ROME – And for the roof a sky of… photovoltaic panels. The promise comes from a new startup and is aimed at the two Tesla models, Model 3 and Y. But not only: the same startup, Ev Solar Kits, has developed a system of folding panels to be kept in the trunk and used during the stop of the vehicle to recharge the batteries and thus increase the range, without connections to the electricity grid. The price of the Tesla car roof kit alone should be around $ 5,000, a figure that many owners would be willing to spend – say the startup’s promoters – to have more autonomy of their vehicle without having to resort to top-ups.
The system of photovoltaic panels, according to what is obtained from the specifications shown by Ev Solar Kits, is hooked to the roof of the cars using the guide of the all-door bars; therefore, there would be no need for structural modifications to the vehicle. According to what has been illustrated, even if the explanations of the startup are not yet complete, the main panel, that is the one permanently installed on the roof, would provide about 400 W of power. The optional solar panels, which can be stored in the trunk of the cars, would each provide another 200 watts, eventually reaching a possible production of energy for recharging, in the best conditions of irradiation, up to 2kW of power.
Ev Solar Kits also provides a dedicated inverter, to connect the photovoltaic panels to the Tesla charging system and an additional battery which, in an emergency, could give the vehicle an additional 50 km of autonomy.
However, there are doubts about this system. The first is that of the additional weight on the car which could significantly reduce the percentage of greater autonomy provided. However, the company has nevertheless launched a crowdfunding program for the construction of the entire apparatus.
.