2007 Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid Solar Electric Car. It is a modified 2007 Toyota Prius that uses both grid-electricity and electricity generated by solar panels on its roof, significantly reducing the car’s fuel requirements. Who paid for the car? Veridian purchased the car as part of Mr. Angemeer’s executive car allowance. The retrofits for the vehicle – including the solar panels on the roof – were paid for by Veridian and its corporate sponsors, including the Electricity Distributor Association’s “LDC Tomorrow Fund”. Veridian partnered with Solera Sustainable Energies Company and Hymotion Inc. to produce the car. How does the plug-in hybrid solar electric car work? The plug-in hybrid solar electric car is a one-of-a-kind vehicle, different in important ways from traditional hybrid vehicles. Hybrid cars combine a conventional gas engine with an electric motor. The vehicle is powered by the electric motor at low speeds, and by gasoline as it accelerates. The plug-in hybrid solar car takes hybrid technology one step further thanks to a larger battery capable of storing an electric charge that allows the car to run off both grid-generated electricity and solar-generated electricity, in addition to gasoline. For short distances, the car can run solely on electricity. On days when the sun doesn’t shine, and at night, the car plugs in to a normal receptacle found in the home. How does the car get recharged? The solar panels on the roof of the car can generate up to 240 watts of electricity in full sunshine. This energy is stored in a high-capacity nanophosphate lithium-ion battery. This is the latest generation of battery technology used in laptop computers. On a sunny day, using just the electricity generated by the car’s solar panels, the car can travel up to 14 kilometres in electric-only mode without relying on gasoline. How often does the car need to be recharged? As long as the sun shines, the panels are constantly available for recharging the battery. At night the car can plug-in to a normal household receptacle for charging. Do the batteries have a shelf-life, and if so, how are they disposed of? The batteries have a five year warranty. It is anticipated that when these batteries become available in mass produced vehicles, they will be covered under warranty for eight years or longer. Processes for recycling the batteries are already available. How fuel efficient is the car? The car averages just 3.2 litres of gasoline per 100 kilometres for the first 55 kilometres of travel. In comparison, a standard Toyota Prius averages 5.8 litres per 100 kilometres. On one battery charge, the car can travel about 55 kilometres without using the gasoline-powered internal combustion engine at low speed. This car is designed to be of the greatest benefit for shorter daily commuting, or around town. In practice the car operates in a “blended mode” with the charged batteries lessening the load on the engine and allowing it to remain completely off much more frequently. here
