In 50 years we will look back and say this was the moment that cars took the next step in their evolution. The Toyota Prius will be getting solar panels! Available as an option on 2010 Japanese Prius Hybrids; the solar panels will be used to power a ventilation system while the car is parked.
You may say whoop dee doo! All you have to do is roll down the windows. Well this is just the very first step. I can foresee a time when all new car will have solar panels that will power all electrical systems on a car.
The Prius solar panels are made by Kyocera, the same company that makes various electronic components and cell phones. A great deal of research went into these panel to make sure they could with stand the weather, the abuse of daily driving, and also the mediocre speeds that hybrids achieve. Picture the solar cells on top of a house, well these are nothing like those! These new panels are slim, have a nice aesthetic look and are designed to absorb the beautiful solar rays.
These panels power a little fan in the car that regulates the interior temperature. Although that is not really all that exciting, and definitely not worth the added cost as an option; the solar cells do represent the first step in integrating solar energy into the automobile.
Source:http://global.kyocera.com/news/2009/0506_jgoa.html