Effective Solar Powered Cars…Really?

Before we can talk about whether they’re effective or not, maybe you’d like to know exactly what a solar powered car is. Simply put, it’s an electric car. Except…it doesn’t plug in to a wall socket or anywhere else because the electricity that runs is comes from solar energy panels attached directly to the top of the vehicle.

The photovoltaic (PV) solar energy panels capture the energy and convert it into electricity.

At this time, solar powered cars are really short-distance vehicles…short races or commuting…as they require a lot of direct sunlight to run right. They do have solar batteries that store any additional energy not needed for immediate operation, but currently their storage capacity is too limited to be of any significant value to do anything other than provide less than 50 miles of additional operation.

If you really want the current answer to the effectiveness of solar powered cars now, what you’re going to hear is “We’re not quite there yet.”

Solar powered cars, with a few more technological advances, however, definitely show the promise of producing one of the best solutions to reduction of fossil fuel dependence, and the reduction of greenhouse gases.

While coal-burning plants step up to the number one spot for the creation of greenhouse gases, vehicles fall into the second spot. Falling into first place for both sources of greenhouse gas emissions is the United States, contributing 2.5 billion tons of carbon dioxide through coal-burning power plants, and 1.5 billion tons through automobile engines.

With these statistics, it’s easy to see why the United States, with only 4% of the world’s population, isn’t seen by others as a strong environmental defender. Progress has been extremely slow, despite the desire and the undisputed technology to make a significant difference.

Automobile and energy industries have lobbied long and hard to resist further legislation or incentives that would really produce tangible results. As a result, gas-hogging SUV’s and other large vehicles still maintain a strong hold on the American market.

Solar powered cars in the United States are currently developed nearly exclusively for race cars. The cockpits are deliberately kept small, and the vehicles light. The solar energy panels that are used on these cars costs hundreds of thousands of dollars. Their technology, however, clearly shows their capability…they can run fast and produce absolutely no pollution. This includes no noise pollution as the panels work silently in collecting and storing energy.

Globally, in the last few years, there have been a few solar powered cars (although not totally vehicle-generated electricity) built that are for use by the general public. These cars are generally what’s called a SPEV, or solar powered electrical vehicle. Most are small, one person vehicles suitable for short commutes – back and forth to work or to the grocery store. One notable advance, however, is in the solar powered five-door Blue Car hatchback, which is a fully electric vehicle with solar panels being produced in Europe. The ad in inhabitat.com states: “The solar panels on the vehicle’s roof provides some power to the vehicle’s systems. It comes with regenerative brakes and a Lithium Metal Polymer batteries, and has a range of 155 miles per charge. According to the manufacturer, all the materials in the construction have been sourced to be as environmentally friendly as possible.”

An electric hybrid car…a car with both an electric and gasoline engine…the Toyota Prius, has also made a new solar energy addition. It has an optional solar roof capable of adding power for an additional 20 miles. If you’re thinking that’s not a huge contribution, think of it as one baby step backward…which in this case is a good thing…in vehicle contribution to global warming.

Since solar powered cars work without burning fossil fuels, they create a very viable solution to the energy crisis. Not to mention…no oil changes, no tune-ups. And…you don’t have to take them in for an emissions check…ever.

As a country, when we decide to invest through our purchases and our voice…and to insist that our representatives in the House and Senate invest with us…in solar power, we diminish our carbon footprint.

If we want solar powered cars to come to the forefront for production and distribution, we need to support the technology, and insist on the research and development needed to make them the effective, economical transportation they can…and will…become.

Learn more about solar power cars. Stop by Timothy Peters’s site where you can find out all about home solar power and what it can do for you.