The popular Prius hybrid car from Toyota Motor Corp. will be equipped with solar panels when the vehicle goes through a complete makeover as early as next spring.

The solar panels will be located on the roof and supply power to the five kilowatts needed to power the air-conditioning unit in the car. Toyota also intends to reduce the weight and thus improve the fuel efficiency even more.

This move will make Toyota the first major automaker to install solar panels in one of its car models. And the western automakers hopelessly try to catch up by offering everything besides green innovation.