Now here is a real solar powered camper
Printed From: R-pod Owners Forum
Category: Non-pod Discussion Forums
Forum Name: General non-pod discussion
Forum Discription: Non-pod and ex-pod general stuff
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14931
Printed Date: 28 Apr 2024 at 11:48pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.64 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Now here is a real solar powered camper
Posted By: offgrid
Subject: Now here is a real solar powered camper
Date Posted: 12 Sep 2021 at 1:31am
https://newatlas.com/automotive/solar-team-eindhoven-stella-vita/ - Solar RV
No range anxiety worries, just set up camp and wait for your batteries to recharge.
You could put that slide out solar array on an rpod if you took all the junk off the roof.
-------------
1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold
|
Replies:
Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 12 Sep 2021 at 5:59am
Interesting and would probably work in a lot of areas in our country. However in our neck of the woods we get a lot of cloudy days, and during the months of November through April the sun is in "hibernation mode" where we can go days without seeing it. So it probably wouldn't work here in northern Michigan. Price tag?
-------------
God's pod
'11 model 177
'17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost
Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake
"...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free."
|
Posted By: Olddawgsrule
Date Posted: 12 Sep 2021 at 6:17am
Love the pop-top design! Course I'm bias a bit..
-------------
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJduGeZNFgtptH67leItRFQ - Byways no Highways
2017 Tacoma
http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=72408 - Truck Camper Build
2004 F150 My Overlander
|
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 12 Sep 2021 at 10:55am
I like the pop top too. With the slide out wings and radical teardrop it's pretty interesting. Probably produces about 3.5kW. I'd really like to know what the drag coefficient is.
Europe is pretty dark in winter too.
But in Europe camping is a summer activity, the whole place pretty much shuts down in August. Distances are relatively short too so this kind of vehicle could work. I'm sure you can just charge it like a regular EV if you had a longer trip or cloudy weather.
Cost? It's a one off university student project, free labor and mostly donated materials, so cost really doesn't mean much. These kinds of projects are a great learning experience for the kids though.
-------------
1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold
|
Posted By: Olddawgsrule
Date Posted: 12 Sep 2021 at 2:55pm
Cost? You need to get on a 'Maker's Site'! So much is being done and it's still growing knowledge.The main cost I see is the mechanicals involved with the panels deploying. Being one that has (and built) one extremely light weight.. those mechanicals are going to add up pretty quickly. Does it really need the extensions? I guess if the vehicle is also battery powered. I may be an Olddawg, but I still love seeing the youngin's teach me a thing or two!
-------------
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJduGeZNFgtptH67leItRFQ - Byways no Highways
2017 Tacoma
http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=72408 - Truck Camper Build
2004 F150 My Overlander
|
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 12 Sep 2021 at 5:25pm
Yeah it needs the slide outs. With them it will still only produce about 12-15 kwh/day on a good day. Assuming it has about the same EV efficiency as a regular EV car (it's very effiently built but it's big) that would take it about 50-60 miles a day on solar, if nothing is being used in the RV itself. So probably more like maybe 40 miles a day. Stay a week at a campsite, go around 250-300 miles, do another week. It works if your not trying to be
somewhere in a hurry.
-------------
1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold
|
Posted By: Olddawgsrule
Date Posted: 13 Sep 2021 at 3:51pm
|
To me that strikes out a full EV vehicle. We're just not there yet... Hybrid is is as close to a reality we have for now.
There is a guy that ran a Telsa with a Alto Safari camper and traveled across Canada. Something like $300 to run Vancouver to Newfoundland. Oh that was the early days...
These youngin's should be able to do so much better!
-------------
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJduGeZNFgtptH67leItRFQ - Byways no Highways
2017 Tacoma
http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=72408 - Truck Camper Build
2004 F150 My Overlander
|
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 15 Sep 2021 at 8:47am
That must have been in the early days. From what I have read, it is rather pricy to use the chargers when you have to pay. I think it ends up costing more than gasoline if I recall the article I read accurately.
