Solar Panel Option

[Buckminster]

Will be an option to add solar power that generates 15 miles per day, possibly more. Would love this to be self-powered. Adding fold out solar wings would generate 30 to 40 miles per day. Avg miles per day in US is 30.

Will the smaller panel be mounted on the roof in place of the glass? Alternative would be the bed cover - rigid and hinged rather than roller.

 

[qdeathstar]

I don’t think i would pay extra for solar panels. Rock chips, debris, and the low output power of the panel makes it a hard pass.

 

[Matthew049]

i hope they do it. i'd definitely be in

 

[dhrivnak]

I hope it is part of the retractable bed cover. Some the solar shingle technology with 3" shingles that roll up and down. That would be a super option as there is enough space over the bed at 30 sqft. This would help with camping in National parks with no electrical which is the norm.

 

[ohmman]

I'd almost prefer an MC4 style connector in the bed of the truck. That way, you can hook up an array of your own, either a solar suitcase style or a set of flexible panels that you stow in the bed. I get that it doesn't help for "driving around town" type charging, but for me the benefit to having solar is when I'm out camping. Limiting vampire drain and potentially adding some miles sounds great. If 15 miles a day is possible with the size of the truck, 20-30 should be doable with a larger external array that can face the sun. A week long camping trip could yield a couple hundred miles.. not bad!

 

[rypalmer]

IMO we are going to see a lot of custom solar tonneau style covers for the back. I think the roll-up bed cover is going to be a non-starter in snowy climates and we will need other options anyway.

 

[Blup85]

There. I did it. Foldable solar panels that bifold out the angles bed

 

[T3slaDad]

I'd almost prefer an MC4 style connector in the bed of the truck. That way, you can hook up an array of your own, either a solar suitcase style or a set of flexible panels that you stow in the bed. I get that it doesn't help for "driving around town" type charging, but for me the benefit to having solar is when I'm out camping. Limiting vampire drain and potentially adding some miles sounds great. If 15 miles a day is possible with the size of the truck, 20-30 should be doable with a larger external array that can face the sun. A week long camping trip could yield a couple hundred miles.. not bad!

Glad to see I'm not the only one with that wish too!! I've been hoping we can at least backfeed to the 110/220v outlets with a camping solar array and an inverter.

 

[ElectricLee]

I would pay extra for the 15 Mile charge or (30-40) mile charge! Tesla has the advantage with Tesla Solar Glass that is tough and will be created in volume by 2020 for 2021 use within those trucks.

 

[Electruck]

I would pay extra for the 15 Mile charge or (30-40) mile charge! Tesla has the advantage with Tesla Solar Glass that is tough and will be created in volume by 2020 for 2021 use within those trucks.

Yup, that is where we're headed and suddenly the top of the parking ramp is the MOST popular place to park!

 

[Nukeme3]

The solar option is a no brainer of its priced well. If the ROI is within 100,000 - 200,000 miles then absolutely

 

[Trebor Srevlis]

Some analysis on it with estimated range in different regions.

Cybertruck Solar Roof – 15 Miles a Day? – Matter-Replicator

 

[Blup85]

Some analysis on it with estimated range in different regions.

Cybertruck Solar Roof – 15 Miles a Day? – Matter-Replicator

Yeah, pretty simple math, but also factor in vampire drain. So, the only way dry camping will work is if an auxiliary port is available to expand a solar array. Someone in another thread mentioned a rollout solar matt. That seems like a possibily since it would be both low weight and mobil. Just need to know the voltage input (24v?)

 

[parapyropig]

If Tesla can mix in the window solar panel technology that Fisker will be using, along with putting in a PV vault cover, it would be something I’d be very interested in.

 

[QUBO]

It is obvious and easily verified that the power output of solar cells is increased by having more light hit the cells. I have used a mirror to reflect sunlight onto the cell, increasing its output 35%. This is similar to solar cells that track the sun to get direct exposure to its power.

Thus, a low cost way to increase the power generated while parked would be to use mylar panels to reflect the sunlight onto the cells.

 

[CyberlandBound]

A solar array could be a game-changer for long-distance off road travel, but will probably need to see some pretty big efficiency gains in the panels in order to make a meaningful difference in range.

 

[dazedNconfuzed]

Solar has a practical limit of ~13 watts per square meter over prolonged time (due to night, clouds, efficiency, maintenance, angle, etc).

While the solar bed cover is a must have, that’s mostly to ensure you can get enough power to reach the nearest outlet. Worth its price the first time you need it, but nowhere near enough for general powering.

 

[bxr140]

A solar array could be a game-changer for long-distance off road travel, but will probably need to see some pretty big efficiency gains in the panels in order to make a meaningful difference in range.

Just to align, PV is pretty close to "never" when it comes to being a game changer for long range travel. We need to see some breakthrough technology (likely unheard of) to provide the energy to meet anyone's definition of game changer.

For the record I'm a big proponent of moving toward solar roofs on vehicles, but I'm also a realist. Price notwithstanding, based on a power budget I made a few years ago, if Tesla were to put their best minds on a solar roof it would provide ~3-5% of an average US EV's annual mileage. Again price not withstanding IMHO that's an awesome way to help offset the increasing demand from EVs...but its obviously only ever going to be a small piece of the pie.

Anyway, even some desert expedition like best case for CT you'd generate something like ~5kwh/day. As a gut check, that pretty much aligns with Tesla's "15 miles/day" statement at the top of this thread. The 30-40 mi/day with solar concentrators is also a best case, desert southwest type scenario. Still in no way a game changer with respect to long distance travel, though one could imagine that enabling a fringe element to push a fixed base camp a little deeper into the wilderness.

 

[CyberlandBound]

Just to align, PV is pretty close to "never" when it comes to being a game changer for long range travel. We need to see some breakthrough technology (likely unheard of) to provide the energy to meet anyone's definition of game changer.

For the record I'm a big proponent of moving toward solar roofs on vehicles, but I'm also a realist. Price notwithstanding, based on a power budget I made a few years ago, if Tesla were to put their best minds on a solar roof it would provide ~3-5% of an average US EV's annual mileage. Again price not withstanding IMHO that's an awesome way to help offset the increasing demand from EVs...but its obviously only ever going to be a small piece of the pie.

Anyway, even some desert expedition like best case for CT you'd generate something like ~5kwh/day. As a gut check, that pretty much aligns with Tesla's "15 miles/day" statement at the top of this thread. The 30-40 mi/day with solar concentrators is also a best case, desert southwest type scenario. Still in no way a game changer with respect to long distance travel, though one could imagine that enabling a fringe element to push a fixed base camp a little deeper into the wilderness.

Agreed on the math, and that a breakthrough offering substantially more power is unlikely. However, even 5-15 miles a day would provide a nice safety net since it would allow a team to limp back out of the wilderness. Can't do that if you run out of gas! I'm wondering if the solar option would even provide enough power for movement though, seems like it's possible that it would only counteract the daily drain on a stationary truck. I guess time will tell.

 

[dazedNconfuzed]

Baseline math:

Sun provides 1300 W/m^2
Available light roughly 8 hours/day (angles & diffusion significant outside that)
Photovoltaic panels have a maximum efficiency of ~33% (exotic future tech aside)

Those make for a baseline maximum of 117 W/m^2 average over >24 hours, or 2808 Wh/day. You’re simply not going to get more solar power than that; them’s the physical limits.

Now throw in additional real world practical limits of efficiency, angles, weather, haze, dust, resistance, etc and you’re down to about 20% of that ideal, ~560 watt hours per square meter per day.

No matter how you squint at it, comes down to panel area.