Elon says truck will have solar roof option that can add 15 miles range/day

[ecarfan]

Tesla Cybertruck will have solar roof option to add 15 miles of range per day - Electrek

Of course you will have to park it outside in an unshaded area to accomplish that. While it’s not much range, to me the more important advantage is that the solar roof option means the truck will not lose range if it is parked outside and not plugged in. Which can be advantageous on occasion.

 

[LoPro]

Tesla Cybertruck will have solar roof option to add 15 miles of range per day - Electrek

Of course you will have to park it outside in an unshaded area to accomplish that. While it’s not much range, to me the more important advantage is that the solar roof option means the truck will not lose range if it is parked outside and not plugged in. Which can be advantageous on occasion.

I love the solar option, but hate that it semingly makes the cover a very big plane. Wish the normal rolling cover could be made solar.

 

[STAR172E]

The military potential of a super fast, super silent, low IR signature, low radar signature, bullet (proof) self refuelling vehicle, albeit very slowly without extra panels in the back, is not insignificant....

I can imagine every drug smuggler and police force around the world wanting one too....

 

[Revelation]

I love the solar option, but hate that it semingly makes the cover a very big plane. Wish the normal rolling cover could be made solar.

There’s nothing saying that it has to be a solid pane. In fact with the work Tesla has done with their shingles for roofs could very well translate into the existing design.

 

[Pomato]

Some good high-efficiency and affordable solar cell options coming in the next few years. 25%+ efficiency thin films, mono+perovskite.

Would be nice if there was a hood option too, maybe even roof for people who don't care for glass roof.

 

[glide]

The military potential of a super fast, super silent, low IR signature, low radar signature, bullet (proof) self refuelling vehicle, albeit very slowly without extra panels in the back, is not insignificant....

I can imagine every drug smuggler and police force around the world wanting one too....

I wish people would stop calling the truck “bullet proof” and talking about military applications.

No one is shooting at you with a 9mm handgun in a theater of war.

This truck will be present in absolutely zero war zones. With the exception of commuters in Los Angeles.

 

[SeminoleFSU]

I wish people would stop calling the truck “bullet proof” and talking about military applications.

No one is shooting at you with a 9mm handgun in a theater of war.

This truck will be present in absolutely zero war zones. With the exception of commuters in Los Angeles.

Took the words right out of my mouth

 

[Blup85]

I still don't see this making much sense. You would need to make 4 or 5kwh to get that kind of mileage not counting vampire drain, so roughly 1.2 to 1.5kw array? I don't think there is enough surface area on the truck for that so I'm guessing some kind of extending panels that scissor out of the truck bed like a satellite array? Plus the vault cover in flexible solar?

 

[MarcusMaximus]

I still don't see this making much sense. You would need to make 4 or 5kwh to get that kind of mileage not counting vampire drain, so roughly 1.2 to 1.5kw array? I don't think there is enough surface area on the truck for that so I'm guessing some kind of extending panels that scissor out of the truck bed like a satellite array? Plus the vault cover in flexible solar?

He said they could do those extending panels to make it more like 30 miles/day.

Back to the main topic, would be perfect for camping trips. Park out somewhere remote for 1-2 weeks and you’re fully charged to come back.

 

[ecarfan]

Park out somewhere remote for 1-2 weeks and you’re fully charged to come back.

The battery pack is going to lose at least 5 miles of range per day just sitting still, because it would not be plugged in. You would be lucky to get an additional 10 miles per day of range added, so 70 miles per week (assuming it is summer and there are no cloud or trees blocking the light). If you arrive at your campsite with less than 100 miles of range you are not going to get charged back to full in 1-2 weeks.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

There’s nothing saying that it has to be a solid pane. In fact with the work Tesla has done with their shingles for roofs could very well translate into the existing design.

More likely to use newer thin film to reduce weight.

On an EV, PV has more potential benefit.
Higher efficiency makes it more practical.
Lower cost makes it better value.

It's another convergence case.

 

[jsmay311]

Lots of questions.

If it’s a fixed solar panel(s), I assume that would mean you couldn’t access the bed while the panels are installed. But maybe there’d be a relatively easy way for owners to install/remove the panel(s) themselves.(?)

If instead it’s thin segmented PV strips that would fold up into the truck like the current cover does, how would you wire those many separate panels together? Seems like it would be tricky, but maybe there’s a clever way to do it.

 

[doghousePVD]

The amount of energy that 5 sq meters can provide, even in perfect conditions, isn't significant. Like 5 m x 1000 w/m * 20% x 6 h/day = 6 kwh per day IF PARKED PERFECTLY IN ARIZONA IN JUNE.

In the rest of the country where people live with trees, parking lots not aligned north/south, clouds, rain, seasons, dust and pollen, etc., a whole lot less. For much of the country and time (winter), like 50% less or worse.

It will help in airport parking for vampire loads (YAY!), but it won't get you home.

 

[woodguyatl]

The amount of energy that 5 sq meters can provide, even in perfect conditions, isn't significant. Like 5 m x 1000 w/m * 20% x 6 h/day = 6 kwh per day IF PARKED PERFECTLY IN ARIZONA IN JUNE.

In the rest of the country where people live with trees, parking lots not aligned north/south, clouds, rain, seasons, dust and pollen, etc., a whole lot less. For much of the country and time (winter), like 50% less or worse.

It will help in airport parking for vampire loads (YAY!), but it won't get you home.

it would benefit someone like. I own my commercial building and parking lot so I’ll park any darn way I want and it would cover my daily commute, but I am in the minority. Also, electric is cheap here in GA even with my commercial rates so it would still be cheaper, I think, to plug it into a welding outlet for 30 minutes.

 

[Xenoilphobe]

The military potential of a super fast, super silent, low IR signature, low radar signature, bullet (proof) self refuelling vehicle, albeit very slowly without extra panels in the back, is not insignificant....

I can imagine every drug smuggler and police force around the world wanting one too....

Civilian much? and this is one of the old school weapons from the 1950's in .50 caliber, they used Tannerite to simulate the tracer rounds cooking off the gas tank. Also you don't want to be anywhere near a Lithium Battery that cooks off, the smoke destroys your lungs and you will lucky to even crawl away when you get a good inhale.
If it could drive overland (think DARPA Challenge), it could be used with Autopilot for Automated Ground Resupply, then it might have a future, but that system would just be a cargo hauler without a passenger compartment. Also they will not invest in a vehicle that will not feed back to the grid for emergency power - here is the DoD Roadmap for Robotic investment and here is the Army's Microgrid and Plug in Electric Vehicle (PEV) with Vehicle to Grid (V2G) Power Services Capability

 

[Tslacg]

This is a cool idea, but not practical. I suppose it'd be nice to curb phantom drain during a hiking trip, but it's not like this truck could be taken overlanding and never need a charge the whole trip. Although we can sure dream... Maybe an overlanding trip in Alaska during the summer?

 

[doghousePVD]

This is a cool idea, but not practical. I suppose it'd be nice to curb phantom drain during a hiking trip, but it's not like this truck could be taken overlanding and never need a charge the whole trip. Although we can sure dream... Maybe an overlanding trip in Alaska during the summer?

You could hike farther than you can recharge every day.

 

[chilman408]

with the solar roof option, this thing is really apocalypse ready

 

[chilman408]

You could hike farther than you can recharge every day.

If you're hiking 14k lbs payload.

 

[vickh]

with the solar roof option, this thing is really apocalypse ready

or parking at the airport for phantom drain. I'm glad Elon changed his mind re: solar car roofs and hope it comes to the Y too.

Solar Powered Tesla Model 3?!