How likely is a solar tonneau for the CT?

[SamJoe]

To get 15 miles a day for va CT you would need panels covering the Front hood, the Dash, the roof and the bed. Even then I doubt you get 15 miles a day even in the best conditions. CT just isn't nearly efficient enough (361 wh/mile-maybe) to make this worth while I think. Check out the Aptera, they claim max 40 miles a day from their solar on the most energy efficient car (100 wh/mile) (soon to be produced, hopefully).

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[CyberWalrus]

I have the long range RWD without any tonneau, but has the rails for the soft tonneau (which was unfortunately cancelled) would be very interested in a solar tonneau. Thought about making one myself as well, using multiple flexible solar panels.

 

[YDR37]

I have the long range RWD without any tonneau, but has the rails for the soft tonneau (which was unfortunately cancelled)

Guess you're right, the soft tonneau cover is no longer listed in the Tesla Shop as a Cybertruck accessory. And the Outlet Adapter, while still listed, is out of stock.

It looks like Tesla still has Long Range RWDs in inventory, but the absence of key accessories isn't going to make it any easier to clear them out.

 

[hemiarch]

I have the long range RWD without any tonneau, but has the rails for the soft tonneau (which was unfortunately cancelled) would be very interested in a solar tonneau. Thought about making one myself as well, using multiple flexible solar panels.

You could totally make something that accordions or folds on that rail.

 

[Paul Scott]

Standard solar technology that would be affordable doesn’t add enough range to make the cost an additional weight worthwhile. You would need a different style of panel like they use on satellites that is very expensive to build to get a level of efficiency to make it worthwhile. Perhaps new technology in the future might change the equation but the more weight you add to the vehicle the lower your range is gonna be.

 

[WHIZZARD OF OZ]

I have the long range RWD without any tonneau, but has the rails for the soft tonneau (which was unfortunately cancelled) would be very interested in a solar tonneau. Thought about making one myself as well, using multiple flexible solar panels.

Would a lift tonneau work for your RWD....
It might not be water proof, but with a bit of design work, maybe doable.
Even using Tesla electric lift gate struts to raise and lower....you could angle the panel to maximise charge while camping or parked in the right place.

 

[Gigahorse]

Somewhere between 0-1% and that would require aftermarket intervention.
Tesla has cut a ton of way more practical and valuable features from the original design.
Unfortunately due to the power consumption of the truck solar on the cover would not be enough to even offset sentry mode and overheat protection for most locations.

 

[CyberWalrus]

Guess you're right, the soft tonneau cover is no longer listed in the Tesla Shop as a Cybertruck accessory. And the Outlet Adapter, while still listed, is out of stock.

It looks like Tesla still has Long Range RWDs in inventory, but the absence of key accessories isn't going to make it any easier to clear them out.

I am disappointed it being cancelled, would have went AWD if it had no option for any cover. The soft tonneau was one of the main features that went with RWD. Was hoping it would sell well that would create a aftermarket in tonneau covers, like solar. The power tonneau is too complex and integrated to have aftermarket, since it would probably be a replacement instead of add-on.

You could totally make something that accordions or folds on that rail.

The rails are built in to the sides and similar to ones in any other truck tonneau. I did some research, The design of the rails looks like mechanism used in Weathertech tonneau. My thought is that they were the OEMs that were going to supply the tonneau, since they also made the OEM all weather floor mats.

Would a lift tonneau work for your RWD....
It might not be water proof, but with a bit of design work, maybe doable.
Even using Tesla electric lift gate struts to raise and lower....you could angle the panel to maximise charge while camping or parked in the right place.

I like the roll ups better than the folding ones, since it takes up a lot less space and weight. I have been trying to find dimensions for roll-ups used in other trucks. Roll ups have velcro along the rails to hold the sides after latching it at the end. I am not sure how the official soft tonneau was going to hold down its sides, it may been magnets.


What I was thinking for the solar roll up tonneau, was finding an existing roll up tonneau that match the dimensions (Ridgeline is the closest), then getting flexible solar panels off Amazon to bond onto the roll up canvas. The problem is finding the tonneau of size and also able to mount under the roof area. I don't think is standard pick-up mounting points.

