Automotive

Why Aren’t We Driving Around In Solar-Powered Cars Already?

Solar-Powered Cars

When we think of the future of the automobile, we often expect some of today’s most advanced automobile manufacturers to surprise us with a technology so new and innovative, that we become speechless. In reality, we get something that, while technically innovative, isn’t anything near what we had hoped.

We want solar powered cars that can drive for miles and miles without ever having to be plugged in. what we get is a synchronized electronic 21 speed gearbox with dual cutches and a myriad of settings to control the ‘pedal feel’. Not quite as much fun as our solar powered dreams now is it?

So, with all of the advanced technology that the automotive industry has available, why aren’t we driving around in solar powered cars yet? What have these automotive engineers been doing with all of their time and resources?

There are actually a couple of reasons why today’s automobile companies haven’t developed fully solar-powered cars just yet and we are going to take a look at them now.

The Reasons Why We Aren’t Driving Solar Yet

The first reason that we aren’t all driving around solar powered vehicles yet is the solar panel itself. Solar panels have been known to be expensive and bulky. However, as costs come down and solar panels are manufactured out of new, thinner and more lightweight materials, we will begin to see more automobile manufacturers begin to use them in their vehicle designs.

Second, solar panels aren’t as efficient as we would like, meaning they can’t compare to the range of a fossil fuel based vehicle. Yet. Modern solar panels are becoming more and more efficient with each new design and that means that solar powered vehicles with much longer ranges are being developed that could soon replace fossil fuel powered cars.

Another reason is that there is a perception throughout the industry that solar-powered cars aren’t “100%” ecofriendly. When you stop and think for a moment, nothing really is eco-friendly anymore and the best that we can do is to manufacture products that are as eco-friendly as possible and focus on reducing our carbon footprint. But when it comes to solar panel manufacturing, you will notice that it is much eco-friendlier and less wasteful than many alternative fuel sources. Perhaps this is one of those misconceptions that we often hear about solar.

As you can see, there really isn’t any good reason why we aren’t all driving around in solar powered vehicles and that has many consumers asking this question more and more of the top automobile manufacturers.

The World’s First Never Charge Electric Vehicle!

While many solar powered vehicles are still in the prototype stages, there is one company whose solar powered vehicles are already on the road. Aptera, has launched the world’s first Never Charge electric vehicle. With one of the automotive industry’s most innovative on-vehicle solar packages, the Aptera “Never Charge” Solar enables you to travel more than 40 miles a day, and over 11,000 miles per year, without ever having to plug in.