For their third generation Prius, Toyota has been pushing a message of “harmony between man, nature and machine” and their latest marketing tool fits the bill. Toyota has been installing giant solar flower stations in various U.S. locations (taking turns for each area), and not only are the flowers eye catching and sources of solar power, they provide passersby with a spot to stop and charge their electronics or to take advantage of free WiFi. Each huge “flower” towers at 18 feet and features several solar panels attached to the back of its panels. Below the monster daisies, up to ten people can sit on the included benches for a little R & R (resting and recharging) or log into their favorite sites.

Though the solar flowers don’t benefit the Prius in anyway (or have much of a tie to the car itself), we’re all for advertising that has less impact and because some of the power provided by these big blossoms comes straight from the sun, they’re a bit greener than most.  Still, the impact of transporting the solar structures around the country has to be significant, and there’s no word on what Toyota will do with the solar flowers once they’ve finished promoting the new Prius—hopefully they’ll find a garden that they’ll stay in for good, otherwise the plastic used to create the flowers will be another wasted resource.

The solar stations have been popular where they’ve been set up, but the online reaction to the advertising idea has been mixed, with some seeing the flowers (and their small solar panels) as little more than a greenwashed ploy. Perhaps the solar ventilation bus shelters Toyota plans to provide as the next step in the marketing will convert skeptics, and if all else fails, the living billboards made from growing flowers that will show up alongside some California highways could be unique enough to get  the 2010 Prius the attention it’s seeking.

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