Using A Solar Power Car
As the search for renewable energy sources continue people are increasingly looking for more eco-friendly cars to drive. Most popular so far are hybrid cars that run on regular gasoline and cleaner fuels. Solar power has become a very popular clean energy source with many commercial enterprises harnessing solar power as both eco-friendly and cost efficient.
So why not drive a solar power car? The solar power car has been in production for about three decades. So why don't more people use them? Firstly they are quite expensive and secondly they tend to look cute rather than stylish or powerful. There are also technical setbacks that have prevented this car from entering the market.
Setbacks
The solar power car is facing several drawbacks in its production. At the moment it is not a commercially viable vehicle. The idea is still very attractive as it is everyone's dream to have a car that doesn't need expensive fossil fuels. The problem of how to adequately charge a solar power car has thus far impeded any hopes of a commercial vehicle.
A solar power car must have the balance between how much energy is stored in the battery and how much is used to run the car. If too much energy is used to power the car and not enough is stored in the battery then the car will not be able to run in cloudy conditions. On the other hand if too much energy is diverted to the battery the car will run too slowly.
Another problem facing scientists is the weight of the car. For the car to travel at normal speeds on roads and highways the car has to be lightweight. This will increase speed but does not make a solar power car a very safe vehicle. Solar powered homes have an advantage over cars in that there is more space for photovoltaic cells to be placed. With a car the roof is the only place and this severely limits the miles that the car can travel.
Scientists have continued to work on the idea and are hoping to make a car that will be up to consumer use. For the moment however a solar power car is still not widely available and is limited to labs and university student races. It is possible that such a car will soon be used on the road. The increasing need for renewable energy can only spur the efforts to make a solar power car on.
