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I was speaking about a manufacturer adding solar to a new car. That is where it can be added in the most cost efficient manner and most effective manner.
(You would likely need to change the programing of how the car uses the hybrid battery. If you are charging with solar you want the draw down the battery before you park so that the solar can then charge the battery. If the battery is topped off when you park the solar does nothing.)
I can't imagine retrofitting solar to an existing car would ever cost-justify. You would need solar panels at retail price plus a charge controller capable of converting low voltage / low amperage electricity from the solar panel to high voltage needed to charge the hybrid battery. It would likely be cheaper and simpler to just disconnect the 12V battery from the DC - DC converter and charge the 12V only on solar. People here on ecomodder do something similar by removing the alternator and charging their 12v battery from their house.
However, I expect the real gains will be minimal - much less than the factory designed system in the Hyundai Sonata.
Again, if you have $500 to use on energy efficiency there is likely someplace else in your life where that money can be used more effectively and save more energy.
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