Kyocera Corporation (NYSE:KYO) announced today that it is supplying solar modules for the new Toyota Prius solar ventilation system, an optional feature on the next generation of the popular hybrid car, which was unveiled yesterday in Japan.
No terms of the supply contract were announced.
The system ventilates the air inside the car using electricity generated by a solar module on the rooftop to power fans while the car is parked during the daytime. This feature is meant to moderate the build up of heat within the vehicle on sunny days.
Kyocera said it has set up a dedicated production line for the solar modules that have been tested to confirm resistance to heat, vibration and shock.
A high level of aesthetic quality was also required of the
solar modules to be mounted on the roof of the new Prius model. Kyocera said the panels will be a uniform dark navy blue.
Since 2002, Kyocera has made solar cells utilizing what it calls Reactive Ion Etching (RIE) technology. RIE creates microscopic ridges on the surface of the cell using plasma and reactive gases. Kyocera says the subtle ridges allow the solar cells to better absorb sunlight reflected on the surface, therefore enhancing output and conversion efficiency
Kyocera Corporation, which marks its 50th anniversary and the 40th anniversary of its U.S.
operations this year, is ranked #418 on the Forbes magazine’s 2009
“Global 2000” listing of the world’s largest publicly traded companies.
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Toyota Motor Corp. (NYSE: TM) reportedly pulled out all the stops in designing the latest version of the hybrid prius, adding numerous high-tech features, in addition to the solar panels. Read msnbc coverage at the link below.
