New Karma Revero (car)

... will be entirely powered by rooftop solar panels (says the sales agent):
http://inhabitat.com/new-karma-revero-will-be-entirely-powered-by-rooftop-solar-panels/

Sounds fishy, but I hope they do it. The Karma was possibly the most elegant automobile in mass production since the E-type

Sure. On hte rooftop of the multi-acre parking lot with shade provided by the panels.

Or maybe the ones on your house.


But not just what's on the car, unless you only like to back it out of the driveway and pull it back in, and not drive iti around, or unless you like to wait a long while betwheen outings.

even in equatorial sun tha'ts not enough surface area to recharge what's used up driving around, especially in city stop and go traffic. :/

sniff test: Fail

Hey, no problem-- just drive every two months and the solar panel will do all the charging in between.

Sounds more realistic, but hardly worth the extra weight, cost and complexity.

This thing is disappointing. The body is simply too drag inducing to make a significant and practical amount of power from any solar system mounted on the vehicle. By "significant" and "practical", I mean enough wattage and vehicle efficiency for 30+ miles a day possible on solar power alone.

The following currently existent and operable concept cars are more realistic/practical and go well above and beyond 30+ miles a day, and can actually run at low speeds(~20-30 mph) indefinitely directly off of the solar panels being exposed to sunlight:

Stella Lux
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3FPK0KNZuc
http://www.solarteameindhoven.nl/stella-lux/

Eve
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7FV4YHF6jM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7FV4YHF6jM