Solar charging kit in the works for Rivian

[E.S.]

The company states they are in the engineering phase of the product's process aimed at Teslas and that a version for Rivians is also in the works. It is supposedly a kit add on for the vehicle (both a Roof flex and stackable flex panel along with a 6kw inverter + battery). They state about 2000 watts of solar power (granting upto 60 miles of added range and stores 30 miles of "emergency range"). I thought this was interesting.

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[JEV]

That would be great for remote camping trips ! I'm guessing the range numbers apply to Tesla and would need to be adjusted for Rivian.

 

[kurtlikevonnegut]

That would be great for remote camping trips ! I'm guessing the range numbers apply to Tesla and would need to be adjusted for Rivian.

Quick math is 8 hours of full sun gives you 33 miles of range.

 

[svet-am]

This is really interesting. I have just put together a DIY version of this exactly for camping trips.

 

[Temerarius]

Quick math is 8 hours of full sun gives you 33 miles of range.

3 day family camping trip, coming out with about 90 more miles of range than I went in with... sounds like a winner to me.

 

[PastyPilgrim]

I'm gonna channel my inner Mark Watney with one of these.

Watney's trip was 2000mi; if you did that in an R1T getting 33mi of range per day it would take two months!

 

[Craigins]

I'm gonna channel my inner Mark Watney with one of these.

Watney's trip was 2000mi; if you did that in an R1T getting 33mi of range per day it would take two months!

that's a lot of potatoes

 

[LaunchGreen]

but why?

 

[LordUlhtred]

And that is assuming you have direct sunlight and not blocked by mountains, trees, hills, etc.

 

[svet-am]

And that is assuming you have direct sunlight and not blocked by mountains, trees, hills, etc.

True. For me, I have been planning a trip to Chaco Canyon in northern New Mexico. I'll probably be in canyon for about two weeks and I expect that my rig will do enough to keep the vehicle topped off during the day for whatever I use overnight when the sun is down.

 

[yizzung]

I like the idea of a passive charge in the middle of nowhere but I think I'd prefer a big roll of panels that I could just unroll on the ground near the car rather than mount to the top of the car. Then when I'm done, just roll it up ad stuff it in the gear tunnel.

 

[svet-am]

I like the idea of a passive charge in the middle of nowhere but I think I'd prefer a big roll of panels that I could just unroll on the ground near the car rather than mount to the top of the car. Then when I'm done, just roll it up ad stuff it in the gear tunnel.

I am using a series of these in my DIY kit:

Part of these reason I am doing this (and part of why I like the kit being proposed here officially) is that it drapes over the vehicle to provide shade during the day since the R1’s have the panoramic glass on the top.

 

[carl]

It wouldn't be pretty, but I wonder how effective having the entire car wrapped in solar panels would be. Anyone up for the math?

 

[DaveA]

True. For me, I have been planning a trip to Chaco Canyon in northern New Mexico. I'll probably be in canyon for about two weeks and I expect that my rig will do enough to keep the vehicle topped off during the day for whatever I use overnight when the sun is down.

Bring a mouthpiece! Just did that road to Chaco in August, and wow! Its rough! Need all my fillings replaced! Amazing place to visit though, worth the drive.

 

[svet-am]

Bring a mouthpiece! Just did that road to Chaco in August, and wow! Its rough! Need all my fillings replaced! Amazing place to visit though, worth the drive.

Awesome to hear. It's the first trip I plan to take with my R1S and I am really looking forward to putting the Rivian suspension through its paces and doing the entire trip through the canyon in silence.

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