SolaPrius gets up to 62 mpg

Wow, solar panel technology for the Prius has come a long way since our last post on the topic, which featured a pic of the hybrid and a dining room table full of solar panels on its roof. Autoblog reader Adam pointed us to this article on the Solatec rooftop-mounted Solar Panel kit for the 2004-2006 Toyota Prius. It features two flexible, conformal panels that self-adhere to the car's roof and charge the hybrid's auxiliary battery through a system located behind interior trim panels. The "SolaPrius" gets a 10-percent improvement in fuel economy over a standard Prius, up to 55 mpg city and 62 mpg highway. The kits will go for around $2,195 and be available through nationwide dealer franchises after four seasons testing has been completed.