--- title: "Toyota Wants to Slather Solar Panels All Over Its Prius Hybrid" description: "  Japanese car giant Toyota has partnered with energy company New Energy and the Industrial Technology Development Organization of Japan (NEDO) to test a Prius hybrid sedan that’s covered in solar panels. The goal is to end the popular car’s dependence on charging stations, according to Bloomberg. Both Toyota and Hyundai have already released models, […]" date: "2019-09-13" modified: "2019-09-16" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/toyota-solar-panels-prius-hybrid" categories: - "Advanced Transport" - "Energy" - "Renewable Energy" - "Science & Energy" - "Solar Power" tags: - "lightyear" - "solar car" - "solar car roof" - "the digest" - "toyota" --- # Toyota Wants to Slather Solar Panels All Over Its Prius Hybrid ![Japanese auto giant Toyota has partnered with a local energy company to test a Prius hybrid that's almost entirely covered in solar panels.]() *\Image: Toyota\* ## Going Solar As electric cars become increasingly popular worldwide, there's one renewable source of energy that could make them even more convenient and environmentally friendly: the Sun. Japanese auto giant Toyota has partnered with a local energy company to test a Prius hybrid that's almost entirely covered in solar panels, [according to *Bloomberg*](). The ambitious goal is to one day end the car's dependence on charging stations entirely. ## Trend Piece Both Toyota and Hyundai have already [released models](), including the 2017 Prius, that feature solar panels on their roofs — but their ability to power the vehicle is extremely limited, since they only charge the batteries when the car is parked. Since July, Toyota has been working on a brand-new design. It features special, much higher efficiency solar panels that are mounted on the hood, roof and even hatchback of the car, charging the car's batteries even when it's moving. ## Panel Van The new solar system could allow the Prius to cover 50 kilometers, four days a week, on solar alone, *Bloomberg* reports. If the vehicle makes it to market, it wouldn't be the only next-gen solar vehicle around. Dutch startup Lightyear revealed what [it calls]() the world's first long-range "solar car" back in June. The company is expecting to start deliveries in early 2021. **READ MORE:** [Toyota Is Trying to Figure Out How to Make a Car Run Forever]() \[*Bloomberg*\] **More on solar cars:** *[Startup Unveils World’s First Long-Range “Solar Car”]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()