Volvo Embeds Batteries into Body Panels
 

Interesting idea...

Double Duty: Volvo Embeds EV Batteries into Carbon Fiber Body Panels - Popular Mechanics

Is the car considered totaled if the battery panels can no longer hold a charge... ?

Interesting, but not a good idea. The reason? Mainly battery thermal management comes to mind... I wouldn't want mine baking in the sun, nor freezing in the winter.

Ouch, a dent in the battery.
Total loss ...

agreed.
I say make the body panels light and sling the batteries low.

as i know, about 5 years ago or more was solar cells, made as thin self-adhesive film.
you can stick it to any surface.

and it was not a rocket sciense, price was pretty low and it is aviable for order right now.

Yeah, the thin film solar cells are pretty cool... but unfortunately they haven't come through on the price. They're more expensive than normal cells from what I've seen.

but still much cheaper than original spare parts from Volvo :)

http://www.caretransenergy.com/wp-co...cells-copy.jpg

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/...n-film-008.jpg

How about replacing the typical dark window "tint" material with translucent solar-cell material? Use it to "tricle-charge" the electrical system and battery, thus reducing electrical & mechanical loading on the alternator...and engine.

Slightly off topic, I remember reading, maybe last year, purdue had some students working on a PV paint. Not sure exactly how it works but it sounded neat.

The body panels are not batteries, but are instead capacitors, denting or scratching them is an issue, it's also an issue that they are made from carbon fiber... more expensive then regular carbon fiber body panels too!

Paint on solar panels have a very short lift span, trouble with them is they haven't figured out how to keep them from breaking down in sunlight... kind of like the boat someone made out of news paper, it sure was cheap, just don't use it!

Solar windows.... yeah... clear solar panels are not real, what is real is making windows out of prisms with the solar cells perpendicular so you only see the thin edge of the cell, the windows let light in but it's kind of like having privacy glass.