Solar powered tonneau cover presents off-grid opportunities
Battery electric pickup trucks could gain up to 10 miles extra range per day from solar panelling embedded in the vehicle’s foldable tonneau cover.
This is the claim of Worksport, a Nasdaq-listed company based in the US that is launching the SOLIS Solar Cover this summer alongside its COR Battery System, an 11-outlet mobile power unit that can supply up to 2kW of power at 1.5kWh.
Said to be a world first, the SOLIS Solar Cover can provide charge for COR, generating up to 650W of power while still protecting the pickup truck’s bed. Both products are aimed initially at consumers who require off-grid, portable power on demand.
“The SOLIS cover connects first to our MPPT [maximum power point tracking] charge controller,” said Steven Rossi, CEO of Worksport. “From the MPPT it connects to the COR and individual batteries using firmware that we’ve designed that controls the charging of multiple batteries concurrently.”
Rossi added that SOLIS covers use monocrystalline panels that ‘utilise the latest technology flexible solar cells and bus bars.’ The panels - three per cover - are up to 25 per cent efficient while being robust enough to handle hail, wind, and road vibrations in excess of 80mph.
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