Rumors run rampant about a Toyota Prius redesign coming up next year, but little did we know that the new version would have solar panels added to the hybrid vehicle’s roof. That’s a first for any automaker. The optional solar array will be used to run the car's air conditioning, and isn’t solar air conditioning a great idea? Use the sun — the monster that’s making it like an oven inside that car — to cool off the car's interior. It's like energy Judo.
So this new Prius is going to be quite an improvement over its predecessor. Scuttlebutt is flying around about the new design, including reports of a more powerful and efficient engine that gets 55mpg (some early reports even mentioned 100mpg), a plug-in version, a smaller addition to the Prius line, a wagon version, and even a lithium-ion battery-toting hybrid in Lexus trim.
The current Prius is already excellent, so any improvement will take the green car to unheard-of levels of greatness. We can hardly wait for 2010, when this new Prius will be just one of a whole flock of energy-efficient hybrids and world-changing electric cars.
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By budgethero at 6:10 PM ON 07/07/08
"It's like energy Judo." lmao!!
By Chris H at 11:07 AM ON 07/08/08
Just to let you all know - the solar panels used to run the car's air conditioning is not a first. Check out http://www.aptera.com
By Skyking at 8:33 AM ON 07/09/08
What an amazing innovation. Solar panels to run things!
It's going to have to be a very big car, though. You need solar panels bigger than a tractor trailer to run normal A/C.
By Dave T at 12:16 PM ON 07/09/08
Under direct sunlight that size of panel *might* generate a 100W or so of power. Enough for your laptop, but not the car's A/C. Use that power to keep the cars batteries topped off instead. You might gain a few 100ths of a mpg.