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Solar power roof
- Thread starter MOE J
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- solar roof for tesla
I did the math a while back:
teslamotorsclub.com
New owner questions
Hello everyone, I placed an order for a Model 3 about a month ago and I'm very excited for it to arrive soon. The estimated delivery window has changed many times but I did get my VIN today. I just read an article online today where a Model 3 owner made reference to having solar panels on his...
teslamotorsclub.com
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So yr saying the size of the roof/solar panel would not offer any significant battery charge. We need a smarter solar panel then. I think everyone said then same thing when those guys wanted to build an electric car…..nope can’t be done, yet 6 million teslas sold.I did the math a while back:
New owner questions
Hello everyone, I placed an order for a Model 3 about a month ago and I'm very excited for it to arrive soon. The estimated delivery window has changed many times but I did get my VIN today. I just read an article online today where a Model 3 owner made reference to having solar panels on his...
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Sure, we need a more efficient solar panel. Currently they are around 24%, best case. A little search suggests the maximum theoretical photovoltaic cell efficiency is something like 60%( around 45% has already been demonstrated, which surprised me), but the cells apparently get quite heavy since they are layering different cells to get various wavelengths of light with each cell.
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The ideal would be to incorporate the PV elements directly into the glass roof, so that weight gain would be minimal. I never actually use the transparent roof, as it's too cold in the winter and too hot in the summer. Also the hood (frunk cover) could be covered with a PV material to increase the solar collecting area.
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And no way for Tesla to tap into this free solar power to recharge battery as of today. So they might be hope for the future
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The general rule of thumb is about 1KW per square meter (more or less depending upon latitude) so the solar power just isn't there. "Smarter" has nothing to do with it.
I am reminded when, as a physics major, I was discussing the maximum velocity attainable in the universe is the speed of light, and no faster. A few artists sitting in on the conversation said "see, this is the problem with technical people: giving up before you even try!"
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I won’t argue the current science but in the future I bet solar cars will in fact be the teslas of today.
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I started a thread along these lines in 2011 and a bunch of folks chimed in like these:I did the math a while back:
New owner questions
Hello everyone, I placed an order for a Model 3 about a month ago and I'm very excited for it to arrive soon. The estimated delivery window has changed many times but I did get my VIN today. I just read an article online today where a Model 3 owner made reference to having solar panels on his...
larger solar panel/solar roof on Leaf thread
Let's discuss the solar panel/roof issues that were brought up in http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?p=142154#p142154" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (Nissan LEAF Engineering Team Visit December 3rd) so that we can keep the other topic on track. I wanted to bring up a few...
mynissanleaf.com
larger solar panel/solar roof on Leaf thread
Let's discuss the solar panel/roof issues that were brought up in http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?p=142154#p142154" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (Nissan LEAF Engineering Team Visit December 3rd) so that we can keep the other topic on track. I wanted to bring up a few...
mynissanleaf.com
larger solar panel/solar roof on Leaf thread
Let's discuss the solar panel/roof issues that were brought up in http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?p=142154#p142154" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (Nissan LEAF Engineering Team Visit December 3rd) so that we can keep the other topic on track. I wanted to bring up a few...
mynissanleaf.com
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And keep in mind that using a solar panel necessarily means parking in the sun for hours. Unless it's a very cool day, you have to then crank the AC to cool down a superheated car. This would likely use up most or all of whatever trickle of energy was generated by a current generation solar panel sized to fit the roof.
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A sun shade is not going to do anything at all to keep a car cool enough to drive in, especially if there is sun out to put power into these theoretical panels.
It was 78 degrees today and partially overcast, and I parked outside for 2 hours while I was at a doctors appointment. My car was 128 degrees inside it when I came back out to get in it.
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The idea of integrating solar panels into Tesla’s glass roofs to charge the battery while the car is parked in the sun is indeed intriguing! However, there are practical challenges to consider:
- Efficiency:
- Solar panels on a car roof would be limited in surface area compared to stationary solar panels. Achieving meaningful charging efficiency would be challenging.
- Even with optimal positioning, the energy generated might not be sufficient to significantly impact the car’s overall range.
- Weight and Aesthetics:
- Adding solar panels would increase the weight of the car, affecting performance and handling.
- Maintaining a sleek design and aerodynamics while accommodating solar panels could be complex.
- Energy Demand vs. Generation:
- Electric cars have substantial energy demands for acceleration, heating/cooling, and other systems. Solar panels alone might not meet these needs.
- The energy generated during parking might not cover daily driving requirements.
- Cost-Benefit Analysis:
- Balancing the cost of integrating solar panels with the benefits (even a small percentage of charge) would be crucial.
- Tesla prioritizes features that significantly impact range, safety, and performance.
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It's also kind of a lose-lose situation. The solar panels that have good efficiency are the heavy rigid silicon ones. That's not what you would want to mount on top of a car like a roof rack--terrible for weight and aerodynamics. The ones that would be in any way decent are the ones that are thin film flexible ones that can conform to the body shape. But flexible solar panels are worse efficiency.
Basically you're making both things worse by trying to smoosh them together into one thing. You're better off doing solar really well over here, and then using that energy really well in a car over there. Don't try to make them the same thing, or you're compromising both.
Basically you're making both things worse by trying to smoosh them together into one thing. You're better off doing solar really well over here, and then using that energy really well in a car over there. Don't try to make them the same thing, or you're compromising both.
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Looks like its in the works. Hyundai and Toyota seem to already offer this as well.
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