| With zero emissions, solar cars present a | | | | |
| sunny solution to eco-friendly car buyers. It | | | | Are there any solar cars out there? |
| also makes good sense to develop a green car | | | | |
| technology that doesn't call for a | | | | French manufacturer Venturi says their solar |
| complicated infrastructure or any type of | | | | electric AstroLab hybrid concept car yields |
| fueling station. What could be easier than | | | | an improved PV cell efficiency level of 21%. |
| using an already existing energy source like | | | | It's not exactly a family car with its 2-seat |
| the Sun, right? After all it was around since | | | | tandem cockpit configuration, but it's one |
| the beginning of the solar system, well | | | | possibility. The Hungarian manufacturer Antro |
| before fossil fuel. If it were only that | | | | has designed a solar gas-electric hybrid |
| simple, we'd probably already have done it. | | | | other wise known as a tribrid scheduled for |
| In spite of universities and corporations | | | | production in 2012, and Tesla Motors has an |
| building solar cars every year for the past | | | | electric car that can be recharged with solar |
| 20 years for the annual Australian World | | | | power with 2009 models available in the U.S. |
| Solar Challenge solar car race, we're not | | | | and Europe. These are only the first advances |
| quite there yet. | | | | in solar car technology. As time goes on more |
| | | | and more manufacturers will be developing and |
| How do they work? | | | | incorporating some type of solar technology |
| | | | into preexisting propulsion systems. This |
| A solar car is really an electric vehicle | | | | will create a new sort of hybrid, |
| powered by solar energy. Photovoltaic (PV) | | | | disconnected from fossil fuels, yet still not |
| cells in the form of solar panels convert | | | | fully reliant on the Sun's energy |
| sunlight into electrical energy. The process | | | | |
| generates heat, which is converted into | | | | Perhaps with the recent high intensity |
| electrical energy and stored in an on-board | | | | photvoltaic cells designed by a company in |
| battery. The battery serves the same basic | | | | Israel, many of the energy efficiency |
| purpose as a gas tank on an internal | | | | problems will be taken care of. It is not |
| combustion car. | | | | clear though if they can be designed for |
| | | | cars. |
| In spite of the great bounty of sunshine | | | | |
| there for the taking, solar car technology is | | | | Conclusion |
| elusive. The solar electric power source | | | | |
| needs a lot of PV cells, which are expensive, | | | | Solar energy and more specifically solar cars |
| and the efficiency level of PVs is estimated | | | | would be an amazing advancement in future car |
| to be only 10% to 15%. These are daunting | | | | technology. They would allow for free travel |
| challenges facing engineers, and it's more | | | | and nearly unlimited accessibility. Time will |
| likely a hybrid solar with another fuel | | | | tell if all the problems associated with |
| source is the only viable option in the near | | | | harnessing the world's oldest energy source |
| future, yet the concept is intriguing enough | | | | can be dealt with. If the hurdles can be |
| for engineers inside and outside universities | | | | passed then for sure solar cars will be the |
| to take a pure solar car prototype into a | | | | wave of the future. |
| more advanced development stage. | | | | |