Australian scientists to power Tesla on 15,000-km trip with printed solar panels

[Ogre]

too bad Tesla doesnt let u charge while driving.

Also I would REALLY like to know more about this printed panel

A guy hacked his Model X to use a trailer battery by pushing power into the car via the regenerative braking power lines. So it is definitely possible to charge a Tesla while it is moving. Hopefully Tesla unlocks this.

It would be super nice if they added some solar charging ports on the truck, then if you made a solar roof it could charge as you are diriving and parked.

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[Bill906]

Regenerative braking power lines?

 

[Ogre]

Regenerative braking power lines?

When your regen braking kicks in, it generates power which gets sent to the battery pack. He hacked into those lines. Even though the car is driving along under power, it happily sucks up juice which it things is coming from the regenerative braking system.



He had power from solar panels charging his Model X. Also power from his trailer.

You can see the big thick power cables going between the trailer and the car.

 

[Bill906]

Regen braking comes from the motor. When motoring, power flows from the battery through the inverter to the motor. When Regenerating, power flows from the motor through the inverter to the battery. There isn’t separate regen lines.

I watched the video, then read the comments hoping to find out where he’s tapping into the high voltage lines. Someone asked him in the comments and he said he’s keeping that a secret.

 

[Ogre]

Regen braking comes from the motor. When motoring, power flows from the battery through the inverter to the motor. When Regenerating, power flows from the motor through the inverter to the battery. There isn’t separate regen lines.

I watched the video, then read the comments hoping to find out where he’s tapping into the high voltage lines. Someone asked him in the comments and he said he’s keeping that a secret.

He’s pretty anxious about voiding his warrantee and keeps his cards close to hand.

 

[Newton]

I hear that Tesla is kinda douchy about people modifying their cars. lame

 

[flowerlandfilms]

So with the panels rolled out on the ground, will the local reptile population decide that the solar platform is an excellent place to come warm up? Hopefully blocking a portion of the roll doesn’t prevent the rest of the roll from pushing charge out to the vehicle.

On the other hand, if you are stranded and needing some protein, perhaps a large sunning platform will attract reptiles you could catch and consume.

On a side note, where in the wilderness do they expect to find a bunch of flat space without random plants and bushes sticking up (not to mention rocks) preventing the sheets to lay out flat? 18 sq meters is quite a lot of space.

Forget the panels.
Some of our local reptiles are big enough to try and mate with the model 3.

 

[charliemagpie]

i wonder who went and put that stick in its mouth

 

[JBee]

My mate Dundee!

 

[Cybertruckee]

This could solve Semis range issue.

Think of all that space in the trailer cargo surface.

 

[JBee]

This could solve Semis range issue.

Think of all that space in the trailer cargo surface.

The M3 they used needs 18 pcs of 1x18m long panels. You can only fit a third of those on a semi trailer surface area.

 

[Cybertruckee]

The M3 they used needs 18 pcs of 1x18m long panels. You can only fit a third of those on a semi trailer surface area.

Even on falcon-wing cargo trailer?

 

[JBee]

Even on falcon-wing cargo trailer?

Yep. Semi trailer is somwhere around 12x8.5=104sqm vs 18x18=324sqm for the printed ones. The printed ones would make about 1.5kW. In comparison you could put some 19kW of normal PV on the trailer top and sides.

 

[Crissa]

The M3 they used needs 18 pcs of 1x18m long panels. You can only fit a third of those on a semi trailer surface area.

That's to sit and charge and who knows what rate so they can drive again.

-Crissa

 

[JBee]

That's to sit and charge and who knows what rate so they can drive again.

-Crissa

So you think its even worse than 15W sqm?

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