Would you pay more for a cooler car?

Wouldn’t you think by now there’d be a car that keeps itself relatively cool when parked in the sun? Turns out there used to be:

Fifteen years ago, Mazda introduced a solar-powered ventilation system that would continuously flush hot air out of a vehicle parked in the sun. A solar cell array was mounted on the moon roof, supplying power to a small fan that drew in outside air.

The system worked only when the car was parked in the sun, exactly when it was needed. It was not hooked up to the car’s battery and therefore could not drain it. A Mazda spokesman confirmed that the system was offered as an option and that it was dropped.

Seems like an option that would be extremely popular in Sacramento. Here’s a piece on the history of such systems, how they work and why they’re not available. (Bugmenot will get you in to the Web site without signing up.)

In the meantime … oh, for a parking spot in the shade!