Tesla: Foldable and collapsible solar roof provides a decent range boost on sunny days

Electric cars are now well established - problems with range in everyday use are not uncommon, such as in daily commuting in larger metropolitan areas. Fast charging stations make longer journeys possible as long as such charging stations are available and free to use. Tesla owner somid3 has presented a rather unconventional DIY solution for achieving extra range on his Tesla Model Y.

On Reddit, the user shows several pictures of what his DIY solar solution looks like. The solution consists of several solar panels that can be folded out quite easily. The entire system weighs less than 75 kilograms (165 pounds) and is thus not an excessive structural load on the vehicle roof. The system can be folded up together, making the car roadworthy in quick time.  

When unfolded, nine solar cells are available, each with a peak output of 175 watts. According to somid3, a five-hour charge is sufficient for a range gain of around 32 kilometers (20 miles). The system is easy to use, as the solar roof does not exceed the dimensions of a standard parking space when the panels are unfolded.

Obviously, this project is still in an early stage. Somid3 currently puts the material costs at around $4000: in the future, the aerodynamics will also be taken into account, as Somid3 plans to patent the system and offer it commercially.