New Prius will feature a hybrid electric-petrol engine and automatic self-parking, and it will soon get solar panels on the roof to power its air-conditioning system.
That last bit might not sound too exciting, but it has potential. Automotive air-con systems are usually powered by your car's engine, which has to work harder to keep the car moving, and its occupants cool. By using a solar panel and electric motor combo, Toyota is able to use the power of the sun against itself, save petrol, and reduce CO2 emissions.
We'll have to wait until 2009 to see whether Toyota's implementation makes a real difference.
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