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From: fcr@saturn.wustl.edu (Frank C. Robey X5569)
Newsgroups: sci.energy,sci.electronics,rec.autos.tech
Subject: Re: Tech details on GM Electric Car
Summary: Too low of efficeincy for solar chargers.
Message-ID: <1990Jan18.205236.26315@cec1.wustl.edu>
Date: 18 Jan 90 20:52:36 GMT
References: <1990Jan16.210512.287@mentor.com> <1060@khijol.UUCP>
Sender: news@cec2 (USENET News System)
Reply-To: fcr@saturn.UUCP (Frank C. Robey X5569)
Organization: Washington University, St. Louis MO
Lines: 21

In article <1060@khijol.UUCP> erc@khijol.UUCP (Edwin R. Carp) writes:
>
>That gives me a thought -- drive your car to work, then unfold your solar array
>and let the sun charge your batteries while you work!

This sounds like a great idea, but when you calculate the amount
of solar radiation which is incident (say 1 kW per square meter)
and then multiply by the efficiency of the solar cells (say 12%) 
and the number of square meters (say 3) then you don't end up 
with a very big number (360 W).   When you consider the size
of the electric motors in these things you will quickly use 
up the energy you have accumulated over the 8 hours time.  Of
course if you don't have far to drive, then that is a different
story.

I have seen electric vehicles with the solar panels on the roof 
at Powercon, and even the salesmen admitted that they were a gimmick,
"meant for the future when we have 25%+ efficient solar panels".

Frank Robey
fcr@saturn.wustl.edu