Solar Power Meets Electric Vehicle Atop a VW Microbus

Reader Contribution by Brett Belan and Apparent Energy
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I always wanted an electric vehicle. Not because they are quiet, fast or fashionable, but because I can charge it off the sun! I built a golf cart with a panel on top and hauled wood for years with it. The electric chainsaw ran quite well off the 72-volt bank. What a workhorse! Just park it in the sun.

I realized that if I built a highway-legal vehicle with a good amount of solar on top, I would really have something valuable. I had no idea.

Sizing Solar Panels for Electric Vehicles

The time is here for solar power to make its way to our vehicles. The state-of-the-art panels pose no weight limitation. At 6 pounds per 150 watts, thin flexible solar panels will weigh 600 pounds but give you 15 kilowatts! This is enough to directly drive from the sun.

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