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Originally Posted by oil pan 4
First of all the average life of a car in the US us 11 years, solar panels should last at least 25 yesrs.
So tell me more about how throwing away solar panels with about 60% life saves the planet...
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Who says cars have to last 11 years? Who says solar panels should last 25 years? If there were a solar panel shortage, ok sure, stop wasting them. But as far as I last heard, solar panels are the cheapest form of making electricity. If they are cheaper (in the long run) than say, an engine in hybrid, what are we doing putting engines in cars?! Engines can last a lot longer than just 11 years!
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Originally Posted by oil pan 4
Car roof top solar panels are at a non ideal angle to the sun. Flat sucks. They should of be on a homes roof top.
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Car engines also suck. A stationary engine can be as efficient as 60%. And an whole array of engines can keep from dropping down below 50% efficiency very easily. Yet we put them in cars, which at best hit 40% efficiency and usually are less than half that. That's about three times less efficient! We use three times the fuel because we put engines where they don't belong!
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Originally Posted by oil pan 4
Any sun collected after the battery is charged is wasted.
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True. But how often are you going to fill up a 60kWh battery, or whatever, with a tiny little 200W or so solar panel?
Quote:
Originally Posted by oil pan 4
The panels are throwaway once they are damaged, I seriously doubt they are any near as tough as framed panels protected by 1/8 inch tempered glass.
Nothing about this is right.
You want a solar powered car, get roof top solar panels a leaf and save about 200,000 dollars.
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And how many people who consider buying a +$200,000 car actually want to save money?
Quote:
Originally Posted by oil pan 4
Better off with a horse and buggy.
Cross country travel with a cold grid would be suicide.
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How many people are going to keep a horse and buggy just in case of an apocaliptic event?
Sorry for the snobbyness. No offense. You are right, solar panels are less efficient on cars and will have a shorter life than elsewhere. I just don't see solar panels on cars as being a threat to society is all. If it endangered people's lives or health, or the environment or the threads of the quantum fabric that makes up the universe then I'd be against it.
Let people put solar panels on cars. If it doesn't work the fad will quickly die.