Solar Panels

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(h2photo @ May 18 2007, 06:07 PM) [snapback]445301[/snapback]</div>

I'm very curious about this too.

 

The "kit" price is $3,500.00 ((plus tax). They've gotten kinda busy, so at the moment they are not doing the install themselves. As I recall from before they updated the website, the installed price was about $4,500.00.

I have seen the install, and a couple of versions of it. The one on the website shows a box in the hatchback area that housed the additional batteries and the electronics. The latest version has the batteries and gear where the spare tire went, so you get back all that rear cargo area.

Naturally, the Prius rules still rule wrt how the EV mode works. You just get more battery and some solar charging. There has been talk of adding charging from the grid (plug-in) but I'm not sure they've done that yet.

--Bill

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Stepho84 @ May 19 2007, 02:33 PM) [snapback]445767[/snapback]</div>

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Stepho84 @ May 19 2007, 02:33 PM) [snapback]445767[/snapback]</div>

I'm interested in this to. Are you satisfied with the system? I'm not a Prius expert but I understand that the electric motor on the Prius only operates up to 12 mph. It seems like that mgiht limit the benefits of this system. If this system does work well it seems only logical that adding more solar cells to say the hood would be a good idea.

I have reviewed the www.solarelectricalvehicles.com Web site and got an email from them with a price of $4,500 several months ago. Are saying that the price has now been lowered to $3,500? That does not sound too bad.

I'm thinking about buying a Prius and adding one of these systems in the near future. Do you know of any dealers that will install this kit in the North Carolina area and do you know of any people who have installed one of these kits on their Prius in the North Carolina area?

Joe - Raleigh, NC

 

34 MPH is the top speed for forced (EV button) EV mode.

42 MPH is the cuttoff for computer-controlled "true" or "natural" EV mode. This means the gas enigine starts spinning (with no fuel burning) to prevent the electric motor from over-revving.

Even at highway speeds one can do EV only, but the gas engine is spinning.

I find it a pretty cool system, but the EV only add-on battery packs and plug-in chargers would still be governed by the Toyota design(s) as described above. More electrical assist would be available to further the MPG, but EV only without ANY gas would be at the slower speeds.

Still it's a start.

Well, considering EV-only Ravs and GM's EV-1 and Ford's Ranger EV have been out for, oh, 10 years! It seems to be a backwards step in that sense.