 

[YDR37]

I am disappointed it being cancelled, would have went AWD if it had no option for any cover. The soft tonneau was one of the main features that went with RWD.

The soft tonneau is no longer listed at the Tesla online shop, but I wonder if maybe some Tesla stores could still have them in local inventory.

Obviously you can no longer order an RWD CT online, but some Tesla stores still have RWD CTs available. Maybe the same is true for RWD CT accessories.

 

[TexasRaider]

We have solar moonroof and tonneau cover in development now that will compliment our Solar Hood Panel. Combined it would be 1000w. More to follow...

Can it be for under $1,000?
(GoSun is $3400 for 1200w.)

 

[CYBERTRUCKco]

Can it be for under $1,000?
(GoSun is $3400 for 1200w.)

Don't we all wish... you get what you pay for. I would expect the total package to be $2400 or so

 

[CyberWalrus]

The soft tonneau is no longer listed at the Tesla online shop, but I wonder if maybe some Tesla stores could still have them in local inventory.

Obviously you can no longer order an RWD CT online, but some Tesla stores still have RWD CTs available. Maybe the same is true for RWD CT accessories.

I contacted the Tesla accessories department, and responded that it was discontinued and have no inventory. I asked the question on youtube comments of other RWD owners that had pre-ordered, they say they were told it was discontinued and refunded. I don't think Tesla ever released. It was to ship September, but was taken out October 1st.

My thoughts are that they messed up the soft cover design. The rails are included with the RWD, but it doesn't have anything on the sides to hold the canvas down. Usually on other aftermarket roll up tonneau it is heavy duty velcro, unless they where using magnets. The rails I believe are plastic. It would need major installation changes to make it work.

I think since the RWD was discontinued and the design of the soft tonneau was flawed, they just cancelled it completely.

They should have just used the hard roll up from the AWD but manually open with a pulling mechanism.

 

[YDR37]

I contacted the Tesla accessories department, and responded that it was discontinued and have no inventory. I asked the question on youtube comments of other RWD owners that had pre-ordered, they say they were told it was discontinued and refunded. I don't think Tesla ever released. It was to ship September, but was taken out October 1st.

Seems like the Soft Tonneau Cover has met the same fate as the Range Extender -- an accessory that could be pre-ordered, yet was ultimately discontinued before it ever became available. As with the Range Extender, all traces have been scrubbed from the Tesla website, so it's like it never existed.

There's still a "Tesla Tutorials" video on Youtube though, and it shows that actual prototypes of the Soft Tonneau Cover were available at one time. That's better than the Range Extender, which was never spotted except in computer renderings.

 

[hemiarch]

Seems like the Soft Tonneau Cover has met the same fate as the Range Extender -- an accessory that could be pre-ordered, yet was ultimately discontinued before it ever became available. As with the Range Extender, all traces have been scrubbed from the Tesla website, so it's like it never existed.

There's still a "Tesla Tutorials" video on Youtube though, and it shows that actual prototypes of the Soft Tonneau Cover were available at one time. That's better than the Range Extender, which was never spotted except in computer renderings.

Anyone know if the rail installed in the rwd can be purchased as a part?

 

[CyberWalrus]

Seems like the Soft Tonneau Cover has met the same fate as the Range Extender -- an accessory that could be pre-ordered, yet was ultimately discontinued before it ever became available. As with the Range Extender, all traces have been scrubbed from the Tesla website, so it's like it never existed.

There's still a "Tesla Tutorials" video on Youtube though, and it shows that actual prototypes of the Soft Tonneau Cover were available at one time. That's better than the Range Extender, which was never spotted except in computer renderings.

It was unfortunate that the range extender did not come to fruition, although it is quite more complicated than a simple roll up cover.

Anyone know if the rail installed in the rwd can be purchased as a part?

Yes, this is the breakdown of all the parts. Parts Catalog

I have been studying the parts catalog and service manual; they have mostly everything installed on the RWD model except the cover itself. They should have just included the soft tonneau; that would have made it a better sell.

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