# Solar cars and "isolated sci-fi elements"
**URL:** https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/solar-cars-and-isolated-sci-fi-elements/14923
**Category:** The Drawing Board
**Created:** [February 6, 2018, 1:36am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/solar-cars-and-isolated-sci-fi-elements/14923 "2018-02-06T01:36:13Z")
**Posts on this page:** 10
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@kevin.granade](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/kevin.granade)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2018, 7:40am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/solar-cars-and-isolated-sci-fi-elements/14923/21 "2018-02-06T07:40:58Z")
If it comes down to it, we can have mapgen start placing “flowing water” vs “still water” squares since it knows what’s a river vs lake vs swamp, so yea water wheels are doable.
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### Author:  [@darktoes](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/darktoes)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2018, 7:47am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/solar-cars-and-isolated-sci-fi-elements/14923/22 "2018-02-06T07:47:19Z")
So again, I have to ask whether this would be a vehicle based thing or construction. If construction, how would we actually go about transferring power to a vehicle where we can use it?
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### Author:  [@psyxypher](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/psyxypher)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2018, 8:32pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/solar-cars-and-isolated-sci-fi-elements/14923/23 "2018-02-06T20:32:58Z")
> [@darktoes](#):
>
> What I don’t understand is why the 7.5kw generator is so damn rare.
I’m not even sure how to get that thing to work, to be honest…
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### Author:  [@Human\_Shield](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Human_Shield)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2018, 8:36pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/solar-cars-and-isolated-sci-fi-elements/14923/24 "2018-02-06T20:36:25Z")
How isolated are the 2-3 cars in each city that are running with minireactors fueled by plutonium?
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### Author:  [@proxiehunter](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/proxiehunter)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2018, 8:58pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/solar-cars-and-isolated-sci-fi-elements/14923/25 "2018-02-06T20:58:21Z")
Most of the time I don’t find any at all, when I do they all seem clustered in one city. Maybe the area was where they were testing them.
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### Author:  [@redxlaser15](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/redxlaser15)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2018, 9:40pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/solar-cars-and-isolated-sci-fi-elements/14923/26 "2018-02-06T21:40:49Z")
–It makes sense to me people would use solar powered cars. The environment matters! However, is it thematic that there would be many people who care massively about keeping nature alive?
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### Author:  [@Aluminumfoil](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/Aluminumfoil)
#### Post date: [February 6, 2018, 11:16pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/solar-cars-and-isolated-sci-fi-elements/14923/27 "2018-02-06T23:16:43Z")
I’ve never found one. Occasionally I’ve found an atomic tank with the Extra Vehicles mod, but mods aren’t main content so I don’t think that matters…
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### Author:  [@darktoes](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/darktoes)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2018, 12:14am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/solar-cars-and-isolated-sci-fi-elements/14923/28 "2018-02-07T00:14:21Z")
> [@psyxypher](#):
>
> I’m not even sure how to get that thing to work, to be honest…
It counts as an alternator. Just attach it to an engine and it will eat engine power and give you electricity.
> [@Human\_Shield](#):
>
> How isolated are the 2-3 cars in each city that are running with minireactors fueled by plutonium?
I’ve seen a couple of those, but I think they’re fairly balanced by the difficulty of finding plutonium cells early game when it would be useful, as opposed to late game where you have a dozen upgraded solar panels and electricity is your bitch.
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### Author:  [@psyxypher](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/psyxypher)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2018, 12:17am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/solar-cars-and-isolated-sci-fi-elements/14923/29 "2018-02-07T00:17:02Z")
> [@darktoes](#):
>
> It counts as an alternator. Just attach it to an engine and it will eat engine power and give you electricity.
Does the engine need to be on? I’m trying to make a portable generator to plug myself into.
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### Author:  [@darktoes](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/darktoes)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2018, 12:18am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/solar-cars-and-isolated-sci-fi-elements/14923/30 "2018-02-07T00:18:29Z")
Yeah. Once the engine is running it should generate power for the vehicle.
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