Comments on: Solar Powered Blue Car Hitting the Streets in 2010

By: smilendragon

smilendragon — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 17:07:22 +0000

Why not set up a monorail system..powered by solar panels…design car to charge at home..and with solar panels..change speed/ safety standards to allow car on road speeds of 50 miles per hr max..most trips are 25 miles from home or less…this would make auto lighter some what fragile…allowing a price of 6 grand or less..make insurance companies offer a either or insurance so you could own larger..safer auto for longer/highway trips and afford second auto for lower speed local trips…if close to town the less expensive auto could be design to lift wheels..sync up on monorail…destination feed into the computer..off at speed up to 80 mph..many autos at the same time..controlled by computer..charged by the rail as they travel..they reach the destination…wheel come back down for the further road trip..again at less than 50 mph..range of 40 miles or less..this has it all affordability/mass transport/low pollution/no gas/all electric/freedom to drive alone with the economy/price of mass transport..and while your at it..put solar panel on all available homes..30 yr systems..the electric companies would have to buy power back..but then we as free people would be off the grid…no monthly payments to big business..but hey the government could tax it and get US out of debt…As my Dad always told me ” you’ve got good ideas but they won’t let you do it “..perhaps greed is the real problem not technology…

By: tastethefruit

tastethefruit — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 00:28:48 +0000

True, the solar panels on top, are just for design and show. They will not power the car, but could keep a cooling fan running while the sun is out, etc.

Just the same, an electric car that gets 155 miles before charging is a great idea.

As for gas not polluting or creating more GHG than an electric car – give your head a shake. This site contains a table of all the GHGs produced, by state and province, to make 1 kwh of electricity:

Using this table, provided by the USA government, this blog calculates the GHG emissions for a gasoline powered car and an electric car.

Gasoline – lots of GHG
Hybrid – much less GHG
Pure Electric – best bet, regardless of the state or province you live in.

And as the coal fired generating stations are turned off, the numbers will only get better!

By: Landon

Landon — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 21:24:46 +0000

if enough of these are on the road, then when not in use, they could sell much of that power when plugged into the grid, cars get charged, power grid gets fed, why not utilize this in public transit systems. it would be a godsend,

By: waltbarrett

waltbarrett — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 10:24:13 +0000

Based on our experience, the US DOT will throw a hundred road blocks at any tiny imports. There are several companies in Asia build small electrics priced under $6,000.00 but the liabilities and potential fines for even minor safety problems placed on the importers are scary! The importer must also keep track of the vehicle for the next ten years after importing it. It appears to be much more simple to introduce these small electrics in Europe or any other country. I prefer a hybrid burning any kind of bio fuel, but I’m not paying any $40,000.00 and can’t see how the average consumer can afford that kind of money. I’ll go out on a limb right now and say that any hybrid costing that much money will not make it in the USA as a mass produced vehicle. I think the real money for a mid size hybrid is $20,000.00. Anyone who does that will win the market.
Walt Barrett

By: dougal31

dougal31 — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 19:31:07 +0000

Solar panels are like go faster strips!
Would generate 100W in bright sunlight ads give 1 to 10 minute driving after 10 hours charge.
Wont save much on emissions as mains electricity with distribution and charging is only 30 % efficient;
worse than a modern petrol engine. Regenerative braking is the only good feature but the energy cost of batteries etc offsets the gain.
Buy a horse:)
Doug

By: dougal31

dougal31 — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 19:13:37 +0000

Not really solar powered . Solar powered to pretend but really mains electric powered.
Bright sunlight will give 100W. 10 hours = 1kwh 50kw motor approx 1 minute running at flat out.
Perhaps 10 minutes running with careful driving.
Mains electricity produced at 30% efficiency after distribution no better than a petrol engine.
With effeciency and energy charging loss and cost of battery a good petrol engine would be less poluting.

By: chrisp68

chrisp68 — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 23:32:56 +0000

What “systems” will the solar panels power. We currenly have 12volt batteries that power all the other systems in the car except to move forward. Unless it charging the car battery when the car is not moving it is just a waste of money. Cars just sit all day while the sun is shining… take advatage of it!

By: bradt

bradt — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 19:15:37 +0000

So when will this be available in the US, and how much will it cost?