Solar CT news? Where do you plan to park your Cybertruck?

[davelloydbrown]

our other property is off grid so even though the solar on the CT won't help much it is better than nothing. Also if we eventually build on the 100 acre property I would like to get Tesla power wall and solar panels/ solar roof and use the CT to increase the solar storage (if they ever become available in my area!).

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[TexasRaider]

R

I think solar could be huge for an "outside truck" , someone tell Musk!

I live in a townhome with an attached garage, it has served my M3 well.. But I'd hate to have an EV without a garage to charge it in.. And i am slightly concerned about the CyberTruck not fitting in my standard garage. I foresee frequent supercharger visits in my future, or a house upgrade. I hope i wont have to use street parking, but getting a spot near the visitors area is going to be tough. I plan to make a deal with the local pub up the street, to park the truck in the back in a pinch..

Wherever i park though, camping or at home, its going to be in the sun. Just a few solar panels would go a long way towards eliminating phantom drain at least, for a truck that will not fit in most garages. Thoughts? Hopes? News?

Rest assured, someone told Elon what you think. Haha

 

[TexasRaider]

in Texas, at least, I found that mounting the charger closer to the garage door allows the normal length (of a Ford cable) to simply slip under the closed garage door and plug in to the Lightning nosed up to the door. Still allows charging inside the garage as well.

some day I’ll get around to installing something like a small cat door (or more purpose-built) access panel on the wall to the left of the garage door for passing the charge cable through

I don’t understand why most of our garages in Texas aren’t “oversized” garages so that a full size truck can park in with the garage door closed.

 

[cvalue13]

I don’t understand why most of our garages in Texas aren’t “oversized” garages so that a full size truck can park in with the garage door closed.

2023 F150 SCREW: ~231”L

1993 F150 SCREW: ~219”L

10 years before that, a crew cab was an F350 configuration with an 8’ bed

Vehicles have just become massive in the past 15-20 years, so most houses built before the had no reason

 

[CyberGus]

I don’t understand why most of our garages in Texas aren’t “oversized” garages so that a full size truck can park in with the garage door closed.

I don't understand why hot dogs are in packs of 10 but the buns are in packs of 8

 

[Baldey]

If solar is not economically favorable for your home it likely makes even less sense for a vehicle exclusive system. Especially if you are not limiting driving to night only.

My late night charging rate in Chicago has been averaging about 7 cents/kwh. The only way solar beats that low price is to forecast very optimistic future savings. Or by highly valuing the benefit of backup power from solar plus battery.

Where solar can make good economic sense is highly variable by location and time of use.

It isn't about economy for me, it is about convenience. I'd pay a couple grand to not have my battery die in a parking lot..

I pay 12c/kWh in Denver, CO , by the way.. Off-peak charging at home. It is not great but beats the supercharger, and smashes the pump

 

[firsttruck]

It isn't about economy for me, it is about convenience. I'd pay a couple grand to not have my battery die in a parking lot..
.....

This.

Want the solar during the daylight hours to capture enough energy to power sentry mode for 24 hours.

Have Cybertruck parked for weeks with sentry mode on and have no net battery drain (same battery level when I return as when I left).

 

[HaulingAss]

If solar is not economically favorable for your home it likely makes even less sense for a vehicle exclusive system. Especially if you are not limiting driving to night only.

My late night charging rate in Chicago has been averaging about 7 cents/kwh. The only way solar beats that low price is to forecast very optimistic future savings. Or by highly valuing the benefit of backup power from solar plus battery.

Where solar can make good economic sense is highly variable by location and time of use.

For most Cybertruck fans that want a solar option, the goal is not so much to save money, it's to increase options for extended excursions into the wilderness, away from buildings and electrical grids. Without it, the battery will gradually run down over the course of a month. The other benefit is the ability to park it for extended periods on the street, without worrying about having to plug it in periodically.

With this in mind, there are two classes of supplemental solar that make sense:

1) Small built-in solar solution, perhaps integrated into the vault cover or roof glass that that doesn't require deploying and can counteract vampire drain and running Sentry Mode for extended periods. This would also be of some minimal benefit when in the wilds.

2) A deployable solar solution that has significant area that could gradually add range and/or supply some domestic energy when camping in remote areas. One solution is a simple flexible solar film that is about 4-5 feet wide and up to 40 feet long that can simply be rolled out flat on the ground. and plugged into a charge port on the truck. Such a system could produce around 30 miles of range for every 8 hours of direct sun. If the roll was in the back of the bed, the Cybertruck could position itself so it could be rolled down the tailgate ramp and across the ground.

Any solar option added by Tesla is going to be a relatively expensive option, expensive enough to cause major bellyaching from the serial complainers. My primary wish is that Tesla include a direct DC solar charging input port (even if it's the regular charge port) so owners can directly connect their own solar charging solutions while camping. Solar cells keep getting cheaper and more efficient.

 

[Ogre]

We are rural. Space aplenty and no garage so will be parked in our not-quite south facing carport and collecting solar I hope. Likely ass end sticking out.

 

[Crissa]

If solar is not economically favorable for your home it likely makes even less sense for a vehicle exclusive system. Especially if you are not limiting driving to night only.

I can't put solar on the street.

And why wouldn't it work while driving?

I have a 40' x 50 ' quanset style metal garage with...

My house and half my lot would fit in there.

-Crissa

 

[Ogre]

I suspect @Crissa has the worst of it for solar. Small lot and lots of trees.

 

[davelloydbrown]

I can't put solar on the street.

And why wouldn't it work while driving?


My house and half my lot would fit in there.

-Crissa

Ha ha, I have it crammed full of stuff too- should have made it 40 x 60!

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