Source: Pixabay

Imagine: you drove your car from New York to Oregon for three days. But, you didn't stop at any gas station on your way to fill the tank.

That's nice only if it's real, right? But it might just become a possibility in the near future, and we might have Toyota to thank for it in part.

Toyota, together with Sharp Corporation and New Energy Industrial Technology Development Organization of Japan (NEDO), is coming up with an electric car fueled by solar energy. To put, the Japanese firms mentioned are on the works, creating a vehicle plastered with high-quality solar panels and full-strength batteries. While the idea may be bizarre now for some, solar-powered cars may solve the resources problems and climate issues brought by fossil fuel emissions. "The solar car's advantage is that, while it can't drive for a long-range, it's independent of charging facilities," Koji Makino, Toyota's project manager, told Bloomberg.

What's Wrong With Electric Cars?

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We already have full-electric cars such as the Tesla Model S that don't require fuel to function. Electric vehicles are starting to take over the fuel-powered ones in terms of sales. So, what do the solar-powered cars solve?

Although electric cars are already a giant leap towards a more sustainable future, it does lack one spark. And that is, you still need to plug it in to charge. Therefore, you still have to go to a charging station and wait for some time to drive again. With solar-powered cars, you only need the sun for it to run. And couple that with a powerful battery to run at night and you're all set for a more economical, earth-friendly ride each time.

But Are We There Yet?

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Not quite. The closest thing we can get to a solar-powered car is the Toyota Prius which, for $28,000, can get solar panels as an option. But it's not strong enough just yet. The solar panel only charges when it's parked, plus it can only go as far as 4 miles.

Still, progress is progress and, judging from Toyota's updates, there's nowhere else to go but up. The Japanese automotive company has already created solar panels that can convert sunlight to energy 34% more efficiently. That's 14% more compared to the current solar panels available in the market today. Also, they have created the future solar panels much thinner - 0.03 mm to be exact - so it can be placed easily on the car's hood, roof, and even hatchback.

When Toyota officially uses this type of solar panels for their cars, it only means that the vehicle can charge itself even when it's on the run. During a test run by NEDO, the current prototype was able to run 50 kilometers a day for four days without charging. Once this tech is perfected, the future of driving might just be on the hands of Toyota.

While forever-running cars are still not available, you can opt for hybrid vehicles for now. If you're looking for a hybrid vehicle, Action Auto Utah can help.