Japan Converting Standard Auto into Solar Cars

The Prefecture of Fukushima, Japan and the Total Mobility Project have announced the creation of a solar powered auto converted from a standard Mazda Roadster. The development of a practical solar powered car has been an international engineering goal for the last two decades. Primarily solar cars are only seen as engineering experiments and in niche racing events, but Japan is hoping to make them a more practical, realistic option for its citizens.

The conversion required the group to remove the engine and gas tank and replace them with a battery and an electric motor. The next step involved placing seven solar panels across the hood of the automobile. At which point the solar powered auto is able to travel at the speed of up to 62 MPH.

The project is focused on providing the nation's aging population a better lifestyle. By converting a regular Mazda Roadster into a solar driving machine, the nation is hoping to pave the way for many more conversions in the future. The combined efforts of government and private sector technology say there needs to be affordable accessibility to the city for the projected large number of retirement age Japanese workers. As the population ages, they note, the elderly on fixed incomes will have an increasingly hard time paying for soaring gasoline prices.

Currently, the total conversion package to transform a Mazda Roadster into a solar powered vehicle is still pricey at $21,000. But proponents of the conversion are confident that while the price tag may be steep at the present, this is a concept that down the road will become a lot more affordable. If the conversion price can be trimmed down, the savings in gas should be able to more than make up for the initial cost. The savings in fuel costs for the average driver who travels around 38 miles per day would be roughly $1600 per year. Of course, having fleets of cars running on infinitely renewable solar power, rather than oil, would also be much better for the environment.

Posted by Rebecca Sato