Quote:
Originally Posted by awcook
Maybe, if possible to do it cheaply, we could use a solar panel to power an air compressor and use that to pump air into a scuba tank, then use that air to push you along for that extra boost when you EOC and don't want to turn your engine back on.
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There are too many conversion losses. Solar energy -> electrical -> mechanical -> compressed fluid.
It would be much more efficient for the solar panel to drive an electric motor that is attached to your drive-train.
As you point out, the solar panels would have to be applied in a way that doesn't increase drag. The problem is that cars move relative to the direction of the sun. It's a poor use of solar panels when you could just mount them in an optimal location, such as the roof of a house, and then charge a vehicle with the energy produced from the rooftop.