solar panelled toyota prius harnesses additional 27 miles of range

as more and more cars become electrified, either as hybrids or full EVs, automotive manufacturers are exploring many technological solutions to further improve cruising range and efficiency. as one such method, toyota looks skywards to harness more electrical energy whilst on the move. the collaboration has seen high-efficiency solar battery cells fitted on to the bonnet, roof, tailgate and other parts of their prius plug-in hybrid, and will begin public road trials around the toyota park in toyko from late july 2019.

all images courtesy of toyota

high-efficiency solar battery cells from sharp have been modularized to create a solar panel onboard toyota’s prius plug-in hybrid. boosting power generation, the technology produces an output of around 860W, which is 4.8 times higher than that of the regular production model. it offers an efficiency of 34% – up from 22.5% in previous test models – to ensure more energy is sourced at a faster rate when either parked or being driven. these results mean the solar-equipped prius delivers an additional 27.7 miles (44.5 km) of energy, once it has been parked and charged in the sun all day.

project info:

model: prius

manufacturer: toyota

collaborator: sharp

start date for public road trials: july 2019