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OK lets look at thisYes, that's right, I am a radical new member, out to do really radical things. But I need to know something, so please humor me on this: how many photovoltaic cells do I need to propel a 1500 pound electric car down the freeway at 60 mph all day long without plugging in to charge up any batteries. I don't have enough sense to figure this out, but maybe some of you smarter chaps can figure this out for me. Thanks a mil.
It will take about 20 kw to drive at 60 mph in a 1500 lb car
So a standard solar panel is about 1.5 meters by 1 meter and is 250 watts in full square on to the panel sun
So to maintain that at high noon on a sunny day you will need 80 of those panels - they will not be square to the sun so you will need more of them
Call it 100 panels - 10 meters by 15 meters
at 20 kg per panel about 2 tons of panels
And that is for noon on a very sunny day - you will need more panels for morning and evening
Solar panels on a car are like filling a swimming pool with a teaspoon
Put the solar panels where they belong on your house or garage roof