Solar Roof

It does draw in outside air and helps as lomg as the solar panel has sun to run it also you get the FOB with the A/C option on it so you can run the A/C for up to 4min before you enter the car. All this does help it is a expensive option but I do like mine............ I just saw one at my dealer NW IL 2012 but still NEW.

 

The solar feature keeps the interior of the vehicle from getting blazing hot by circulating in outside air. It's still going to be warm, but you won't feel like you just climbed into a blast furnace as with other vehicles. Having the glass on top that opens is really nice for keeping cooler while you drive too.

As for having it installed later, not a chance. It's a well integrated design no aftermarket attempt could easily match.

 

I have the roof and love it for more than just the fact that the car doesn't get so hot under certain circumstances. By that I mean that the solar panel produces more juice at high noon than it does when the sun is low in the sky.

I leave mine enabled year round, there is a switch to defeat it if you wish. It operates even in the winter here when the sun is out.

Big benefit is that it dries out the hvac system on a daily basis, so never have I encountered any smells that would suggest mould is taking hold in the car. We get a lot of rain and humidity up here for much of the year.

The other reason I bought is my intention to keep my Prius for the long run. With closed windows and roof when parked in the heat of summer, the air brought in by the vents is directed out of the car through a vent positioned by the back passenger wheel. It is forced to cool the traction battery by design that way. Since I believe heat can be bad for battery life, I tend to think that having the interior temps kept down during the strongest or highest temperatures in the day is going to help with my batteries being happy campers. Your little 12 volt battery lives in close proximity to the exhaust vent too.

Finally, you cannot add this later, it is something you get with the car from the factory. Good luck finding one, I'm sure that you will in time.

Roland

 

For what your doing your better off just leaving the car on ready and have the a/c running. When a Prius is in the ready position a/c will be on and the engine will start only to charge the battery when needed. Only thing is in the ready position the car can be driven. Just make sure doors are locked and you have some type of steering wheel/brake locking device.

 

I very much doubt that it will keep typical vending machine products (e.g. chocolate) from melting, though it should slow down the rate that it gets melted.

 

Dark Chocolate melts slower!!

 

Maybe you can rent a Prius with a solar roof from the dealer for a day or two and test.

Preferably on a hot summer day

 

The solar roof works best for me when I park facing the east/west vice north/south with the windshield shade I bought in place. The added remote A/C option is only good for making the air immediately chilly when I get in and start the car so I don't have to wait for the cooler air to start coming out of the vents on a hot day.

GT-P7310 ? HD

 

How does the perform in the winter... Does it generate warm air or does it just not function at all?

 

Well I have not had the car during the winter yet but it has to be over 70 in the cabin to turn on so no in the winter it would stay off