Gearfuse

The ultimate eco-rumor has been making its round this morning. Nikkei biz daily in Japan is reporting that the next-gen Toyota Prius, due out in 2010, will have solar panels to power accessories and amenities like air conditioning and the radio. Getting excited ’cause you were thinking about getting a Prius? Not so fast.

Apparently, only high-end versions of the 2010 Prius are receiving the solar panel treatment. To boot, Toyota is exploring the option of charging a costly premium for the paneling. For now, we’ll have to wait and see whilst Toyota barrels ahead in the auto industry.

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Our favorite itch to scratch, John Brownlee, brings to our attention a photo found on Flickr. It features a red Toyota Prius being pulled over by a police officer on a motorcycle. This isn’t any regular Prius though, this is the Google Street View car that takes all those lovely pictures for Google Maps!

Considering how huge that camera mount is, it doesn’t surprise me too much. I can’t help but wonder if the cop actually ticketed Google. I mean, isn’t Google above the law? They probably offered him an invite to Google’s latest secret: Google Cops – a new search engine that helps search for donut shops in a three-mile radius.

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