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http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2008-07-07-prius-solar-powered-air-conditioning_N.htmTOKYO — Toyota's ecological Prius gas-electric hybrid will become even greener next year with solar-powered air conditioning on some high-end models, The Nikkei newspaper of Japan reported Monday.
The solar panels on the roof of the new Prius model will provide 2 to 5 kilowatts of electricity, the major Japanese business daily said in a report without citing sources.
Toyota (TM) plans to purchase the panels from Japanese electronics maker Kyocera, the newspaper said.
A quick gut-check of the numbers shows that 2 kW is impossible and 5 kW is just downright laughable. A high quality panel such as http://store.altenergystore.com/Sol...Panels/GEPVp-200-200W-18V-Solar-Panel/p3843/" one generates about 140 w/m^2 and costs $5.5 per watt. That means that to generate 2 kW, the Prius would need 14 m^2 of panel facing directly toward the sun. The Prius is a hatchback, with a total length and width of 4.4x1.72= 7.57 m^2. Nevermind that at $5.5 a watt for 2 kW, the panels alone would consume roughly half the cost of the car.
I wonder who this unnamed source is?
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