Why Cant We Make Solar Powered Cars

Over the last several years, the automobile industry has taken great strides toward creating a "greener" driving experience. From hybrids to biodiesel, consumer demand for environmentally friendly cars is definitely high, but it seems no car manufacturer can get a handle on the ultimate in renewable energy: solar power. For a quite some time now, Americans have seen prototypes and independent mod-jobs that seem to suggest that a solar powered car is feasible, but unfortunately for new car shoppers, several obstacles seem to be impeding the development of a market ready sun car.

Size Constraints and Horsepower

One of the biggest problems with solar powered cars is the traditionally low horsepower that such an engine is able to output. EV World reports that small, three wheeled concepts developed  by university students have only been able to reach around 50 - 60 MPH at top speed. These cars are essentially huge, flat solar powers with massive surface area that exist only to test the technology and look rather unattractive to the eye. This clearly makes for some problems if one considers the size constraints of an attractively designed, heavier and fully loaded four wheeled consumer car that people would desire to drive. Highway travel would be impractical, and acceleration would plummet to dangerous lows.

A report from Autotropolis, which discusses the practicality of the solar engine, reports that on a bright sunny day an average solar array that could fit on a consumer-model car might be able to output 2 kilowatts of power, roughly equivalent to 2.6 HP. This amount of power is barely sufficient to run a lawn mower and is certainly inadequate for the open road.

Amenities

While it is certainly true that car shoppers are becoming increasingly concerned with the environment and have been buying cars that reduce their dependence on gasoline, buyers still look for luxury and modern amenities in the automobile they chose.  Even the Toyota Prius, one of the most popular hybrid cars on the road, comes with air conditioning, navigation, and a stereo system. As mentioned above, most solar powered concept vehicles are extremely stripped down, bare bones vehicles. The primary concern of the builder is to make the car lightweight and small, while maximizing the surface area of the solar panels.

Because of power generation constraints, electricity cannot be spared for a CD player, digital gauges, power windows and locks, etc. Furthermore, most solar powered concepts are one-seater vehicles with no allotted trunk space or room for passengers. A heavy suitcase in the back and a friend riding shotgun could add considerable weight for the comparatively weak engine to pull, thus drastically reducing the practicality and effectiveness of the car.

Night and Weather Complications

One of the biggest problems confronting the solar car industry is the proper storage and conservation of solar energy for times when the sun isn't shining. Since the small panels on the car absorb sunlight at a relatively slow rate, a long drive at night or several days under cloudy skies could render the car immobile. A possible solution to this problem might be to charge a reserve battery in the car with large solar panels mounted on a a home's roof. Paul Scott, founder of Plug In America, estimates that about about 25% of Toyota Rav 4 EV owners (an experimental all-electric SUV sold in very limited numbers until 2003) charge their vehicles in this way. This method could be the best solution to the problem, and EV World theorizes that car manufactures (Toyota especially) might sell their vehicles with a large, house mounted panel for charging reserve batteries on the vehicle when it is not in use, but no official word on this has been released.

Costs

One final problem facing the solar powered car is the cost associated with building one. Though sunlight is free, solar power certainly isn't, and to power an entire vehicle in this way could cause sticker prices to soar to undesirable heights. Author and popular blogger John T. Reed published a post discussing the costs of using solar energy to power a home and demonstrated that doing so could raise your electricity costs as much as seven times over traditional gas-generated power. These figures might not exactly apply to automobiles, but solar equipment and all-electric engines currently cost a small fortune to put together, meaning that the switch to solar power is likely to be more expensive than many people expect.

Can We Ever Expect The Solar Car?

Despite these definite problems facing the consumer-ready solar vehicle, several researchers and companies are hard at work developing solutions. Toyota is rumored to be working on a solar car that can overcome some of the issues discussed above, however the company itself is yet to confirm these reports, meaning they may be a long way away from completion on the project. Wired News and other critics believe that this car might be something of a new hybrid, receiving some of its power for solar panels and the rest from traditional gasoline.

The Venturi Astrolab (pictured above) is said to be consumer ready, however the car has several handicaps that make it more of a toy than a practical daily vehicle. Autotropolis reports that the Astrolab tops out at around 45-50 mph and can only travel for 68 miles on a full charge. To make matters worse, the extremely high cost of building the solar system give the car a whopping $113,000 price tag.

There can be no doubt that progress is being made for the solar car, but unless great technological advancements can overcome the obstacles facing this long-awaited dream, the solar car might fall to the wayside and disappear, just as the personal flying car appears to have done.