FYI: While solar cars offer incredible potential, designing a practical version for everyday use remains a formidable challenge. A recent home build by Drew Builds Stuff highlights the excitement and difficulty in achieving this dream.
Solar-Powered Cars: A Dream and a Challenge
Solar cars seem like a no-brainer, but in reality, creating a production car that gains meaningful range from solar energy is a tough nut to crack. Drew Builds Stuff’s home-build project underscores the allure and the obstacles of this concept, emphasizing why it’s almost impossible for standard production vehicles.
Why Not Solar-Powered EVs?
It’s a common question: Why can’t we produce electric vehicles (EVs) that charge directly from solar panels, reducing the need for traditional charging stops? The truth is, while it technically feasible, it’s not quite practical with current technology and materials.
Energy Usage: Homes vs. EVs
- Homes: The average American home consumes between 30-33 kWh of energy per day.
- Electric Vehicles: A modern EV averages about 3 miles per kWh, translating to around 13.2 kWh for the typical daily drive of 39.7 miles.
Given these numbers, it seems plausible that solar panels could meet an EV’s needs. However, there’s a catch. Homes utilize energy consistently throughout the day, whereas cars consume a more intense burst of energy in shorter timeframes, making continuous solar charging challenging.
Limited Space and Power
Unlike homes, cars have limited exterior surface area to mount solar panels. This means a modern solar panel setup could never supply enough power to cover the needs of a vehicle like a Tesla Model 3, especially while driving.
The Reality Check: Drew’s Solar Car
Drew Builds Stuff demonstrates that it is possible to drive using solar power with minimal battery usage. His solar-powered car traveled 155 miles using a battery capable of just 35-45 miles without solar aid. Drew believes that with optimal conditions, he could surpass 300 miles, theoretically achieving infinite range.
However, several factors underline why this dream remains impractical for production vehicles:
- Design: Drew’s car is extremely bare-bones, built on a tube frame chassis with panels covering almost every inch.
- Speed & Terrain: The test was conducted at low speeds on rural roads.
- Features: The car lacks a protective cabin, crash structure, and amenities like air conditioning.
- Additional Panels: A trailer full of extra panels was towed along.
Conclusion: A Labor of Love
While Drew’s project is an incredible engineering feat and visually impressive, it highlights the vast gap between experimental solar cars and practical, production-ready vehicles. Such projects inspire and remind us that the EV era is pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, even if mainstream solar-powered cars remain a distant dream.
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By William Kouch, Editor of Automotive.fyi
