Toyota adding solar panels to Prius
I read where Toyota is to add solar panels on the Prius. The car's entire roof-panel will be equipped with Kyocera-built roof-mounted solar panels. I really like the concept. Do you think this type of news would mean that it is a good time to consider purchasing Kyocera (KYO) stock? I believe if this does well (and I think it will) with the Toyota Prius that other vehicle manufacturers will be looking to do the same thing. Any thoughts?
Answers
1782 points
ChaosNantuko answered 4 months ago …
Seems like a fair thesis... one potential roadblock is that it might make the cars more expensive, which will cut into sales in the case of a serious recession. Still, this may be less of a concern then it sounds, given these are already expensive vehicles.
From a technical analysis standpoint, i'd consider buying here, but if KYO breaks through that support at 89 and sets a new low, i'd exit the position.
308 points
mjrenn answered 4 months ago …
I spend a lot of time in Japan. Kyocera is among the Japanese companies that I hope to be buying but I'm going to wait just a little bit longer. I read the following on Nikkei Net Interactive today. I don't always believe what I read but these indicators have been accurate in the past.
"Margin buying is dwindling on the stock market, indicating that retail investors are losing their appetite for shares.
According to data released Tuesday by the Tokyo Stock Exchange, the value of long positions on the Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya bourses fell to 2.18 trillion yen as of Friday, down 23.5 billion yen on the week and marking the first decline in five weeks.
Margin trades are mostly performed by individual investors.
Typically, individuals aggressively buy shares when the market edges lower. But now that the outlook is growing increasingly murky with continuous oil surges and concerns about the financial systems in the U.S. and Europe, retail investors are apparently taking to the sidelines or even dumping shares, resulting in reduced margin buying.
The Nikkei Stock Average dipped below 13,000 for the first time in roughly three months at one point Tuesday, led by selling of Nikkei Stock Average futures.
With hedge funds and others boosting short-selling in anticipation of a return of U.S. financial woes, some traders are claiming that the market situation harks back to the January-March period, when stock prices fell sharply.
On Tuesday, the ratio of the trading value of Nikkei average futures to that of cash stocks rose to the highest level since March 17, when the Nikkei index hit a year-to-date low of 11,787.
So-called global macro hedge funds are believed to have been leading selling in the futures market. These funds typically promote arbitrage trading between stocks and bonds based on global economic analyses. In the January-March quarter, they turned profits by selling stock index futures and buying bond futures."
Of course this story was before the Machinery Orders report today that came in at +10.4% when consensus was +1.5%.
Good luck.
2633 points
MNSL answered 4 months ago …
I think if you are expert in something, you can get advantage over others. If you are good in technology, you can make good decisions on technology stocks.
If we can understand their business and if you see that there is a great potential in the future then you can take investment decisions accordingly. You will have outstanding opportunity during depressed market like today in the next 18 months.
During higher interest rate and inflationary environment, intelligent investors will avoid following sectors:
Companies with higher debt
Over priced sectors
Alternative speculative energy sector
Commodity sector
1782 points
ChaosNantuko answered 4 months ago …
I was just reading something that changed my perspective on this.
According to wikipedia (not the best source, i know), a car uses between 40-200 kW depending on the vehicle.
Also according to wikipedia, A square meter of solar panel generates 120w. Assuming 16 hours of sunlight, on a clear day, you would get 1.920 kw-hours, or enough energy to drive your car for about 3 minutes.
Double checking my findings, i looked it up, and surely enough, an article mentions the solar panels will help to power the air conditionair. http://gas2.org/2008/07/07/toyota-prius-to-get-solar-power/
"the Nikkei reported that the solar panels would provide a portion of the two to five kilowatts needed to power the air conditioning unit."
If all the solar panels accomplish is power the air conditioning unit, and only a portion of it, then I'd say this is just a major demonstration of the lack of power density present in solar panels, and a further indicator that we need a better solution then solar energy.
160 points
whiteshadow204 answered 4 months ago …
ChaosNantuko is right when he says the solar power available is not much. The air conditioning unit is the greatest power hog after actually moving the car. I suppose this is why they are developing a solution to supplement the power available to it.
You can't deny that the Prius has been a success in a consumer market that thinks it's a great "green" option. I'm positive the solar panel would only add to that illusion, and the Prius will continue to sell.
Fundamentally I think that hybrids and solar power are not our greatest option in the world of alternative energy, but I'm also fairly certain people will continue to buy the Prius, so you may be onto something for a business opportunity. Solar technology should be getting cheaper and better and we will likely see use in a lot more new places than just the roof of a Prius.
164 points
jrj90620 answered 4 months ago …
These solar panels don't produce enough energy so this doesn't look like a big deal.I would be looking at the possibility of a plug in hybrid.GM is hoping to sell it's Volt plug in hybrid around 2010 and Toyota is also working on making it's Prius a plug in around the same time.For GM this is really a big deal,since the company needs something to stop the downturn.If it works,allows 40 miles on a charge and GM can sell the Volt at a reasonable price this might save GM.
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