One of the most popular Hybrid cars on the market is the Toyota Prius. It is both compact and economical, with a starting price of just $22,400. The price puts the Prius within the realms of possibility for the everyday, although environmentally-conscious, individual.

The third generation of Toyota Prius, the 2010 model, has EPA ratings of 51 mpg in the city, and 49 mpg on the highway. Even for a hybrid, that’s not bad, and is a step up from earlier Toyota Prius models.

But a new pricing structure is lined up for this hybrid; and the Toyota Prius I, II, III, IV, and V are reportedly already available.

The lowest-prices version is the Toyota Prius I, which should run for around $21,000, while the Prius V starts at $27,670.

While the new line of Priuses will include a range of features, it gets better.. A rooftop solar panel package is available for the Toyota Prius II, III, and IV Models – but not for the V.

The solar roof costs between $3,600 and $4,500, and uses solar power to supplement the vehicle’s power and get even better mileage. This package also includes a solar-powered ventilation system, a navigation system, a power tilt/slide moon roof, and remote-control air conditioning … for those of us who just can’t be bothered to lean forward and turn the knob?

With the combination of hybrid technology and solar power, an entirely different range of fuel efficiency may be well within grasp. The solar powered version is said to make mileages of up to 70 mpg possible, under the right circumstances.

If you live in or often drive through a sunny climate, the solar-powered roof might go a long ways in reducing your gas bill and carbon emissions.

Under some (somewhat theoretical) circumstances, the driver of a solar-powered Toyota Prius might never need to buy gas at all.

But minimally, a driver of a solar powered Prius who uses the vehicle’s “eco” settings and follows basic speed guidelines can expect to stop for gasoline far less often – so infrequently, in fact, that he should probably take care not to forget to stop for gas at all.

About the author: Megan Barlow helps others learn how they can live greener and more environmentally friendly lives.

To learn more, visit her blog, Green Gadget.

Source Article: Solar Powered Prius

This entry was posted on Monday, January 11th, 2010 at 3:35 am and is filed under Autos, Trucks and More. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.