Electric cars are now well established – problems with range in everyday use are not uncommon, such as in daily commuting in larger metropolitan areas. Fast charging stations make longer journeys possible as long as such charging stations are available and free to use. Tesla owner somid3 has presented a rather unconventional DIY solution for achieving extra range on his Tesla Model Y.
On Reddit, the user shows several pictures of what his DIY solar solution looks like. The solution consists of several solar panels that can be folded out quite easily. The entire system weighs less than 75 kilograms (165 pounds) and is thus not an excessive structural load on the vehicle roof. The system can be folded up together, making the car roadworthy in quick time.
When unfolded, nine solar cells are available, each with a peak output of 175 watts. According to somid3, a five-hour charge is sufficient for a range gain of around 32 kilometers (20 miles). The system is easy to use, as the solar roof does not exceed the dimensions of a standard parking space when the panels are unfolded.
Obviously, this project is still in an early stage. Somid3 currently puts the material costs at around $4000: in the future, the aerodynamics will also be taken into account, as Somid3 plans to patent the system and offer it commercially.
I have been active as a journalist for over 10 years, most of it in the field of technology. I worked for Tom’s Hardware and ComputerBase, among others, and have been working for Notebookcheck since 2017. My current focus is particularly on mini PCs and single-board computers such as the Raspberry Pi – so in other words, compact systems with a lot of potential. In addition, I have a soft spot for all kinds of wearables, especially smartwatches. My main profession is as a laboratory engineer, which is why neither scientific contexts nor the interpretation of complex measurements are foreign to me.
Growing up in regional Australia, I first became acquainted with computers in my early teens after a broken leg from a football (soccer) match temporarily condemned me to a predominately indoor lifestyle. Soon afterwards I was building my own systems. Now I live in Germany, having moved here in 2014, where I study philosophy and anthropology. I am particularly fascinated by how computer technology has fundamentally and dramatically reshaped human culture, and how it continues to do so.
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