It seems like electric cars are commonly parked outside in the hot sun all day, and so should have solar panels - it wouldn’t be all the power you need, but for the average driver it would be about a third of their total driving. Plus that if you do run out the solution is just wait a couple hours it a powerful (though in reality not useful) message. Solar panels could easially be shaped to the roof of the car and thus not affect aerodynamics (in quantities of the auto manufactures this is an option).
I want a retractable panel that covers my wind shield so my car doesn’t get so hot while I’m inside - this is a feature I’d pay for even if it isn’t cost effective.
We should be putting solar panels over parking spaces anyway, rather than over places where plants could grow. Combine that with electric vehicles that could plug into that infrastructure.
Agrivoltaics can be a net benefit for plant productivity depending on the region and field type. Pasture for sheep does fairly well, for instance, as grasses do better with some shade in a lot of cases. It reduces water requirements and simulates a lightly wooded or scrub area.
Putting solar panels over parking spaces is a terrible idea - it’s far more expensive, makes it far more liable to be smashed by some idiot, and requires high-embodied-emissions steel/concrete to car-proof your solar panels as a result (technically just car-resistant).
Meanwhile, car parks are a stupid symptom of car-centric design and should be phased out. Putting solar panels on a car park isn’t smart use of space, it’s just putting lipstick on a pig.
So… my 2kwhr battery provides about 6 miles of range.
You can use solar to get a little bit of mileage, but you aren’t talking much more than 20-25 miles a day under optimal conditions.
I’m not saying that putting solar panels and a battery/inverter/charge controller isn’t worth it, but it’s not good enough for most people to use to power travel. It would take a lot of charging to offset the purchase cost. I think I generally spend about $10-20 a month on electricity when I’m not traveling and charging at home and my setup cost around $1200 and an afternoon of install. The only reason it was a good solution for me was that I was working remotely and traveling all across the country. I spent most of my time in national or state parks, so I was stationary for 4-7 days at a time and it powered all of computer and cooking electronics.
It seems like electric cars are commonly parked outside in the hot sun all day, and so should have solar panels - it wouldn’t be all the power you need, but for the average driver it would be about a third of their total driving. Plus that if you do run out the solution is just wait a couple hours it a powerful (though in reality not useful) message. Solar panels could easially be shaped to the roof of the car and thus not affect aerodynamics (in quantities of the auto manufactures this is an option).
I want a retractable panel that covers my wind shield so my car doesn’t get so hot while I’m inside - this is a feature I’d pay for even if it isn’t cost effective.
We should be putting solar panels over parking spaces anyway, rather than over places where plants could grow. Combine that with electric vehicles that could plug into that infrastructure.
Agrivoltaics can be a net benefit for plant productivity depending on the region and field type. Pasture for sheep does fairly well, for instance, as grasses do better with some shade in a lot of cases. It reduces water requirements and simulates a lightly wooded or scrub area.
Devil, details, etc.
Putting solar panels over parking spaces is a terrible idea - it’s far more expensive, makes it far more liable to be smashed by some idiot, and requires high-embodied-emissions steel/concrete to car-proof your solar panels as a result (technically just car-resistant).
Meanwhile, car parks are a stupid symptom of car-centric design and should be phased out. Putting solar panels on a car park isn’t smart use of space, it’s just putting lipstick on a pig.
So… my 2kwhr battery provides about 6 miles of range.
You can use solar to get a little bit of mileage, but you aren’t talking much more than 20-25 miles a day under optimal conditions.
I’m not saying that putting solar panels and a battery/inverter/charge controller isn’t worth it, but it’s not good enough for most people to use to power travel. It would take a lot of charging to offset the purchase cost. I think I generally spend about $10-20 a month on electricity when I’m not traveling and charging at home and my setup cost around $1200 and an afternoon of install. The only reason it was a good solution for me was that I was working remotely and traveling all across the country. I spent most of my time in national or state parks, so I was stationary for 4-7 days at a time and it powered all of computer and cooking electronics.
The Fisker Ocean had that (they went bankrupt)
Or you may be interested in the Aptera which can add up to a claimed 40 miles a day on solar in ideal conditions.