Toyota testing improved solar roof for EVs that can charge while driving • Hacker News Board

Re: Toyota testing improved solar roof for EVs that can charge while driving

#151

Post by sxates » Sat, Jul 06, 2019, 4:59 AM UTC

temporaryvector wrote: post #12

I live in a pretty hot city (My car's outside thermometer showed 48°C yesterday at midday). The extended range is nice and all, but if somebody makes a car that can run the AC without running/draining the battery while it's parked, even if it's just a little to keep the car interior at 35°C or so, I would, without exaggeration, buy it the day it's released here. Hell, I'd consider it even if it would just keep the fa…

I had this feature on my old 2007 Audi A6, which replaced the moon roof with a solar sun roof, which powered a fresh air fan when parked in the sun. I purchased it off-lease, and it was pretty much maxed out on features. I never saw another A6 with the solar option - I think it had to be special ordered from the factory. A shame, it was really handy in the Texas heat.

Now I have a tesla which can just run the AC at will, which is even better :)

Re: Toyota testing improved solar roof for EVs that can charge while driving

#152

Post by ummonk » Sat, Jul 06, 2019, 5:26 AM UTC

helloguillecl wrote: post #85

ummonk wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah I'd want that in a normal ICE car.

Why would you want this feature knowing that is burning gas that you paid for while idle? Would you be happy about the car releasing toxic gases like CO and NOX while parked?

That's exactly why I want the feature of a solar roof to power AC - so I don't have to burn gas while idling and release toxic CO and NOX just to stay cool.

Re: Toyota testing improved solar roof for EVs that can charge while driving

#153

Post by ummonk » Sat, Jul 06, 2019, 5:26 AM UTC

Johnny555 wrote: post #123

jodrellblank wrote: post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because of the “going to the emergency room twice with heat stroke” thing, I’d guess.

But it seems that "dying of CO poisoning while staying cool from the AC" would be worse?

Yes, and solar roof would prevent that...

Re: Toyota testing improved solar roof for EVs that can charge while driving

#154

Post by userbinator » Sat, Jul 06, 2019, 5:28 AM UTC

Johnny555 wrote: post #123

jodrellblank wrote: post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Because of the “going to the emergency room twice with heat stroke” thing, I’d guess.

But it seems that "dying of CO poisoning while staying cool from the AC" would be worse?

Presumably you park the car outdoors when it's running, where it exhausts into the atmosphere like usual.

Re: Toyota testing improved solar roof for EVs that can charge while driving

#155

Post by bamboozled » Sat, Jul 06, 2019, 6:06 AM UTC

temporaryvector wrote: post #12

I live in a pretty hot city (My car's outside thermometer showed 48°C yesterday at midday). The extended range is nice and all, but if somebody makes a car that can run the AC without running/draining the battery while it's parked, even if it's just a little to keep the car interior at 35°C or so, I would, without exaggeration, buy it the day it's released here. Hell, I'd consider it even if it would just keep the fa…

Actually, in Tokyo I noticed it's common for drivers to wait for their clients for hours, sleeping in the car with the air conditioner on with the engine running, hopefully this is one step closer towards solving that issue!

Re: Toyota testing improved solar roof for EVs that can charge while driving

#156

Post by dougmwne » Sat, Jul 06, 2019, 6:53 AM UTC

kevin_b_er wrote: post #116

dougmwne wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wonder if you can expand on why you think it will take decades to build out the charging infrastructure. I've seen it suggested that technology adoption S curves have been getting faster and faster over the last hundred years. The power grid exists everywhere you'd want to charge a car already. It seems a petty simple job to go the last hundred feet to the parking space. My perception was that the liming factor is…

The moment you consider apartments, it does not. There are few if any apartments to get where you can charge your car. This is an area many overlook, but if you don't own a home, you might not have a good place to charge. This does not fit when the big mantra around EVs has been "charge at home!" instead of "fueling up" at a station. Even now, the DC charge stations aside from Tesla are not fast enough.

Appartments already provide parking spaces, so what's to stop them from adding some charging hookups? If that's what their customers are looking for, then they will wire it up. Also, I don't see why all the charging has to happen at home. If shopping centers and plazas add more charging, it'll be an extra incentive to go to a particular mall or movie theater. And why not offices too? Try not thinking of getting a charge as going to an isolated gas station and waiting for the tank to fill, and more like stopping off at a nice restaurant and having the car charge up while you eat. It's a paradigm shift, because once we've gone full electric, the filling stations will dissapear and a decent percentage of parking spaces will have a charging meter.

Re: Toyota testing improved solar roof for EVs that can charge while driving

#157

Post by adrianN » Sat, Jul 06, 2019, 7:24 AM UTC

hwillis wrote: post #29

temporaryvector wrote: post #12

I live in a pretty hot city (My car's outside thermometer showed 48°C yesterday at midday). The extended range is nice and all, but if somebody makes a car that can run the AC without running/draining the battery while it's parked, even if it's just a little to keep the car interior at 35°C or so, I would, without exaggeration, buy it the day it's released here. Hell, I'd consider it even if it would just keep the fa…

> The extended range is nice and all, but if somebody makes a car that can run the AC without running/draining the battery while it's parked, even if it's just a little to keep the car interior at 35°C or so, I would, without exaggeration, buy it the day it's released here. Tesla's dog mode does this. Draining the battery isn't really something to worry about; AC uses <300 watts over long periods (turns on and off at…

It helps that a Tesla battery can basically power a house for several days.

Re: Toyota testing improved solar roof for EVs that can charge while driving

#158

Post by austhrow743 » Sat, Jul 06, 2019, 7:31 AM UTC

BurningFrog wrote: post #101

cortesoft wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What do you mean by 'if it ever comes to my city'?

Yeah, can't you drive Teslas anywhere?

I wouldn't want to own a car that can't be repaired locally.

Re: Toyota testing improved solar roof for EVs that can charge while driving

#159

Post by jillesvangurp » Sat, Jul 06, 2019, 9:33 AM UTC

lettergram wrote: post #6

They are claiming up to 27.7mi per day left in the sun. If true, my 5mi commute each way would be possible without ever charging the vehicle in the summer... That being s said, curious how this holds up to weather (hail, snow, etc) and whether those numbers are accurate.

It's probably going to fluctuate quite a bit. But for a lot of people on average they'd find their car charged of nearly charged when it's been sitting out there for hours/days. The exception would be longer trips, which most people don't do every day.

Re: Toyota testing improved solar roof for EVs that can charge while driving

#160

Post by Finnucane » Sat, Jul 06, 2019, 1:50 PM UTC

gameswithgo wrote: post #150

Finnucane wrote: post #86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not everyone has a garage, or can practically run a line out to the street. A self-charging car would be a good option for many. The charge this can manage is more than I drive, i’d Be very interested.

It manages more than you can drive in ideal conditions. Sunny day, parked in the sun during the day, for probably a ton of extra cost (they are using very fancy solar cells). That might work for people who have a backup plan in arizona with unshaded parking spots available. Hopefully charging stations at apartments and city centers will continue to proliferate to make electric cars viable for more people.

My normal driving is 100 miles a month, mainly on weekends. Plus, I assume they’ll improve capacity over time. Even if it meant having to go to a public charger once in a while, it would still be a convenience.