This is a very good idea......
So how do we make money off this
 free energy of that you speak of?

it will take money to build, money to maintain, and money to deliver.

nothing is free, as they say.

but as we continue into the future, these are the sorts of things we'll need to keep in mind. refitting the roads to double as energy creators makes jobs and offers an alternative to foreign oil (and oil in general), which in some way offsets the pollution of cars and trucks.

but... if we were somehow able to create excess energy and beam it from space to earth (or vice versa), money would be made from whoever paid to have it beamed to them. Our interstate system is impressive... it could potentially create a lot of energy from the combined solar and kinetic energy collection...

the cost of "solar cars" would just be expensive

But unlike most technologies, where you are buying something because it is better, you are buying something that functions to create energy (or rather, harness the energy it is already creating and absorbing.) The cost could be offset by power companies making money of the energy itself, since it would be in their interest, as well as the government.

Good idea!

This is very interesting.  I'm all about solar.  Tthis seems a little futuristic to me, though.  I love that they are starting to make EV's with solar panels on the roof so that they charge a little while parked and also when breaking.

It is very futuristic. The solar roads are sort of the most realistic. Solar power is totally going to be the wave of the future. I'll make a modest projection, and say that most houses will have a type of solar panel in the next 30 years, unless some other technology makes them irrelevant. They might replace shingles and roofing in general! It probably wouldn't be enough to power a house, but it wouldn't hurt...

I know that I for sure am going to have them as soon as I get my first house, I have it all calculated.  I'm a huge environmentalist and am obsessed with new technology such as this.  I can't wait until this takes over, it'll make such a difference.  Have you heard of geothermal?  That is getting pretty big, as well as wind turbines for extra energy.  woohoo!

Oh, great.  You posted.  I can expect a near-death experience again soon.  Thanks, Jesse.

Just make sure it is really cool and post-worthy, and not some lame near-death experience.