-------------
StephenH
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,...
http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods
Former RPod 179
Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS
|
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 15 Sep 2021 at 1:13pm
Not sure what article you read but there is lots of negatives information out there, like there seems to be on most every subject nowadays.p
Here are actual numbers I checked as I am considering getting a Chevy Bolt to replace my 2010 Prius. They are overall pretty comparable vehicles other that the Bolt's off the line torque makes it a whole lot more fun to drive.
Electrify America charges 31 cents a kwh hour for DC fast charging in VA. The Bolt uses about 250 watt hours per mile so that is about 7.7 cents per mile.
My Prius consistently gets 45 mpg and gas in VA is around 2.97 right now so that is about 6.7 cents per mile.
So yup, slightly more expensive to use DC fast charging on the Bolt vs gasoline in the Prius (the most fuel efficient car on the road).
But fast charging is pretty rare for most folks, who charge at home nearly all the time. Last time I checked I pay around 11 cents a kwh to Appalachian Power so I should wind up with a vehicle energy cost around 2.8 cents per mile.
Not bad at all, especially considering that there is pretty much zero other maintenance cost on an EV other than tires.
-------------
1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold
|
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 15 Sep 2021 at 1:49pm
Speaking of coast to coast runs the fastest Cannonball Run EV record currently stands at around 44 hours by a Porsche Taycan using public charging stations. This was done in winter conditions BTW. Not bad.
For comparison, the current record for ICE vehicles is around 25 hours. They are usually highly modified with huge aux gas tanks and don't stop for refueling more than once or twice.
The solo record was set last year by a guy in a rental Mustang (with a Coyote V8, just thought I'd throw that in there). He took out all except the driver's seat and installed fuel tanks everywhere he could. Made one fuel stop, his only stop on the way. I hope no one at the rental return place drank out if all those funny looking Gatoraid bottles when he turned in the car...
The Cannonball record was shattered many times last year during the Covid lockdowns, far less traffic and police on the highways.
-------------
1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold
|
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 15 Sep 2021 at 11:42pm
|
The problem with looking at it at a cost per KWH is that from what I have read, public charging stations charge by the minute, not by the KWH. How long does it take to charge an EV? That time must be taken into consideration also. Spending time at the charging station is time lost from travel. It takes only a few minutes to pump a tank full of fuel. It takes much, much longer to fully charge a battery. If one is paying by the minute, that can add up if it takes an extended time to charge the battery. Electric is okay for local use where one can charge it at home, but I still don't see it as anywhere near practical for towing. OTOH, Ford's hybrid F150 looks to be a good way to take advantage of the strengths of electric motor torque with the refilling convenience of a gasoline engine. The built-in generator would be a great bonus.
https://evcharging.enelx.com/resources/blog/579-the-ultimate-guide-to-electric-vehicle-public-charging-pricing - https://evcharging.enelx.com/resources/blog/579-the-ultimate-guide-to-electric-vehicle-public-charging-pricing
-------------
StephenH
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,...
http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods
Former RPod 179
Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS
|
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 16 Sep 2021 at 12:58am
Older article, things in thys area are changing rapidly. Looks like it varies by state now. For example, Electrify America now charges by kwh in VA, NC, and CA to name 3 I checked, but by the minute in TX. They apparently want to do it by kwh everywhere which only makes sense as the charge rates the vehicles can handle differ greatly. The Taycan can for example charge at an amazing peak of 270kw (over 300A and 800Vdc which is I guess why they chose it for the Cannonball Run). But state regs restrict then from doing that in some places. I wonder why.
BTW, the peak charge rates occur at low SOC so folks doing long distance runs in EVs learn to keep their SOCs low and stop to recharge more frequently. That would also save $$ in the states still on per minute pricing.
As for hybrids, I've owned one for over a decade. I view them as a transition technology on the road map to pure electric. You gain either in efficiency or performance depending on how the vehicle is tuned (but not really both) and the addition of the electric motor seems to improve overall reliability even though the drivetrain is somewhat more complex. But they don't help wean us off fossil fuel use and don't achieve the reliability levels that are possible if the ICE goes away entirely.
As I no longer tow long distances I'm looking forward to seeing how the F150 Lightning shakes out once we can get passed all the marketing fluff.
