Solar Charging Cybertruck while traveling

[TexasRaider]

Anyone else going to try to boon-docking with the CT? (I’ve got my portable solar panels ready.) 🛖

I think it’ll be interesting to see how long / how many days it’ll take to recharge while out in BFE. 123kWh It’ll take a few hours on a sunny Texas day for a couple of 200w solar panels to charge the CT.
Of course, it’s all about the journey not the destination.

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[TexasRaider]

(To be clearer, you’d have to use an external battery to recharge the CT while using the solar panels to charge the external battery.)

 

[JBee]

Weeks not days with a few 200W panels.

You can use solar panels with a battery-less solar inverter to charge the CT via NACS.

 

[DeadSetElectric]

I did this quick math. I’m sure there are errors but good starting point.

100W solar panel produces 300-600Wh per day

300-600Wh x (4) = 1.2kWh - 2.4kWh per day

Cybertruck battery is 123kWh , usable 110kWh

123kWh / 2kWh = 61.5 days to full charge

Extender battery is 50kWh, usable 150kWh

173kWh / 2kWh = 86.5 days to full charge

 

[TexasRaider]

I did this quick math. I’m sure there are errors but good starting point.

100W solar panel produces 300-600Wh per day

300-600Wh x (4) = 1.2kWh - 2.4kWh per day

Cybertruck battery is 123kWh , usable 110kWh

123kWh / 2kWh = 61.5 days to full charge

Extender battery is 50kWh, usable 150kWh

173kWh / 2kWh = 86.5 days to full charge

Love it! Haha
So . . What I am hearing is that we would need lots of good weather and tons of panels . .

 

[rizvend]

Pair it with a concept eRV coming in 2024 and you may have a chance...

https://pebblelife.com/

 

[madquadbiker]

Love it! Haha
So . . What I am hearing is that we would need lots of good weather and tons of panels . .

What sort of power do the wind turbines put out used on boats?

 

[DeadSetElectric]

Love it! Haha
So . . What I am hearing is that we would need lots of good weather and tons of panels . .

If we’re traveling just on solar, we can go 300 miles down the road, camp for two months, then go another 300 miles lol I’m mostly gonna be using the panels for charging small electronics while camping but don’t expect to be charging the main battery at all.

 

[CyberGus]

 

[Bkb13]

Pair it with a concept eRV coming in 2024 and you may have a chance...

https://pebblelife.com/

This thing is incredible. At $100,000 it should be.

 

[TexasRaider]

I enjoy the concept and conversation/video.

 

[TexasRaider]

If we’re traveling just on solar, we can go 300 miles down the road, camp for two months, then go another 300 miles lol I’m mostly gonna be using the panels for charging small electronics while camping but don’t expect to be charging the main battery at all.

That sounds like a more intelligent way forward with our “current” options.

 

[charliemagpie]

If we’re traveling just on solar, we can go 300 miles down the road, camp for two months, then go another 300 miles lol I’m mostly gonna be using the panels for charging small electronics while camping but don’t expect to be charging the main battery at all.

I've toyed with that idea. At first, I thought, just follow the charging stations.. But now I'm thinking it's doable and opens up quite a little adventure.

There are a couple of places I'd love to go in Australia, but I expect some charging gaps for quite a few years yet.

I estimate I would need 2-3 weeks stay, just long enough to get enough charge to hobble to the next charging station.

600w of lithium and 1000w on the roof will be enough imo, as long as one('s wife) is willing. lol

 

[JBee]

It's not hard to make it work with solar in Australia. You can put up to 3kW on the CT camper pop up roof and another 6-10kW on a travel trailer. With that and a moderate tow speed with an aerodynamic trailer, you can do that range every couple of days, not weeks.

Rough rule of thumb for a summer trip with decent weather:

Every 1kW solar gives you 10miles (16km) a day just driving the CT, and about 6miles pulling a travel trailer.

So with enough PV panels you'd get enough range to make steady progress with the travel trailer from major town to town, and do sight seeing trips as well off the side with the CT.

PV panels are dirt cheap. If you have enough battery in the travel trailer to keep one day of solar charging, you can then drive around with the CT and charge at night from the RV just like home. Lifepo4 batteries can be had for $200kWh and used together with an offgrid inverter ($2000).

By optimising your usage profile and day trips so you are at the trailer for a couple hours each lunch time, around 20kwh of RV batteries ($4000) will suffice, as you can direct charge the CT from the pv in the max solar of the day, and discharge the 15-18kWh from the RV pack the trailer collected in the morning, as well, and at the same time.

In the afternoon you would then be free to roam again whilst the RV batteries recharged ready for a top up overnight.

Then rinse repeat, and reduce the day tours until you have enough range to move the RV for the next stop. Ideally, you could hit a few SC along the way to top up for a bigger range buffer. The trailer could also be SC'd.

If you had a 50kWh RV pack ($12k) you can avoid buying the range extender entirely, and would not need to be at the RV for lunch. Ideally, the extender pack connection would allow the RV pack to be connected whilst driving, so you can avoid discharging/charging losses.

The main problem with travelling is that your main charge time conisides with when you most likely want to be out and about, namely the sunny middle of the day. The RV battery gives you some timing freedom, and a 50kWh pack "all daylight" freedom. You could however go the other way if you are happy to tour early morning and late afternoon, and simply have enough solar on the RV with a completely batteryless setup, a very small RV battery. This might be an option for those locations where it's not necessary to use the CT for day outings.

Btw, this not new. It has been discussed numerous times over the years here.

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