Filling up with sunshine
A solar-powered car from the land of the rising sun?
It could happen someday. Toyota Motor Corp., Japan's biggest automaker, is secretly developing a car powered by electricity generated by solar cells mounted on the vehicle, the Nikkei newspaper, a leading Japanese business publication, reported today, according to the Associated Press.
Initially, the vehicle-mounted solar cells would provide only some of the power for the vehicle’s batteries, which would still have to be recharged using an outside source of electricity, Nikkei reported.
Toyota's goal is to eventually power the vehicle solely with electricity from vehicle-mounted cells.
The report said it would be years before Toyota could bring a sun-powered vehicle to market. The automaker, which last week said it would report its first operating loss in 70 years amid a global slump in new-vehicle sales, is banking on new technologies to spur growth, the report said.
The report didn't cite sources and Toyota executives were unavailable for comment. However, the company is in a race with carmakers big and small to develop powertrain technologies that go beyond current-generation gasoline-electric hybrids such as the Toyota Prius and the Chevy Malibu hybrid.
The electric motor in the third-generation Prius, due to be unveiled formally at the Detroit auto show later this month, will be powered by a nickel-metal-hydride battery, just like the current model. However, Toyota and several other automakers are working on plug-in hybrids that would use more advanced lithium-ion batteries. Nissan, meanwhile, is developing an all-electric car and Toyota is expected to unveil a compact electric vehicle concept at the Detroit show.
Toyota executives have hinted recently that they are thinking "beyond lithium-ion" in their quest to develop alternatives to gasoline engines. And the company's efforts to harness power from the sun could get a boost when Panasonic Corp., Toyota's partner in high-tech battery production, completes its planned takeover of Sanyo Electric Co., a leader in solar technology.
Although Toyota has enjoyed a green image with its leadership in the sale of fuel-efficient hybrids, it has also been criticized for pushing big, gas-guzzling pickup trucks and SUVs. Making advances in powering a vehicle with solar energy would certainly burnish the automaker's image with environmentalists.
The idea of using solar energy to power cars received a lot of attention last month when Swiss engineer Louis Palmer pulled up at the U.N. climate conference in Poland in a solar-powered car, having just completed a 17-month, 32,000-mile trip around the globe.
Although it was highly publicized, the vehicle isn't quite ready for prime time -- or rush hour on the 405, for that matter. A two-seater, the car had only three wheels and drew its power from batteries charged by solar cells mounted on a trailer towed behind the car. It does, however, get a respectable 185 miles on a single charge and has a top speed of 55 mph.
-- Martin Zimmerman
Photo (top): Louis Palmer's solar car at the U.N. climate conference in Poznan, Poland, last month. Credit: AFP /Getty Images
Photo (bottom): Protesters at the climate conference. Credit: Associated Press
AP names today’s Nikkei as the source. The funny thing is, there is no such article in today’s Nikkei, nor is there one that was published in previous days. A search of both the Japanese and English versions of the Nikkei for “Toyota” and “solar” comes up with nothing. The car doesn’t exist. The Nikkei article quoted by the AP doesn’t exist either.
What is in today’s Nikkei (sub) is a story about advances in construction technologies — of houses. It reads like this: “Homes that can use electric cars as power storage batteries is just one of the new construction technologies expected to receive attention in 2009. Such technology was jointly developed by Tostem Housing Institute Co., which belongs to JS Group Corp, Mitsubishi Corp., the Tokyo Institute of Technology and others. Their final goal is to develop a system whereby electric cars serve as a battery for homes. The cars are to be charged by solar power and less-expensive nighttime electricity, and their stored energy tapped to power homes when necessary. Such a system is seen slashing carbon dioxide emissions.” Granted, the story reads off-the-wall-ish. Don’t blame us, it’s the Nikkei’s official version. There is no Toyota mentioned anywhere. They are talking about charging a plug-in with solar panels on the roofs of houses. Big deal.
A case of too much sake last night for Yuri Kageyama-san, who wrote the article for AP?
The trouble is: The story is making headlines around the world, raising hopes for something that doesn’t exist. Not even in the news story that is quoted.
Posted by: xhsv | January 05, 2009 at 01:01 PM
Welcome to the 'Toyota Tribrid'!
Posted by: TribridCars.com | January 05, 2009 at 01:02 PM
ZAP has had a solar electric vehicle for over 2 years. see www.zapworld.com
Posted by: sasah | January 05, 2009 at 01:02 PM
The solar vehicle Zap sells is a 3 wheeled tricycle with seatbelts. Made in China and CANNOT be driven on a Highway, It is illegal in over 25 states and is technically classified as a motorcycle, not a car. Despite whatever title the Marketing people try to tell you. It is powered by 6 batteries has a top speed of 29 and a range of 50 mi.
GLTA
Posted by: dominic | April 07, 2009 at 04:34 PM