Although the current system will only power the AC unit, and is for all intents and purposes is just for show, this is definitely a step in the right direction. The California company SEV has created a solar panel system for Toyota Prius (2004-2008). This system takes 2-3 hours to install and boast of a 29% improvement in fuel efficiency. If you are interested this system will set you back $2K to $4k, but it should pay for itself in 2-3 years.

     Toyota is on the right track and hopefully as technology improves the impact that solar panels have on our energy consumptions will increase. Judging by the advancements in recent years I would not be surprised to see a road vehicle by 2020 that is capable of being powered by the sun entirely on a sunny day.  Possibly this will be done by solar charging stations or by munted panels that charge the batteries when the car is parked.

In 1996 GM introduced the EV1 (electric vehicle1) and began allowing the public to lease them.  The EV1 could do everything the Volt will do, amply accelerate, reasonable top speed (around 80 mph), and Charge of the grid or solar panel.  There is one area that the EV1 far surpasses the volt.  The EV1 could go 3 times farther on a single charge with a range of up to 150 miles.  It may not seem far, but most people don’t commute to work further than 60 miles anyways.  In fact most people don’t drive that far every day.

GM’s next move has been very controversial, they had pulled all working EV1’s off the streets by 2003 and crushed them, then proceeded to sell the patent for their batteries to Texaco (part of the conglomerate of oil comapies).  Learn more by watching the video documentary ”Who Killed the Electric Car.”  To make it more drastic some universities that were given deactivated EV1s have reactivated them and come under fire from GM for violating agreements. GM reacted sternly to the schools for allowing the cars to be driven on the road, which violated the agreement.

There is no fear because this will all soon become GM’s loss as a result of independent automakers beginning to produce electric vehicles with ranges around 250 miles and quick chargers that can charge these batteries in 10 minutes.  To learn more see Electric Cars, Renergy Cafe’s Top 3.

Whatever the reason for GM creating a vehicle with a range of only 40 miles is now irrelevant.  What is important is that there is new technology that truly can change the future of our world.

Author James Moelk, site owner

Amazon.com Widgets

Congress will soon find themselves at a unique crossroads with GM, Chrysler and Ford.  This is a clear opportunity to move these companies into producing more fuel efficient and electric vehicles.  Already GM created the EV1 in the late 1990’s, an electric vehicle capable of traveling at highway speeds and could be driven120 miles between charges.   The stipulations that surround further funding to the Big 3 can very well change the world, the environment, and greatly reduce our dependency on oil. If we must bailout companies in the open market, and many say that we do, it is the obligation of the lawmakers and decidersto make this as much of an investment for our future as possible.

Renergycafe will continue to follow the auto bailout as it unfolds