Solar fueling?

[Adrnlnjnky]

It seems to me that a vehicle touting "adventure" and "go farther" should have some way of energizing itself. Are there any plans to put solar panels (esthetically pleasing) on the roof or in the tonneau cover? In a fossil fuel truck running out of gas means tapping a Jerry can or a long walk to the gas station or siphoning fuel from another vehicle. Not the best options but options non-the -less. I know there is talk of an aux battery, is that the nail out option. Would a roof and tonneau filled with solar panels be enough to charge the battery?

 

[James McGovern]

I am no expert but from reading other threads there isn't enough surface area on the roof or tonneau to produce enough power to warrant the added expense and the time it would take to charge the pack...In all seriousness, if you feel like you might be pushing your luck, maybe bring a 1000w generator inverter with you...They take up very little space, weight very little, and use roughly 1 gallon of gas for around 10-14 hours....Yes, I know it defeats the purpose but it is a much better option...

 

[Wayne Peterson]

Agreed. I have solar 30 panels on the roof of my house producing 10 kw of energy (approximately 50kwh a day) Even with them totally dedicated to the car battery it would take a good amount of time to charge the battery.

 

[Domenick]

I am no expert but from reading other threads there isn't enough surface area on the roof or tonneau to produce enough power to warrant the added expense and the time it would take to charge the pack...In all seriousness, if you feel like you might be pushing your luck, maybe bring a 1000w generator inverter with you...They take up very little space, weight very little, and use roughly 1 gallon of gas for around 10-14 hours....Yes, I know it defeats the purpose but it is a much better option...

There is no doubt that solar does a much better job on your roof than your vehicle. Still, I love the idea of an optional solar tonneau cover. It may only add a few extra miles a day, but I still like the idea of getting more energy in the battery just sitting there parked. Out in the woods, those few miles could make a helpful difference.

And besides allowing for some electricity harvesting, it also communicates a message about clean energy.

 

[James McGovern]

There is no doubt that solar does a much better job on your roof than your vehicle. Still, I love the idea of an optional solar tonneau cover. It may only add a few extra miles a day, but I still like the idea of getting more energy in the battery just sitting there parked. Out in the woods, those few miles could make a helpful difference.

And besides allowing for some electricity harvesting, it also communicates a message about clean energy.

But the added expense for a solar array that rolls up like the Rivian tonneau, in my opinion, outweighs the added 2-4 miles per day that you would recoup with that accessory. You would be better off keeping a small array in the bed in those instances and deploying it once you got to the campsite. My 2 cents.

 

[Domenick]

But the added expense for a solar array that rolls up like the Rivian tonneau, in my opinion, outweighs the added 2-4 miles per day that you would recoup with that accessory. You would be better off keeping a small array in the bed in those instances and deploying it once you got to the campsite. My 2 cents.

I was thinking that would be a terrific option. So, I went to look up what kind of performance those have now and found a short video warning about them because of longevity and quality concerns. In the comments of the vid, there are some people still stoked about their panels and some with the problems mentioned. Turns out, there's a whole bunch of homework to do before buying flexible panels.

I don't want to discourage anyone from trying them, so besides the video below, here's a recent piece that seems to have done a lot of that homework: 5 Best Flexible Solar Panels – Reviews and Buying Guide Source.

 

[EyeOnEVs]

I know there is talk of an aux battery, is that the nail out option.

A quick note about the aux battery. Rivian, like most companies, file for patents all the time to protect the "idea" to prevent competitors from implementing. A filed patent does not imply there is a working prototype or any plans to build one. It's just an idea that exists on paper and I believe that to be true with the Rivian aux battery idea. Move over, I had read in an article or heard in a YT video a Rivian rep indicate they had no "current" plans to build these auxiliary batteries.
The concerns over the required size and weight of these aux batteries aside, FWIW I would not count on them even being available any time soon if they are some how part of your EV battery solution.

 

[Wayne Peterson]

A quick note about the aux battery. Rivian, like most companies, file for patents all the time to protect the "idea" to prevent competitors from implementing. A filed patent does not imply there is a working prototype or any plans to build one. It's just an idea that exists on paper and I believe that to be true with the Rivian aux battery idea. Move over, I had read in an article or heard in a YT video a Rivian rep indicate they had no "current" plans to build these auxiliary batteries.
The concerns over the required size and weight of these aux batteries aside, FWIW I would not count on them even being available any time soon if they are some how part of your EV battery solution.

Even if they were an option you'd need a forklift or some sort of lift to put it into your bed. Depending on the size it could weigh 300 or more lbs. So it's not a very portable option.