Cybertruck Range Extender

[SCTesla]

Fortunately, the pack BMS doesn't care where charging power comes from as long as the limits it publishes are followed.

If there's a device that is extending the battery, the BMS absolutely matters. You would also need to hack it to charge while in motion.

Sponsored

 

[mongo]

If there's a device that is extending the battery, the BMS absolutely matters. You would also need to hack it to charge while in motion.

If you tap into the HV bus, not the modules or cells themselves, the BMS isn't a factor as long as you don't exceed the allowable charge rate.

 

[Bill Carlson]

You get it. A little becomes a lot over many hours and if the bucket is collecting both while driving and parked, that’s impactful I think.

To get the 800W I will have w 400 rear and front. That's OK when parked. The front I will innovate stowage whilst driving. Have not solved getting at least 400W (rear) feeding the battery while driving. Should be fairly easy. That will still help. Gotta rake as much free energy as you can. I'll try to post as I get it rolling I just have a lot of balls in the air right now. I'm definately interested in other ideas, esp the/a HV DC option.

 

[mongo]

To get the 800W I will have w 400 rear and front. That's OK when parked. The front I will innovate stowage whilst driving. Have not solved getting at least 400W (rear) feeding the battery while driving. Should be fairly easy. That will still help. Gotta rake as much free energy as you can. I'll try to post as I get it rolling I just have a lot of balls in the air right now. I'm definately interested in other ideas, esp the/a HV DC option.

HV DC is the only option to feed it while driving.

Unless the PCS runs the 120/240VAC subsystem in all four quadrant and doesn't mind getting back fed...

 

[flyinglow]

The Cybertruck needs more battery but the range extender in the bed was always a silly way to go about it. Kind of makes the truck no longer a truck. Unfortunately, more battery capacity is going to have to come from better batteries.

 

[Bill Carlson]

HV DC is the only option to feed it while driving.

Unless the PCS runs the 120/240VAC subsystem in all four quadrant and doesn't mind getting back fed...

I'm thinking while driving I charge the 12V "bucket". No direct CT battery charging. That keeps it topped off so when parked that + solar allows me to plug. Kludgy I know, but I'll know soon how much I get out of it. I can see only 800-1200Wh possible. Think 3-4 mi/charge per hour if you are getting max panel and you claim 300-400 Whr per mile. Takes a lot of juice to move 3 tons.

 

[mongo]

I'm thinking while driving I charge the 12V "bucket". No direct CT battery charging. That keeps it topped off so when parked that + solar allows me to plug. Kludgy I know, but I'll know soon how much I get out of it. I can see only 800-1200Wh possible. Think 3-4 mi/charge per hour if you are getting max panel and you claim 300-400 Whr per mile. Takes a lot of juice to move 3 tons.

By 12V do you mean the 48V rail?
That would reduce pack usage, but vehicle might not like it.
I do wonder if the jump start post could provide a secondary power input path.

 

[Bill Carlson]

By 12V do you mean the 48V rail?
That would reduce pack usage, but vehicle might not like it.
I do wonder if the jump start post could provide a secondary power input path.

I'm thinking totally independent when driving. Use a big 12V bucket like a 12V 100Ah or 12V 200Ah battery to store. When parked solar + battery goes into truck SLOWLY. When driving solar goes into just the bucket. I'm thinking a system that can handle 4-8 Hr charging sessions at 3-6A 120V with a LV cutoff on the charge/battery so I don't forget and kill the battery. It seems a bit overkill but as I said this is just a game for me until I transfer the solar to a small shed.

 

[mongo]

I'm thinking totally independent when driving. Use a big 12V bucket like a 12V 100Ah or 12V 200Ah battery to store. When parked solar + battery goes into truck SLOWLY. When driving solar goes into just the bucket. I'm thinking a system that can handle 4-8 Hr charging sessions at 3-6A 120V with a LV cutoff on the charge/battery so I don't forget and kill the battery. It seems a bit overkill but as I said this is just a game for me until I transfer the solar to a small shed.

Oh! Gotcha
I been looking at 48V 100Ah LFPs to inverter then mobile connector to truck when parked. Higher charge power is more efficient due to the power the truck uses just being on.
Voctron charger/ inverter would allow topping up for range extender.

 

[hemiarch]

This is a repost from another thread but….

So here is what I envisioned. You put an Ecoflow delta 2 max in the back corner of the vault. Doesn’t occupy a lot of space and connects to the 800w Ecoflow alternator charger which acts as both a battery tender and input for the power station. The alternator charger can manage either a 12v or 24v battery in either direction and the delta 2 max has 1kw of solar input through two mppt’s which’s are separate from the alternator charger.
then you get something like this and put it in the smugglers bay (slightly smaller or larger is minutia I think).
https://a.co/d/4hx39c6
Then you hook the alternator charger to that and connect let’s say 200w on the frunk and about 600w of panels elsewhere with some snazzy aerodynamically well thought out wire path.
any time you are driving or parked in the sun, you’re probably pulling 400w-600w off your 800w array.
when you fill up the 2kwh delta 2 max it fills up the 8 or so kWh battery “bucket” under the vault using the alternator charger.
Then, when you are parked, you hook the mobile connector up from the delta 2 max to the car’s charge port. You can also mostly close the vault.
so….you are now getting the 400w-600w off the solar inputs to the delta 2 max but also the 800w from the alternator charger back into the power station. So you can charge at about 1.5kw for quite a few hours before the reserves are depleted.
over an extended period of time, that’s real charging. It means you don’t have to sweat being able to get home from your remote campsite. Also means you don’t have to sweat using electricity as you want at your campsite.

this is my concrete “let’s actually do this” vision. I already have much of the described equipment

 

[Zane Edwards]

YES,,, YES YES YES. THIS I would love to have a gas generator "plug" for the bed for long trips. Making it a Hybrid of sorts or a place to plug in my solar generator while driving down the road. I have been and will be patiently waiting for a company to make a replacement aftermarket battery for one of these using solid state batteries with a lot more capacity. It can be done. It should be done. It will be fun.

Agree 100% it would be "BAD ASS" as the father of CT once said.....to have those options

 

[bg002h]

I’ve gotten the $500 back but not the $2k…anyone else in this boat?

 

[mongo]

I’ve gotten the $500 back but not the $2k…anyone else in this boat?

Is the $2k from a second order?

 

[PungoteagueDave]

I had a deposit from Tesla for the extender since last November- did other cyberbeast Foubdation buyers get a refund of their deposit already somehow? By check or deposit to a credit card? I I kind of recall $600 was the deposit or was it $500 ?

When did other deposits for this extender get refunded?

Look at the sales documents attached to your account in the Tesla app. It shows everything you bought in detail on the sales invoice, including any deposits for future delivery. Other threads on this forum have indicated the deposit was automatically refunded. I believe the required deposit was $2,000.00. That's how much it was at the time of my CT purchase in 2/25.

 

[mongo]

Look at the sales documents attached to your account in the Tesla app. It shows everything you bought in detail on the sales invoice, including any deposits for future delivery. Other threads on this forum have indicated the deposit was automatically refunded. I believe the required deposit was $2,000.00. That's how much it was at the time of my CT purchase in 2/25.

Range extender executed as a separate purchase from the store in December 2023 and was not listed on the vehicleorder agreement. It was $500 at that time.

Sponsored