GoSun Solar EV Charger: A Lightweight Solar Array For The Roof Of Your EV – CleanTechnica

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Although a true solar-powered electric car may be many years away from mass production by any automaker, GoSun’s EV Solar Charger is a big step in that direction, as it’s a lightweight ‘bolt-on’ accessory that promises to fit any and all electric vehicles, as long as they have a roof rack. The 1200W unit, once unfolded from the roof rack, could produce enough clean and green electrons to provide a solar-only range of up to 30 miles per day, which is the lion’s share of most US drivers’ daily needs.

Charging your electric vehicle with solar energy is one of the cleanest ways to ‘fuel’ your transportation, but unless you have a home solar plus battery system, which requires a considerable outlay in expenses for both owning your own home, as well as for all of the equipment for the solar setup, solar charging is not that easy to achieve. But with the forthcoming GoSun EV Solar Charger, it may soon be as simple as adding an aftermarket accessory to your roof rack.

The EV Solar Charger weighs in at 70 pounds (~32 kg), and according to GoSun, can be mounted on a vehicle in just 20 minutes. The unit’s streamlined profile promises to be aerodynamic enough to reduce the effect of its drag on the vehicle’s range to a minimum, and GoSun claims it is sturdy enough to withstand driving speeds up to 100 MPH — and wind speeds up to 30 MPH when deployed. Plus, when the solar array is deployed across the top of the vehicle, it also partially shades the car and helps keep the interior cooler when parked in the sun.

The full price for the EV Solar Charger is expected to be about $3000, but GoSun is currently soliciting refundable $100 deposits to secure ‘early bird’ pricing, although that price has not been released. Now, $3000 can pay for a whole lot of EV charging, so why spend that amount on a roof rack solar charger? Maybe you’d like to have your vehicle charged for your commute home, while you’re at work, without having to plug in. Maybe you’d like some solar power while off-grid camping, or the ability to charge your EV and provide home power in an emergency, or perhaps just in order to have more energy autonomy in your life — why not just carry a mobile power source on the roof of your vehicle?