Correction: Solar panels to only supply a portion of power for air conditioning on 2010 Prius

[Jack66]

If Toyota's research into their PV panels helps decrease the cost of other PV panels then I will be glad. I would love to completely go off the grid but we still can't afford the PVs at the current price and efficiency.

[galaxee]

increased demand leads to increased production. mass production has the positive effect of being cheaper. any decrease in the price of PV would be great.

and this is just another example of an early inroad toward something bigger. will it pan out? who knows. would be cool if we could eventually have fully solar a/c, wouldn't it?

kow, how come the word "scientist" is both singular and plural? i never understood that.

[viking31]

Originally Posted by Wildkow

Whatever. Look Viking31 I don’t know what set you off but my post makes no references to the intelligence of Americans. I merely pointed out that you thought Toyota took an action that was stupid, you used the term dumbest, and therefore the public will assume something that is not true.

Then in his reply Priusenvy made a statement to the effect that this mistaken assumption is due to the America Public getting its scientific education from science news reports on the Fox News Network. He cites a 3 minute clip about a secret air force aircraft, and how this report was dummied down, i.e. not detailed or accurate enough. I pointed out that it was brand new secret project, therefore not a lot on info available and that Fox only had 3 minutes for the report.

Not one word or concept in my post reflects upon the intelligence of the America Public. In fact if anyone is guilty of the arrogant and insolent attitude you accuse me of, it is you and your characterization that the easily deceived America Public will make a knee-jerk assumption that the power output will be significant because Toyota Marketing is advertising the fact that Toyota is putting Solar on the roof of the Prius. How do you know that? You're making the value judgment on the intelligence of the American Public! How do you know that they won’t supply the correct answer or answer with “I don’t know” if in fact they don’t know?

Sheesh man reel in the moral outraged rhetoric and read my post again. The last paragraph is a huge clue as to the subject of my post and it’s general premise. Just because we don’t see eyeball to eyeball on each and every issue doesn’t mean you have to go out of your way to fabricate crap just to bust my chops.

Have a nice day.

Wildkow

Whoa! Hold on there young man. I think you are perhaps a little confused about the posts in this thread. My post was in reference to and only the post by Priusenvy. The quote (see my other post referencing his) is:

"We're in serious trouble in this country if this is how much dumbing-down is needed for the average American to understand."

The above quote by Priusenvy, which references a clip by Fox News (of which theirs and other television news organizations bore me), unequivocally implies that 1) Fox News is presented in a simpleton manner so ergo 2) the average (which implies most) American needs such simpleton formats to comprehend such concepts.

I don't know how much clearer Priusenvy could be in explaining his opinion as I stated above. Therefore my original post is clear and correct. Priusenvy believes most Americans are simpletons and because he is able to make such a statement he believes he is somehow more intelligent than most Americans. Insulting and arrogant at best.

Now, where you fit into the above equation???

Rick
#4 2006

[priusenvy]

Originally Posted by viking31

Priusenvy believes most Americans are simpletons

They are. Especially Floridians.

[RobH]

I think we can safely assume that the Toyota solar cells will be about as revolutionary as the Toyota NiMH batteries. In other words, they will be a novel application of current technology. The Toyota solar cells will be a mass market version of technology that we can already purchase as specialty equipment.

So the Toyota cells will be thin film technology with an efficiency of about 10%. They can cover the roof (and perhaps the hood), and generate maybe 100 watts tops under ideal conditions. Or a more typical 40 watts. This is enough to run a decent ventilation fan. It won't operate the cooling function of the air conditioner.

Toyota will charge $10-$20 per rated watt for the cells, and pay about $1-$2 for those cells. They make a killing, and come up smelling like roses. Just good business.

A decent size traction battery with a 40 mile EV range would be a real offering. A ventilation fan solar roof is just fluff.

[viking31]

Originally Posted by priusenvy

They are. Especially Floridians.

That's not funny. Perhaps meant as a joke, but even when you are in jest your immature and childlike demeanor shows.

Racist because perhaps we have a higher minority population than most other states? Do you think the same from folks from Tennessee or West Virginia? How about Mississippi? Are all these folks a bunch of this and that?

You dug your own hole. Find a better way to crawl out of it.

Rick
#4 2006

[F8L]

I find it odd that I do not recall seeing posts ripping Aptera apart for having this same feature (solar panels for venting fan) built into their vehicle.

[snakeman]

Originally Posted by viking31

Whoa! Hold on there young Priusenvy believes most Americans are simpletons and because he is able to make such a statement he believes he is somehow more intelligent than most Americans. Insulting and arrogant at best.

Originally Posted by priusenvy

They are. Especially Floridians.

Originally Posted by viking31

That's not funny. Perhaps meant as a joke, but even when you are in jest your immature and childlike demeanor shows.

Racist because perhaps we have a higher minority population than most other states? Do you think the same from folks from Tennessee or West Virginia? How about Mississippi? Are all these folks a bunch of this and that?

You dug your own hole. Find a better way to crawl out of it.

Rick
#4 2006

Wait a minute there!

Not to white knight for Priusenvy (he's obviously able to stand up for himself) but you've gone off the deep end there. It's clear that Priusenvy is poking fun with a bit of sarcasm and smack talk that's no worse than when I rib my friend for being such an obvious idiot because he's a Miami Dolphin's fan. You only make it worse by slinging around the most grievous insult possible ('racist') without any basis what so ever given that no one mentioned such a thing until you brought it into the conversation.

Was this a deliberate ad hominem attack or an attempt to derail the conversation with a strawman argument?



So as not to further contribute to derailing the thread, here's my on-topic thoughts:

1. It is a sad commentary on the state of science journalism in all formats that things like this get mis-reported and the very important details left out in an attempt to summarize something complex in a 30-second sound bite or to raise ratings by sensationalizing an essentially non-story. All media is guilty of this to one degree or another and most of us are guilty of helping it along through our lazy multi-tasking information gathering habits.

2. I think it's a poor idea for Toyota to go this route at this point unless they know something about better solar cells than we do. Best case scenario this doesn't do a whole hell of a lot and just adds to the cost of the car for a gimick not much better than spinning rims. Worst case scenario it raises all sorts of false expectations in the minds of the buying public world-wide and we see another flood of posts that are just the new version of "my Prius doesn't get the EPA mileage" when people realize that a small solar panel doesn't remove the need for a gas tank.

Here's hoping Toyota either changes their minds or has one hell of a great idea up their collective sleeves.

[viking31]

Originally Posted by F8L

I find it odd that I do not recall seeing posts ripping Aptera apart for having this same feature (solar panels for venting fan) built into their vehicle.

Uh, probably because most, including myself, after seeing this post thought "what's an Aptera??".

Rick
#4 2006

[Stefx]

It's probably because the Aptera doesn't affect the Prius.
Also, it's probable that most Prius drivers would rather see the cost invested into a larger traction battery rather than a solar cell roof.