Bonnet mounted solar panels

[Pudsey Bear]

Interesting idea.

Vehicle Solar Systems | Bonnet Mounted Solar Panels

Upgrade your Car, boat or Caravan today with our Bonnet Mounted Solar Panels. Suit all types of vehicles, save space & no heavy external panels. Shop online now from Australia

www.vehiclesolarsolutions.com.au

 

[trevskoda]

Why would they be required on a car, unless its electric.

 

[mark61]

At least they'll be easy to clean.
Plenty of people use those kinds of vehicles for camping, and touring.

 

[YeoBlade]

Why would they be required on a car, unless its electric.

The car may wish to identify as electric even if not.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

I was thinking handy for when the van is not being used.

 

[izwozral]

Why no Fiat?

 

[mark61]

I'd definitely consider them if doing another van.

 

[Lee]

They probably use them to power the Eski, to keep the beers cold.

 

[trevskoda]

I was thinking handy for when the van is not being used.

For what purpose.

 

[SimonM]

Aussie panels.

 

[colinm]

Looks complete crap to me, a flexible panel bonded to the bonnet with a 'heat dissipation' layer above a hot engine! I suppose it's possible to come up with a worse solution, but I'm not quite sure how.

 

[Nabsim]

Not just Oz, companies here do them, seen a couple of Sprinters with them fitted here.

Bonnet Solar

 

[barryd]

I think they have been around a while

Lightyear launches "world's first production-ready" solar-powered car

Dutch startup Lightyear has unveiled its Lightyear 0 electric car that has solar panels covering its roof, bonnet and boot so that it can be charged while driving.

www.dezeen.com

This one has them all over but it only adds about 40 miles of range. Presumably on a sunny day

 

[Boris7]

The kit for my van from Camper interiors is £305 for 80w seems very expensive to me.

£240 gets you EcoWorthy 290w kit with 12v charger/controller.

 

[r4dent]

Why would they be required on a car, unless its electric.

Because even ICE cars get flat batteries when not used for a while with the alarm switched on,

On EVs, of course, they would not charge the traction battery.

 

[Boris7]

I have solar battery maintainers on both my ICE vehicles Trev, simply because they don’t get used all the time. The MH has a dedicated 125w panel just looking after the engine battery. The 4x4 has a 200w panel kit doing the same.

The EV gets used daily and sits on the home charger daily, or as needed.

 

[trevskoda]

I have solar battery maintainers on both my ICE vehicles Trev, simply because they don’t get used all the time. The MH has a dedicated 125w panel just looking after the engine battery. The 4x4 has a 200w panel kit doing the same.

The EV gets used daily and sits on the home charger daily, or as needed.

My van has a votronic mppt from solar and a 1ah take off to startrer battery, plus i have a switch and 200ah relay to connect after starting her up or it will break the fan belt, this can also be used should i have left the lights on so to jump start the engine from less batts.

 

[izwozral]

Am I missing something? You can buy a 100w flexible solar panel with MPPT controller for less than a £100 from various sites. Why are the solar panels featured on car bonnets more than twice the price?

 

[Boris7]

Am I missing something? You can buy a 100w flexible solar panel with MPPT controller for less than a £100 from various sites. Why are the solar panels featured on car bonnets more than twice the price?

Bit late Ral, go back a few posts.

 

[trevskoda]

Honda had tested a electric car many years back with all upper panels solar, so nothing new.
One thing to mention is next generation panel grab 20 more energy and will last twice as long as ones we have now.