Solar powered car: a look at the math

[Ladogaboy]

Originally Posted by Ryland

I agree, we don't need larger batteries, we need smaller vehicles!

We need more compact batteries. If you're making an EV for a single driver, sure, but if you have to anticipate 800-1,000 lbs payload capacity, you'll still need the power to move both the payload and a vehicle large enough to carry that payload around. Most modern (internal combustion engine) ICE cars lose 500-1,000 lbs by removing the ICE components, but gain as much as 1,500 of EV components. And the motor/controller only accounts for a small amount of that weight.

The Tesla Roadster is a good example of such a conversion. Sure, a 200-mile range could be considered excessive by some (but not the general population). It seats two people (and it's arguable how comfortably), the electric motor and driveline weigh less than those on most other electric cars, and it's based on a very small car platform. Yet, it still requires 800 lbs worth of batteries to get that 200-mile range.

I drank too much wine, and I'm rambling now...

[jjackstone]

The panels on the vehicle and the large trailer were only able to provide about 1/3rd of the energy used in the vehicle, so they extend the range of the battery pack somewhat.

Wow! With the work that went into the solar taxi I am shocked that the solar panel trailer was not aeromodded for better fuel economy.
JJ

[gone-ot]

...back when Hughes Aircraft Company first became GMHE, we worked with GM on their SUN-RAYCER vehicle (power electronics). It was an "eye-opener" to see how IN-efficient the sun-to-power conversion cycle actually was/wasn't! And, we were doing this here in Tucson, AZ, under LOT's of sunshine, not up in Detroit, MI, where sunshine isn't.