Solar panel? Anyone?

[Angela Marie]

I'm running some numbers on putting solar panels on an EV, thinking about an EV with a 52.7 kWh battery that gets about 150 miles per charge.

If we put on a 545W solar panel system, like the Aptera has, and parked it in the sun for maybe 6-8 hours a day, it could add roughly 9.3 to 12.4 miles of range daily.

This could really help, especially if you only drive short distances or have a daily commute and park outside a lot. I'd love to hear what you all think about this idea.

 

[Seer_Leknaat]

Honestly, a decent home solar array with a Level 2 charger will give you way more bang for the buck. Slapping panels on a truck roof looks cool but you'll pay way more per mile of energy than just feeding from your house setup.

 

[my3ben]

The idea sounds good on the surface but you are right to question the trade-offs. The weight of a system like that could negatively impact your vehicle's range. It is all a balance between the energy you gain versus the energy you lose from carrying the extra mass. However, if the system is effective enough to generate a significant amount of power the reduction in range from the extra weight becomes less of a concern.

 

[Thimbleb3rry]

@Angela Marie, one tip from me for ppl considering this is to think of a car solar as a convenience, not a power source. It's great for reducing the vampire drain while the car is parked and can add enough juice to cover a quick errand. But for anyone with a real daily commute, a home Level 2 charger paired with even a small home solar array is the true game changer