Cybertruck Goes Green with Integrated Solar Panel Wrap

A Solar-Powered Solution for the Cybertruck?

While Tesla CEO Elon Musk has promised to add a solar roof to the Cybertruck, the company has yet to make this option available. In 2019, Musk claimed that solar cells covering the truck’s bed could add 15 miles of range per day.

However, it appears that this concept has been lost in time or is too complex for engineering. Fortunately, a company called Sunflare is trying to turn the idea of an at least partially solar-powered Cybertruck into reality.

Solar Car Film: A Potential Solution

Sunflare’s Solar Car Film makes use of copper indium gallium selenide solar cells (CIGS) to effectively wrap the entire Cybertruck with power-generating panels. The option will cost $10,000, including a 5 kW battery inverter. However, it is unclear how much range such a wrap will add to the car’s battery.

Under ideal conditions, they might add anywhere from 12 to 18 miles of range per day, according to Torque News’ calculations. While this may not be an immense amount, the wrap could come in handy in various scenarios, such as off-the-grid camping.

Trickle Charge and Other Solar Solutions

Other roof-based solar charging solutions offer only a handful of miles of range per day, and that’s only if the car is in the full sun for hours at a time. The California-based Sunflare has also been developing off-grid power solutions for campers and camper vans.

However, whether its solar wrap will manage to turn the Cybertruck into an energy-efficient long-range EV remains dubious. The 6,600-pound stainless steel monstrosity has a below-average real-world range of around 230 miles on a single charge, putting it well below the competition.

A Promising Concept with Limited Impact

Though the concept is elegant, adding a handful of miles with the help of a solar panel isn’t going to flip that equation on its head. At most, it could slow down the rate of “vampire drain,” when batteries lose their charge over time when not in use.

That doesn’t mean solar panel accessories have no place in the automotive world. Particularly during more adventurous driving and overlanding, access to a steady source of free renewable energy can prove extremely useful.