ASK A SCIENTIST
Question: How come we don't use solar panel cars?
Answer:
It is amazing that the amount of solar energy which falls on earth's surface in one hour is sufficient to fulfill the energy needs of the entire planet for one year! Solar panels, like the ones seen installed on rooftops, are primarily developed from silicon, but this could change in the near future as technologies developed from other materials are being developed. These will not only be safer to use, but also cost-competitive.
Hybrid vehicles generally combine gasoline and some other form of energy, most commonly electricity. It is possible to develop a solar-powered car with panels using highly efficient materials (materials in the solar panels which are used in space satellites for example).
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