-------------
1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold
|
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 16 Sep 2021 at 9:09pm
We put on 6200 miles this spring and about 1800 more ending this week. We do tow long distances. My hope is that we can make that Alaska trip next year. That will be around 10,000 or more miles. There is no way it would be possible with an EV. Energy storage just isn't there yet.
-------------
StephenH
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,...
http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods
Former RPod 179
Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS
|
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 21 Dec 2021 at 2:41am
Just saw a report on the towing range of the new Rivian electric pickup. It has a 139 kwh battery and had a range of 170 miles towing a 10,000 lb car trailer with a van on it. It would do better towing an rpod of course. It had more than plenty of weight and torque to handle the tow.
The F150 lightning long range will have a 131 kwh battery so should be quite comparable in towing range. The manufacturers are wisely choosing to bump up the storage capacity (originally expected to be around 100kwh) a bit to increase towing range. So likely around 200 miles between charges towing a lighter travel trailer.
You could do 350-400 ish mile days with one recharge and lunch break of about an hour, stop for the night at a location with a 50 amp outlet, and get a "free" 200 Miles for the next day. Or reduce you daily runs/make a second charging stop and have a 10kw power source on tap for operating the trailer systems while boondocking.
When not travelling you would have 3-4 days backup storage for power failures and do all your charging at home. Not bad at all. I would personally be quite content with that.
-------------
1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold
|
Posted By: Olddawgsrule
Date Posted: 21 Dec 2021 at 8:36am
|
Hey OG... question for ya.
I'm reading the F150 Lighting uses the J1772 plug. I read conflicting ratings on this plug.. So... Can it handle the 'fast charge' stations? The Ford system can, so I.... assume..... it can.
I just ran a simulation of my Jan trip south and there's plenty of charge stations within 2 miles of the highway using a 120kw station and 200 mile distance. Figuring my drive pace of 3hrs, rest and push on 3hrs more. Looks very doable!
Edit: Looks like it may do both! CCS & J1772..
-------------
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJduGeZNFgtptH67leItRFQ - Byways no Highways
2017 Tacoma
http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=72408 - Truck Camper Build
2004 F150 My Overlander
|
Posted By: GlueGuy
Date Posted: 21 Dec 2021 at 9:29am
We get an easy 400 mile range with no "required" stops on our F150 ICE. Our bladders feel differently though. We are usually good for 3-4 hours on the road for bio-breaks regardless of how the truck feels about it.
-------------
bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost
|
Posted By: Olddawgsrule
Date Posted: 21 Dec 2021 at 10:18am
Originally posted by GlueGuy
We get an easy 400 mile range with no "required" stops on our F150 ICE. Our bladders feel differently though. We are usually good for 3-4 hours on the road for bio-breaks regardless of how the truck feels about it. |
Very close to the same with mine. I'll be upgrading maybe next year and with all the improvements to EV's, it could be the way I go. My wants may lead to waiting a bit longer and where we go may require a hybrid... We shall see.
-------------
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJduGeZNFgtptH67leItRFQ - Byways no Highways
2017 Tacoma
http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=72408 - Truck Camper Build
2004 F150 My Overlander
|
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 21 Dec 2021 at 10:57am
The J1772 is the standard 240Vac level 2 charging plug. That's what you use at home. It gets combined with two additional pins for DC fast charging while on the road. This combined system is known as CCS (for combined charging system). Its looking like that will be the standard in north america and Europe. The other two standards are the Japanese CHAdeMO (which the Nissan leaf still uses here, but I think that's the only one, might be wrong) and Tesla's. But Europe just ruled that all EVs there have CCS connectors. Tesla has an adapter for CCS.
-------------
1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold
|
Posted By: Olddawgsrule
Date Posted: 21 Dec 2021 at 12:09pm
|
Thanx Bud! The additional info I found sounded like what you are saying. Good to hear it will be the standard!
Being I still like doing silly stuff like running the BDR,TAT and etc that are way off the beaten path... I may need to see more improvement, like distance & places to charge. I like what I read about BP & Shell jumping in and hope fairly soon it becomes the norm!
Safe Travels all!
-------------
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJduGeZNFgtptH67leItRFQ - Byways no Highways
2017 Tacoma
http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=72408 - Truck Camper Build
2004 F150 My Overlander
|
|