Has the Solar Car Arrived Yet ?

Has The Solar Car Arrived Yet?

Solar technology has evolved considerably these past few years, but often the cost of buying solar panels and having them installed on your house to provide hot water or even to power your home is too expensive compared to the savings.

Some experts suggest it’ll take seven to ten years to clear your costs and then maintenance kicks in. So how close is a car you can realistically drive without topping up expensively at the fuel station?

The reasons for wanting a solar powered car are obvious. A car with almost no running costs and with no environmentally poor emissions is beneficial to all. The problem lies in having enough sun hours to power up the batteries required to store energy to drive the car. Also, balancing the solar usage with a small engine makes a hybrid car that rather defeats the object.

There’s also the matter of the cost and what about roadside cover  ? Would your current first choice of company be able to assist you?

How Much To Buy A Solar Car?

Solar cars have mostly been developed by universities as student projects. Almost every design to date insists on a science fiction look. This ensures the best air flow to keep the car moving without the hindrance of wind streams.

Most current variations include either one or two cramped seats with storage space being only enough for a Kindle. Usually these cars have enormous turning circles and are extremely fragile because of the materials used for manufacture.

Hybrid vehicles are all the current rage, but only meet the needs of energy fuel costs half way. Most can’t go far enough on battery power alone or their speeds are too slow for highway driving. The alternative all electric cars still rely on fossil fuels to power them and we all know where these fuel costs are going – an upward direction only.

The British ran a television programme back in the seventies called ‘Tomorrow’s World.’ It was full of inventions that would help the world grow without high energy costs. It’s known that the oil and car manufacturers paid high dollar amounts to purchase the patents and intellectual property to prevent the loss of future oil and car revenue. They stopped the public from seeing the future evolve earlier. It’s only now that car manufacturers have been forced to think forwards. Nevertheless, they still avoid the solar powered plans.

The other prohibitive part of the equation is the cost; many potential solar cars are available between US$100,000 and $200,000.

Do Solar Cars Need A Motor?

Yes, is the easy answer. A motor is still required to take the energy from the solar panels to power the wheels. The electrical energy required is coming from inefficient solar cells and that’s when the sun is out. Without direct sunlight, you’re going to be relying on stored energy.

The composite of carbon fibre with a nomex core gives a solar car strength and rigidity. With suspensions made of aluminium, a small weight base for the car keeps the efficiency higher than petrol based car.

Small Parts Are Expensive

Unfortunately, technology stills needs to evolve with solar panels for use on cars. Whereas a building doesn’t move with solar panels aimed for the greatest collection of sun possible, a car drives through tunnels and gets parked in a garage. If the power from solar panels isn’t stored in batteries (which adds to the weight of the car to be propelled) a car can only be driven in bright sunshine which rules out 60% of the global market.

Many of the lessons learned by building solar cars have been applied to hybrid and electric cars. The day will arrive soon when the technology meets the needs of the customer and hopefully at the right price.

The regular racing of solar cars proves that they can travel 750 km a day at highway speeds. The design of the racing cars isn’t practical for day to day use, but the link is there so it shouldn’t be long until solar cars are available for everyday use, unless the car manufacturers prevent their mainstream arrival. After all, the large auto manufacturers have spent millions on developing their current ranges. Why should they change just for the environment?