Solar panels for vehicle roofs

[nodle]

With all the vehicles on the road this day and age. Why not have a 3 foot x 3 foot solar panel located on top of the roof somewhere? Cars could be larger than a pickup's. Even the top of semis and trailers could use this. Now this of course can't keep up with the alternator to charge your battery, but it would provide a slow trickle charge to your battery. In cold places this would do wonders. Picture in your head all those parking lot full of cars each day. Miles of vehicles driving in traffic down in California. We potentially waste so many opportunities to use solar panels.

 

[ndboarder]

I'd agree it could be useful, but are the panels very resilient? I don't think they are cheap, and can only imagine how many would get broke/chipped/cracked driving down roads.

On the solar panel topic, our Christmas gift at work was one of those portable battery things that you charge and it has a USB port to charge a phone or whatever device you have that charges via USB. Has a solar plate on it so it can charge to a degree that way. Could never keep up with the draw from a device that was on though.

 

[nodle]

Actually a solar panel with a covering over the top (plexi-glass or a poly plastic with a diamond pattern to actually pull more light in) would be very protective. It's on the top so it's mostly immune to rock chips etc. Hail maybe but the poly plastic should stop that. So durability wise this is no problem. It's just flush inside the top on the metal on top of the car with a rubber seal. It's only embedded done in the metal a little ways. Only thing below would be dampeners for flex and some wiring (quick connect for easy of removal) and depending on the setup a converter or inverter box. Real simple system. Looks from the front/rear/sides of the vehicle you can't even tell it's there.

 

[WayneKerr]

:Not one alternative fuel source, but all:

 

[ryanator]

Not solar but, cough..Tom Ogle..coughconspiracy... http://fuel-efficient-vehicles.org/energy-news/?page_id=787

Oh, more proof here (actual patent on file from 1979): https://www.google.com/patents/US4177779?dq=4,177,779&hl=en&sa=X&ei=HPSxUsnDFoeThgfj8IHIAQ&ved=0CDcQ6AEwAA

Oil companies made the world stay backwards, since 100 years ago, we had made alternative or major gas saving tech, but certain people wouldn't have it. That is not a conspiracy itself, but the way certain people died or were shut out from ever evolving their technology.

 

[nodle]

I agree with you @ryanator . I know that's why we don't see this type of technology out there. Now think about the advantage to electric vehicles like the Prius or the Tesla. I don't expect it to fully power them, but power is power no matter how small it is producing.

 

[ryanator]

Also the fact if the developers would have been able to fully flourish their product back then, by now we would already have high fuel efficient vehicles.

 

[nodle]

You are correct @ryanator . In 1914 we already had an electric charge that went 241 miles on a single charge.

http://www.detroitelectric.org/

 

[jmanz]

I'd agree it could be useful, but are the panels very resilient? I don't think they are cheap, and can only imagine how many would get broke/chipped/cracked driving down roads.
On the solar panel topic, our Christmas gift at work was one of those portable battery things that you charge and it has a USB port to charge a phone or whatever device you have that charges via USB. Has a solar plate on it so it can charge to a degree that way. Could never keep up with the draw from a device that was on though.

We got those also at work. Have not tried it yet.

 

[ndboarder]

You won't find it at a dealership anytime soon, but one of Ford's featured demonstrations at the 2014 International CES next week will be a C-MAX hybrid vehicle that has had its roof tricked out with SunPower solar panels.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/heatherclancy/2014/01/02/ford-concept-car-sports-solar-panels/

 

[nodle]

http://www.forbes.com/sites/heatherclancy/2014/01/02/ford-concept-car-sports-solar-panels/

SOB! They must read Fluxoid!

 

[nodle]

Another great idea fro solar panels.

 

[nodle]

Wow lets see this thread is 3 years old now. Thanks for stealing my idea TESLA!

Elon Musk: The Model 3 Will Incorporate Tesla’s Solar Roof Technology

 

[nodle]

Well I see someone reads Fluxoid.com

Hyundai, Kia to put solar panels on vehicle roofs

 

[jmanz]

Well I see someone reads Fluxoid.com

Hyundai, Kia to put solar panels on vehicle roofs

Or this article from 2008.

https://www.technologyreview.com/s/410454/does-car-mounted-solar-make-sense/

 

[nodle]

Or this article from 2008.

Look at the date of the original post on Fluxoid.

 

[jmanz]

Look at the date of the original post on Fluxoid.

Says 2013.

 

[nodle]

Somewhat related, but why aren't cities running L.E.D.s in their street lights yet? I know they have the lumens available now. Also why not make a small solar panel in the back of the top of each one to recharge the L.E.D. light throughout the day?