Solar charging idea….. ELON

[LDRHAWKE]

This could be a fairly inexpensive do it your self approach to keeping your batteries topped off. . 12 volt solar cells can be modified to charge at 48 Volts. There are also a few solar cell manufacturers that make them that even perform well partially shaded. It will only be 200 to 300 watts but could add a few free miles.

Install two 24” by 48” standard panels set vertically against the inside truck bed walls. Hinge them at the top so they can swing up to lay flat and be held in place with a gas strut, or even automated. They simply swing down when not in use.

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[SparkChaser]

Here are some 48v 200w panels.
200 Watt Monocrystalline Solar Panel Price - SunGoldPower
Making them easy to remove when you need the full bed or for repositioning say on a lumber rack would be pretty easy. The hard part will be getting the electrons to the battery.

 

[charliemagpie]

Hoping Tesla comes up with a beautiful roof rack with access to a couple of lockable storage compartments from the outside, and solar on top.

And maybe a spot to discretely hook up the rack solar with the tonneau closed. Maybe a mounting point can route to a plug.

 

[C T Rick]

I have a solar booster pack that I have connected to my 48 volt 100ah ryobi lawn tractor..takes 1 solar panel and boost the output to 48+ volts to charge my 4- 12v 100ah battery's wired in series. Slow but I don't use the tractor but once per week.

Rick

 

[LDRHAWKE]

This could be a fairly inexpensive do it your self approach to keeping your batteries topped off. . 12 volt solar cells can be modified to charge at 48 Volts. There are also a few solar cell manufacturers that make them that even perform well partially shaded. It will only be 200 to 300 watts but could add a few free miles.

Install two 24” by 48” standard panels set vertically against the inside truck bed walls. Hinge them at the top so they can swing up to lay flat and be held in place with a gas strut, or even automated. They simply swing down when not in use.

it would be great if they build the solar cells into all the glass or the tondu cover. That may not happen to start. . I just think it would be neat to have solar power add 10 or 15 miles a day to the battery while parked, without out a lot of hassle setting it up every time you park. Like for many of us the CT is just a big tech toy and conversations piece. We could get by with much less. It would be nice to add in the conversation my energy cost to drive it is zero!

 

[LDRHAWKE]

it would be great if they build the solar cells into all the glass or the tondu cover. That may not happen to start. . I just think it would be neat to have solar power add 10 or 15 miles a day to the battery while parked, without out a lot of hassle setting it up every time you park. Like for many of us the CT is just a big tech toy and conversations piece. We could get by with much less. It would be nice to add in the conversation my energy cost to drive it is zero!

$299 for 1.2 KW. …AMAZON. OVER 20% efficiency



1200w Solar Panels Flexible Monocrystalline Solar Panel 2x600w Solar Panel Kit，Solar Panels for Rv High Power Panel Suitable for Travel/Camping/Rv/Roof/Ship. …AMAZON

Things are evolving quickly with solar panel increasing efficiency of over 20% and the dropping costs. It appears a group of four, two on each side of the bed, of flip up side solar panels can produce nearly 2.4 kw per hour. Connecting the four in series for 48 volts direct input to the truck. if the cyber truck get 3 miles per kw….that is about 7 miles per hour of sun light. Assuming you park in a sunny spot and get 6 to 7 hours of sunlight…..that is potentially 30 to 40 miles per day from the solar cells built into the truck side bed and flipped up horizontally while you are parked.

.
LESS THAN A $1000 bucks for a self install.

If Tesla builds solar panels into the glass roof and it cost $10,000 ….I know what I am going to do as a CT project.

 

[TyPope]

If Tesla doesn't plan on including solar panels, they could at least add that plug that "solar ready" RVs have so users can attach their own solution. I like the flip up bed sides mentioned by @LDRHAWKE . I'll toss this out there for all the people like me who will be using their trucks mostly for commuting to a job where you park outside all day -

Same concept but leave them in horizontal position. They could attach to each other to keep them horizontal... Using those two flexible ones as an example, they could just be shock corded together. You can leave them in place, keep the vault cover closed while driving and open if when parked. If you need access to the bed other than just under the panels, you can just untie them and fold them along the sides. I'd definitely do this if Tesla includes some way of getting that charge to the battery!

 

[fhteagle]

1200w Solar Panels Flexible Monocrystalline Solar Panel 2x600w Solar Panel Kit，Solar Panels for Rv High Power Panel Suitable for Travel/Camping/Rv/Roof/Ship. …AMAZON

Careful with the DOKIO brand flexible panels (what appears to be pictured in your copied listing), or any of their side brands they use to dodge buildup of bad reviews. I tested out a set and they had internal shorts and were burning through their face ply layers by the second day on the sun. Fire hazard level 11.

Buy quality solar panels, or don't buy anything at all.

 

[LDRHAWKE]

Careful with the DOKIO brand flexible panels (what appears to be pictured in your copied listing), or any of their side brands they use to dodge buildup of bad reviews. I tested out a set and they had internal shorts and were burning through their face ply layers by the second day on the sun. Fire hazard level 11.

Buy quality solar panels, or don't buy anything at all.

Thanks for the heads up.

 

[PilotPete]

Hey, the dash is some unused acreage… And I mean ACREAGE!

 

[SparkChaser]

I was really hoping that the electronics we are seeing that fill up the frunk would be under that dash and provide a sizable frunk. O well, we may see something different in the end but everything is a compromise so I am sure that I will be happy when I can drive this beast. After getting a close look at the Lightning I was very envious but it will still not be as cool as the CT.

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