Although the electric car market is still in its growth phase, it is already saturated with various companies looking to edge out the other, However, in order to establish their footprints, more innovations are needed. That is exactly what Toyota is reportedly working on.
The Japanese manufacturer is looking to reduce the need for its electric cars to depend on charging socket which is a major feature of electric automobiles. While the company is perfecting its electric vehicles, Toyota is said to be working on a new and improved version of solar power cells which had previously been used on Prius PHV limited to Japan.
Electric car is an automobile that is powered by rechargeable batteries charged with electricity and not dependent on diesel. It was first produced in the 1880s, but the acceptance was low as of then before gaining prominence due to environmental issues like climate change and pollution.
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What you need to know: The prototype solar power cells can convert solar energy at 34% and up. It can change the car’s battery while on motion without having to park for recharge, recuperating lost power immediately.
Other features of the solar cell are;
- The new system will provide up to 44.5 km (27.7 miles) of additional range per day while parked and soaking up sun.
- It can also add up to 56.3 km (35 miles) of power to both the driving system and the auxiliary power battery on board, which runs the AC, navigation and more.
- It’s conversion of solar energy at 34% is better than the existing commercial version’s 22.5%.
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According to report, the solar cells could be placed on the vehicles’ body components like the rear door and the hood. But Solar powered cars are not widely accepted as the traditionally plug-in electric cars.
The cravings for electric cars has seen tech companies make an inroad into the automobile market, with Google, Amazon and Apple aiming to gain market share. Google began manufacturing of its own electric car called Waymo, Amazon partnered with Rivian for its own electric cars and Apple has Titan.
