SOLAR POWER CHARGE AND DISTRIBUTION FOR A VEHICLE

1 - 16 . (canceled)

17 . A solar energy charge and management system for a vehicle comprising:

a photovoltaic apparatus for receiving solar energy and converting the solar energy to electrical energy;

a user interface for selecting a solar power mode from a plurality of predetermined solar power modes; and

a controller operatively in communication with the user interface to selectively distribute the electrical energy from the photovoltaic apparatus to operate a vehicle component, based on the selected solar power mode.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the photovoltaic apparatus includes a plurality of solar modules electrically isolated from each other and a plurality of converters each electrically coupled to the corresponding solar module, to receive the electrical energy from the corresponding solar module and convert the received electrical energy to an output voltage.

19 . The system of claim 18 , further comprising an energy storage device electrically communicating with each of the plurality of converters for storing the output voltage.

20 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the energy storage device is a low voltage battery.

21 . The system of claim 18 , wherein each of the plurality of converters is a low voltage DC/DC converter.

22 . The system of claim 19 , further comprising a high voltage battery and a high voltage bidirectional DC/DC boost converter coupled to the high voltage battery and that manages energy flow between the energy storage device and the high voltage battery.

23 . The system of claim 17 , wherein at least one of the plurality of predetermined solar power modes includes a solar power mode that controls the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system for the vehicle.

24 . The system of claim 23 , wherein the HVAC system includes a ventilation blower fan adapted to deliver air to a high voltage battery used to operate the vehicle.

25 . The system of claim 17 , wherein at least one of the plurality of predetermined solar power modes includes a solar power mode that controls a seat fan mounted within a seat of the vehicle that distributes conditioned air.

26 . The system of claim 18 , further comprising a temperature sensor that communicates temperature data to the controller and the controller distributes electrical energy from the photovoltaic apparatus to at least one of the electric storage device and the vehicle component based on the temperature data.

27 . The system of claim 18 , wherein at least one of the plurality of predetermined solar power modes includes a solar power mode that automatically distributes electrical energy between the electrical storage device and the vehicle component.

28 . A method of managing solar charging and energy distribution for a vehicle, said method comprising:

collecting solar energy using a photovoltaic apparatus disposed on the vehicle;

converting the solar energy to electrical energy with the photovoltaic apparatus;

receiving, from a user interface, a solar power mode selected from a plurality of predetermined solar power modes; and

selectively distributing electrical energy, based on the selected solar power mode, from the photovoltaic apparatus to operate a vehicle component using a controller operatively in communication with the user interface.

29 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the plurality of predetermined solar power modes includes an automatic mode that distributes electrical energy based on predetermined conditions, a charging mode that distributes electrical energy to a energy storage device, and a climate mode that distributes electrical energy to operate a heating ventilation and air conditioning system of the vehicle.

30 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the plurality of predetermined solar power modes include an automatic mode that distributes electrical energy to control a fan disposed within a vehicle seat.

31 . The system of claim 17 , further comprising a solar charge light positioned on an external panel of the vehicle that illuminates as the photovoltaic apparatus receives solar energy.

32 . The system of claim 31 , wherein the solar charge light includes a plurality of light emitting diode lights arranged in a pattern that progressively illuminate as the solar energy is received by the photovoltaic apparatus.

33 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the plurality of predetermined solar power modes includes a solar power mode that changes a rate or amount by which the electrical energy is distributed.