Toyota to put solar panels on Prius hybrids

Toyota Motor plans to install solar panels on some Prius hybrids in its next remodeling, responding to growing demand for “green” cars amid record-high oil prices, a person with direct knowledge of the matter said Monday.

The panels, supplied by Kyocera, would be able to power part of the air-conditioning on high-end versions of the gasoline-electric Prius, the person said.
“It’s more of a symbolic gesture,” said the person, who asked not to be identified because he was not allowed to speak publicly. “It’s very difficult to power much more than that with solar energy.”

Toyota is due to introduce the third-generation Prius next year.

Kentaro Endo, a director at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in Japan who specializes in renewable energy, said the application of solar energy was severely limited in vehicles.

“Even if you laid solar panels out on the entire roof of a house, you only generate enough energy to run two hairdryers,” he said. “It’s an interesting idea, but it would be very difficult to power a whole car, even with technological advances.”

International Herald Tribune