Imagine that you wake up one winter morning, in a rush for your daily commute to the office. You dash out the door and into your car - only to discover that it simply won't start. Or worse, think about returning to the airport after a long trip to find a drained car battery and no other drivers in sight.

Fortunately, you can avoid this stressful situation in the future by plugging in the solar battery charger that your gadget-loving dad proudly gave you on your last visit. You'll also extend the life of your car's battery, helping you save money and protect your investment.

A solar car charger converts light energy into a DC current. They obtain energy from the sun, although they can also be used in low light or cloudy applications. Portable solar chargers are used for trickle charging, meaning that low level current is fed continuously to the battery so that it maintains its charge, although some models can be used to completely recharge a car battery.

Solar car chargers feature solar panels on the face. All you have to do is simply place it near a window or on top of your car's dashboard to absorb sunlight during the day. Some solar car battery chargers connect directly to the battery, while others feed power to the battery via the cigarette lighter/power socket.

Car solar battery chargers are a relatively inexpensive way (popular models range from $20 to $95) to extend the life of your vehicle's battery. Since they rely on energy from the sun, there's no additional cost.

In addition, using a car solar battery to maintain a charge can help give you peace of mind that your car battery will work when you need it. All in all, it's an eco-friendly way to maintain your vehicle.