, brainiacs!
   
   Simon Maccabaeus
   
   Fairbanks, Alaska
   

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8. 8. Gosha 02:08 PM 1/13/09

   Simon Maccabaeus not the reader - Simon Maccabaeus the writer.
   He had not enough skills of reading to realize an opportunity of increase of feedback from thermal panels in 300 times concerning solar.
   At such thermal panels not needs for accumulators and the thermal panels work round day.
   I do not understand, how it is possible to be able to write and to not be able to read?
   

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9. 9. clarkandrew45 08:21 PM 10/25/10

   Thank you for sharing this information. This is really a big help for everybody, especially today. I am thinking can if i can still use the <a href="http://www.car-stuff.com/jetchipsbrand.htm">Jet Chips</a> with this kind of car?

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