Anyone else thinking about solar charging hybrid?

[Aircraftmech]

I specifically want the hybrid so I don't tinker with having an Ecoboost. But I can't stop thinking about a solar panel on the roof of the cab or a solar panel tonneau cover. I know it probably wouldn't be much but how many miles per day could you get and how much of a boost to fuel economy do you think?

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[brnpttmn]

It's unlikely to be worth the investment. If you're interested in solar charging your transportation get a PHEV or BEV and put some solar panels on your house.

 

[Watchman]

Couldn't have said it better! I thought about that for years and can't understand why there is zero interest from any manufacturer. We'll probably see this in the European market before we see it here.

I also don't understand why there is Zero "induction charging"? I talked to Tesla at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show before they had real money. Who wants to stand in the weather plugging or unplugging?

 

[brnpttmn]

Couldn't have said it better! I thought about that for years and can't understand why there is zero interest from any manufacturer. We'll probably see this in the European market before we see it here.

I also don't understand why there is Zero "induction charging"? I talked to Tesla at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show before they had real money. Who wants to stand in the weather plugging or unplugging?

Induction charging would be great for garages.

Regarding solar panels on cars. It's better to have stationary solar panels (like on a house) and charge the car from that energy. You'll get greater efficiency and longevity.

 

[710-oil-614]

Why? Nearly all of your energy is recaptured through regen braking. This would be an incredible waste of money and likely any negligible gains you receive in battery power will be completely negated by loss of aero and increased drag.

 

[Aircraftmech]

Having not driven the hybrid yet I have driven other hybrids. The charge state when you park it isn't going to be at 100%. While I can't argue the current state of solar panels being efficient enough. Covering the truck bed with panels would fulfill approx 300-400 watts with current technology. I have been reading about a company in china that has made considerable advancements in solar cell density/efficiency.

 

[Watchman]

Induction charging would be great for garages.

And employee parking areas. Future will tell but a carport area with a solar roof and induction pad in Florida, Arizona and other areas on this planet will make a great deal of sense. Getting an 8 - 10 hour charge for free would be a great recruiting tactic too.

 

[Darnon]

Couldn't have said it better! I thought about that for years and can't understand why there is zero interest from any manufacturer. We'll probably see this in the European market before we see it here.

The Hyundai Sonata Hybrid has had a solar roof as an option in the US for a few years now. They claim a peak of 2 miles per day recharge, but for most locales it'd probably be closer to half that.

 

[Bushpilot]

Repeat after me - "The battery is too small, it is not an EV."

 

[icegradner]

Bushpilot has it right, its 1.1kw battery, there is no point in solar charging it. First because during the engine warm up period it would charge the battery anyway, and it will almost never fully discharge anyway due to how the system works.

Now if you are talking about solar charging a full EV, solar is just too slow for most uses. If you have solar charging on your home, by all means use those big panels to your advantage to charge the EV. The panels you could put on a Maverick sized vehicle would take days to charge a full EV battery (assuming its 40-60kw)

 

[Lone Star Proud]

Why? Nearly all of your energy is recaptured through regen braking. This would be an incredible waste of money and likely any negligible gains you receive in battery power will be completely negated by loss of aero and increased drag.

Not to mention weight.

 

[Ronaldo]

If you were to try this it would at minimum have to be a plug in hybrid. The regular hybrid doesn’t have enough batteries to make it worth while. The Tesla truck panel they talked about expected 15 mile charge a day, oviously when it is sunny.

 

[Decayed]

Solar panels just don't produce that much juice. People seem to massively overestimate the amount of power you can get out of a panel. It would take days in direct sunlight to get a meaningful charge for what you could mount on the truck.

 

[DryHeat]

I also don't understand why there is Zero "induction charging"?

If you are talking about the hybrid, all the reasons given above for why solar charging would be a waste of money also apply to setting up an induction charging system.

If you are talking about for an EV, here's an article on the difficulties involved:
Wireless Charging Technology for EVs - Power Electronics News

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