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Should Model S have a solar panel?

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Was wondering if it would be a useful option but a quick calculation shows probably not. Assuming you could get 150W from covering the roof with a flexible panel, that's roughly 1 mi. of range for every 2 hours in full sun. :biggrin: But I suppose in an emergency it could be useful!
 
I don't think the technology is yet to the point where it's an easy snap-in, and the weight/cost value proposition isn't there in my eyes considering how little time many of these cars will spend "in full sun." I'm betting that a very large percentage of these cars will live in garages and only collect sunlight while they're out running errands, so the solar panel is not a good investment.

I'd rather put the solar panels on the house, and have them working hard all the time.
 
Sunlight is pretty weak. You need a large amount of surface area to collect enough sunlight to do anything useful. There's a reason mother nature never made plants that could run around.

The square footage on the car's roof isn't enough to run the car's heater or air conditioner, but it may be enough to run them in some sort of reduced capacity mode.
Anyway, it ought to be enough power to run a circulating pump for the battery coolant, or cabin ventilation fan, or a Wi-Fi connection.
The best use might be a way to keep the battery from dying completely (aka: "bricking"), but it isn't guaranteed to work if you keep it a dark garage...

-- Ardie
 
And the Leaf.

And the Prius.

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and the weight/cost value proposition isn't there in my eyes considering how little time many of these cars will spend "in full sun." I'm betting that a very large percentage of these cars will live in garages and only collect sunlight while they're out running errands, so the solar panel is not a good investment..

exactly. they know this thing will be indoors when not driving. it would push the expense of the Tesla even higher.

that said, i wish for the standard roof they put two little air-flow humps on it (a la Prius). that would look badass.
 
The one on the Prius adds $1500 and just runs a fan to keep the car close to ambient when parked. Not even remotely worth it in my opinion. Keeping the window open a small amount accomplishes the same thing for free.
 
I think a crank on the side would come in really handy! :biggrin:

Crank.PNG


I joke. . .actually I was wondering the same thing (although it would mess up the pano!)
 
exactly. they know this thing will be indoors when not driving. it would push the expense of the Tesla even higher.

Am I the only one that parks my car in the sun outside my office 5 days a week?

Regardless, a 25 W panel might cost $100 and generate maybe 25kWh (75 miles) of electricity over a year. Even at PG&E's punitive $0.34/kWh, that's still not great.
Panels on my roof are cost effective because you can get them cheaper when you buy big heavy panels, and they produce more power when they're always outside. Also, I can sell electricity to PG&E at the daytime rate and charge my EV at their night time rate (well, assuming Model S will have some kind of charge timer at some point).
 
Am I the only one that parks my car in the sun outside my office 5 days a week?

Regardless, a 25 W panel might cost $100 and generate maybe 25kWh (75 miles) of electricity over a year. Even at PG&E's punitive $0.34/kWh, that's still not great.
Panels on my roof are cost effective because you can get them cheaper when you buy big heavy panels, and they produce more power when they're always outside. Also, I can sell electricity to PG&E at the daytime rate and charge my EV at their night time rate (well, assuming Model S will have some kind of charge timer at some point).

Plus with solar cells on your roof (implying your car is then in the shade) you will save battery on cooling! Its hard to estimate but my guess is that a car sized solar panel would not even generate enough power to take the heat out of the interior! External cells are a triple win: (a) bigger surface area, more power (c) not carried around with you, added weight and (c) your car stays cooler (or snow free for the winter set) without using battery for temp control!
 
The drain should be down to 2 miles a day now. If that's too much, you're probably gone for a really long time and should either find a place with a least a 110V outlet or take a taxi to the airport and leave it plugged in at home. I'd rather have the pano roof that a solar panel that is rarely needed.