Anyone else thinking about solar charging hybrid?

[Eagle11]

I hope they survive financially, because I really like what they're building.

What are they building, no where on the web page does it talk about the KW/H or any concert data on the tri-cycle.

Sponsored

 

[Traegorn]

What are they building, no where on the web page does it talk about the KW/H or any concert data on the tri-cycle.

They detail the stats on the launch edition in a release.

 

[Eagle11]

They detail the stats on the launch edition in a release.

It's a start, but only 40 miles per day....

 

[Traegorn]

It's a start, but only 40 miles per day....

It has a charging port for more. Most folks don't drive more than 40 per day, so you solar charge for daily driving and plug it in for long trips.

 

[Eagle11]

It has a charging port for more. Most folks don't drive more than 40 per day, so you solar charge for daily driving and plug it in for long trips.

I get it, but in SoCal (san Diego) most people have a much longer commute than 40 miles. I think until the infrastructure is in place, people won't go for something like this until they know they can plug in at work.

The marketing photos are cute, showing someone fishing.. I would love to know what it cost them to stop all traffic on PCH to take that video

 

[Automate]

I get it, but in SoCal (san Diego) most people have a much longer commute than 40 miles. I think until the infrastructure is in place, people won't go for something like this until they know they can plug in at work.

The marketing photos are cute, showing someone fishing.. I would love to know what it cost them to stop all traffic on PCH to take that video

You can go up to 1000 miles on a single charge. Need more than that?

 

[Traegorn]

I get it, but in SoCal (san Diego) most people have a much longer commute than 40 miles. I think until the infrastructure is in place, people won't go for something like this until they know they can plug in at work.

The marketing photos are cute, showing someone fishing.. I would love to know what it cost them to stop all traffic on PCH to take that video

In that case you'd charge it like any other electric vehicle, except it's topping itself off while you don't have it plugged in.

But wow... living more than 20 miles from where you work sounds insane to me. That is poor city planning.

 

[LSchicago]

Mavericks can only go 1-2 miles on a charge on battery only. Solar panels on a vehicle could add 2-3 miles per day of charge. You would literally gain a couple miles a week past your regenerative braking. Not worth the loss in fuel economy from the loss of aerodynamics, aesthetics, or extra weight.

 

[GPSMan]

Solar can be thin and light.
Mostly the high cost and difficult integration with low utility is stopping people.

 

[stoptothink]

But wow... living more than 20 miles from where you work sounds insane to me. That is poor city planning.

Or the reality for many (if not most) people that live in suburban areas, not just California. We bought our home (in Utah) so I could walk to work, thinking my wife would stay home with the kids. That lasted all of 4-months. She's in tech and the tech sector is in the heart of the city...25 miles away.

I guess we could move and live in an apartment in the disgusting mess that has become downtown Salt Lake City.

 

[Traegorn]

Or the reality for many (if not most) people that live in suburban areas, not just California.

I said it was poor city planning.

Never said it wasn't a reality.

 

[stoptothink]

I said it was poor city planning.

Never said it wasn't a reality.

Most business is in the heart of large metro areas. What could city planners do for families that can't realistically live in a downtown apartment? It just a reality of every-expanding metro areas and growing populations.

https://www.bankrate.com/insurance/car/commuting-facts-statistics/

Average work commute in the U.S. is nearly 28 minutes, each way, and in no state is it less than 17 minutes.

 

[Traegorn]

Most business is in the heart of large metro areas. What could city planners do for families that can't realistically live in a downtown apartment? It just a reality of every-expanding metro areas and growing populations.

https://www.bankrate.com/insurance/car/commuting-facts-statistics/

Average work commute in the U.S. is nearly 28 minutes, each way, and in no state is it less than 17 minutes.

Minutes aren't miles. Suburbs are poorly planned. Just because it's true doesn't make it good.

I feel like you're arguing with my saying "this was done badly" by responding with "but it's actually what exists."

I agree, it exists. It's also incredibly stupid

 

[ejouie]

Why would you want to do an extra charge on the 12v battery? The 12v battery is charged while you drive it, like a standard vehicle.

The 12v battery on the hybrid gets charged from the High Voltage Battery (HVB). It does not have a standard alternator.

If the 12v battery is always full means more power in the HVB for propulsion. Not much more power, but then again you are not going to get a lot of power from solar.

I would guess that the best "value" option would be to make a solar bed cover and feed the lines to a controller mounted in the rear of the cab. Wiring the controller to the battery would be a relatively straightforward affair from that location.

Sponsored