Fiat vehicles to include solar panels in new 'smart roofs'

Fiat sealed the deal with Irish solar manufacturer SolarPrint, becoming the latest carmaker to add solar panels to the car roofs, which will power onboard devices.

by Liane Yvkoff

July 1, 2010 3:20 PM PDT Follow @faildater

Will the electric version of the Fiat 500 get solar panels?

(Credit: Chrysler)

Fiat sealed the deal with Irish solar manufacturer SolarPrint, becoming the latest carmaker to add solar panels to the car roofs that will power onboard devices. Using low-cost photovoltaic material to offset parasitic drain from energy-hungry components, such as air conditioning and heating systems, is expected to reduce fuel consumption by up to 15 percent, according to an article in SiliconRepublic.

Audi, Volkswagen, and Toyota already employ similar technology in some vehicles to keep them cool while the engine is off.

Though the article didn't say in which vehicles the solar panels will be incorporated, the electric version of the Fiat 500 that Chrysler is planning on manufacturing for the U.S. would be the perfect application for this technology.