Toyota Green Problems

Someone mentioned wind power...well, I recall reading a report from europe (from EU perhaps?) that suggested if we were to harness only a fifth of the comerically harnessable wind power in the world it would amount to 3-5 times the worlds projected electricity usage in 2030. Catch is, to do this would cost trillions up front, but would pay off in time. In time, oil will reach $200 a barrel in 2007 dollars due to peak oil (still a bit off but will be sooner than what many were prepared for), but there is much the west can do to ensure energy security NOW by developing biofuels for existing vehicles and developing EVs/Plug ins for future usage. Just remember this every time you fill up - where does Al Quaeda get its dough from? its not from lemonade stands or christmas hampers...having 80% of the worlds remaining oil in the hands of those who are largely anti-west is very dangerous scenario. They would have us by the dangly bits.

Sorry to say but a car with solar panels on it will not work. A car's flat surfaces (4m2) would only supply about 0.8kw of power. Even if there was 100% efficiency, we would still be looking at 4kw max, and even a '67 VW has more go than this. Some purpose built solar racers can work with this amount of power but are very light, only carry one person, can only be used in the day and would be imparctical for road use. Still, solar panels could work in electrolysing hydrogen from water (BMWs future predicition), supplying base load to power EVs or to supply to juice to run a biorefinery. Solar is workable becase every day the sun shines enough solar radiation on Earth that could power mankind for 18 years - and that includes transportation energy.

Someone mentioned wind power...well, I recall reading a report from europe (from EU perhaps?) that suggested if we were to harness only a fifth of the comerically harnessable wind power in the world it would amount to 3-5 times the worlds projected electricity usage in 2030. Catch is, to do this would cost trillions up front, but would pay off in time. In time, oil will reach $200 a barrel in 2007 dollars due to peak oil (still a bit off but will be sooner than what many were prepared for), but there is much the west can do to ensure energy security NOW by developing biofuels for existing vehicles and developing EVs/Plug ins for future usage. Just remember this every time you fill up - where does Al Quaeda get its dough from? its not from lemonade stands or christmas hampers...having 80% of the worlds remaining oil in the hands of those who are largely anti-west is very dangerous scenario. They would have us by the dangly bits.

Sorry to say but a car with solar panels on it will not work. A car's flat surfaces (4m2) would only supply about 0.8kw of power. Even if there was 100% efficiency, we would still be looking at 4kw max, and even a '67 VW has more go than this. Some purpose built solar racers can work with this amount of power but are very light, only carry one person, can only be used in the day and would be imparctical for road use. Still, solar panels could work in electrolysing hydrogen from water (BMWs future predicition), supplying base load to power EVs or to supply to juice to run a biorefinery. Solar is workable becase every day the sun shines enough solar radiation on Earth that could power mankind for 18 years - and that includes transportation energy.

 

The newest panels are around 22% efferent. Even if it can't power the car, it could charge it. Some people pay a lot of money to have a car top on top. Two tone. Any wasted energy is wasted energy.

I say put solar panels on your roof to charge the car when you park it.

Then you simply unplug it before driving off to work. It could work!

yah, but throughout the day the sun moves, you may end up in the shade - a solar array could still be used to charge battery of a plug-in/EV.

yah, but throughout the day the sun moves, you may end up in the shade - a solar array could still be used to charge battery of a plug-in/EV.

True, but solar panels are usually mounted on the side where the sun shines the most.

 

 

I wouldn't suggest mounting a solar panel on anywhere except the roof. If you have solar panels on a trunk, door, or hood and you get into an accident, your repair bill is going to be $10,000s. Another thing to consider is the weight. If solar panels add a good amount of weight to your roof, that's going to make your car's center of gravity go up, a very very bad thing for performance-oriented cars.

I wouldn't suggest mounting a solar panel on anywhere except the roof. If you have solar panels on a trunk, door, or hood and you get into an accident, your repair bill is going to be $10,000s. Another thing to consider is the weight. If solar panels add a good amount of weight to your roof, that's going to make your car's center of gravity go up, a very very bad thing for performance-oriented cars.

That's why I would like to see a panel on your house roof and a plug-in for the car.

 

You keep your car charged up and plug it in for a re-charge.

You can still have a performance car - without all the fossilized fuel being burnt up.

Plug-in hybrids to me are nothing more than backwards BEVs. All a plug-in hybrid is doing is taking a BEV and adding 400 lbs of unneccessary weight (engine, tranny, exhaust, gas tank, etc). After all, if you're plug-in hybrid can go 40+ miles on a charge, then its very possible that you may never have to use your gas engine (most Americans travel less than 35 miles per day), or at most a few times a year for those longer travels. All the while, that engine and its supporting systems are being left untouched and aging like an underdriven car. That means you're going to have to perform regular maintenance to keep it in optimal shape.

Now on the otherhand with that same 400 lbs, you could have a bigger battery pack to make up for the lack of distance. Plus, electric motors and the motor controller don't need constant maintenance. Think about it; how often do you have to perform regular maintenance on your refridgrator or your electric heater? These machines can work 24/7 and log in thousands of hours of constant useage for years without a single check up. They are the ultimate engines.

In my opinion, Plug-in hybrids are yet another stall tactic by the car companies to resist the EV revolution.

Plug-in hybrids to me are nothing more than backwards BEVs. All a plug-in hybrid is doing is taking a BEV and adding 400 lbs of unneccessary weight (engine, tranny, exhaust, gas tank, etc). After all, if you're plug-in hybrid can go 40+ miles on a charge, then its very possible that you may never have to use your gas engine (most Americans travel less than 35 miles per day), or at most a few times a year for those longer travels. All the while, that engine and its supporting systems are being left untouched and aging like an underdriven car. That means you're going to have to perform regular maintenance to keep it in optimal shape.

Now on the otherhand with that same 400 lbs, you could have a bigger battery pack to make up for the lack of distance. Plus, electric motors and the motor controller don't need constant maintenance. Think about it; how often do you have to perform regular maintenance on your refridgrator or your electric heater? These machines can work 24/7 and log in thousands of hours of constant useage for years without a single check up. They are the ultimate engines.

In my opinion, Plug-in hybrids are yet another stall tactic by the car companies to resist the EV revolution.

I think plug-in Hybrids are a step in the right direction.

 

Sure, they are not true EV, but they are closer than the conventional auto.

Get new and improved batteries (lighter, able to hold more of a charge) and the car gets better.

Take out the gas engine and extend the traveling distance and you have a car that will appeal to the masses.

ahh, now I see your point - only thing is to get an EV with a similar range with similar charge refuel times as a petrol car. With some of the developments cited on this thread, this is possible in the forseeable future.

corn ethanol is a joke, sugar crop ethanols are where its at.

ahh, now I see your point - only thing is to get an EV with a similar range with similar charge refuel times as a petrol car. With some of the developments cited on this thread, this is possible in the forseeable future.

That's exactly where I would like to see the future cars go.

 

Rechargeable, with about 100 miles of travel possible.

That car would appeal to me and probably to many more.