According to the latest report, Tesla showed a solar range extender trailer at an expo in Germany with SpaceX’s Starlink Internet satellite system. As electric vehicles become more and more efficient, many people are starting to consider the possibility of adding solar panels to electric vehicles to extend the range.
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Companies such as Aptera, Sono, and Lightyear have had some success with projects involving ultra-efficient vehicles using embedded solar cells. But when it comes to full-size EVs, solar panels aren’t as popular because solar energy is less efficient and doesn’t add much range.
However, many EV owners have been considering adding deployable solar panels as a portable stand-alone charging solution that can extend the range of their EVs. This week at IdeenExpo in Hannover, Germany, Tesla showed off a system for equipping trailers with deployable solar panels.
The solar range extender trailer is also equipped with SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet antenna. Starlink recently updated its system so that its terminals can be used in moving vehicles. If these were 300W panels, the maximum output would be 2.7kW, which would add less than 50 miles per day when unfolded and a third when folded.
It’s unclear why Tesla built the trailer and displayed it at the show, but it’s not expected to be sold to the public anytime soon.
