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We’ve all seen solar panels affixed to the roof of a house or on an office building.  While the initial investment can be large, solar power offers a clean alternative that will eventually begin to pay for itself over time.  This technology is widespread in construction use so the next logical step would be transportation.  Although it is still in initial stages of development, solar assistance is emerging as a viable technology.  True fully solar powered vehicles are also being showcased in a number of endurance races.

One of the biggest hurdles in bringing solar energy to production vehicles is the limitations imposed by the technology.  In most vehicle applications, an array of solar panels is placed on the roof or other exterior surfaces.  As light hits the panels, it is stored in some type of battery, such as lithium ion battery.  The panels tend to be stationary, which means not all areas will be receiving exposure to the sunlight.  That can make maintaining a power charge extremely difficult.  There just isn’t enough surface area on a vehicle to install enough solar cells to propel the vehicle full time.  The cost to install a solar power system currently prohibits widespread use.  Until the technology can be made more affordable and material costs go down, it just doesn’t make financial sense to utilize a solar array.  Due to the cost of the solar components, fueling the vehicle would cost double the amount of an electric car plugged into the standard grid.

Currently, solar power is mainly used to power racing vehicles that participate in endurance trials.  The North American Solar Challenge invites collegiate teams to produce and race a solar powered vehicle.  These cars look very futuristic with a focus on creating a large surface area on an aerodynamic body.  There are no frills or conveniences that would add unnecessary weight.  Typically, these races range anywhere from 1200 to over 3000 miles in length and take multiple days to complete.  All cars are required to go no more than 65 miles per hour at all times.  Average speeds usually hover right around 45 to 50 miles per hour.

In response to the recent interest in this technology, Toyota will be offering optional roof mounted solar panels for its Prius model next year.  It has been reported that this small solar array will power the heating and cooling systems of the vehicle in order to take a little pressure off of the electric engine.

Arturo Chuong is currently writing articles related to traveling, sporting, hiking, and business bags including, backpacks, laptop cases, and functional luggage.