Should you make a solar electric bike.
Electric solar panel bikes.
This design gives users a couple of advantages.
The most important part of a solar powered electric bicycle is surely the solar charging.
This was a fun experiment but the cost will not be worth it to most people.
Good for smaller usb powered devices for those on a budget.
Goal zero nomad probably the most popular solar units around for bicycle travellers because of their low cost and availability although customer service and longevity seems less than perfect.
Most of these accessories are designed and built by the electric bike company specifically for use with their bikes which i appreciate because that means great compatibility and fit not to mention being visually cohesive.
Bakcou solar panel is based on a blanket type design which features a big panel of 9 smaller solar panels.
Solar panels aren t magic.
Sherpa inverter 0 7 lb.
Best solar charger for electric bike bakcou solar panel blanket panel design.
Let s start with the worst case scenario.
You ll be lucky to get 25 watts hr tied to the back of your bike and this would be only for a few hours of the day from 11a to 3p.
You bought a 100 watt solar panel to charge your 500 watt hour ebike battery with the expectation that it would charge your battery from empty to full in 5 hours.
A 100 watt solar panel is nominal watts under ideal situations.
You can then hook your bike up them at home at the end of your trip to charge.
Their newest model is the ebc solar panel which features a lightweight folding design and is capable of 150 watts of power under optimal conditions.
140 sherpa 100 battery 3 6 lb.
One option is to invest in large panels that are robust and designed to be stationary.
A guide to understanding the ratings.
This was accomplished with an array of four panels each rated at 75 watts.
To generate enough power to charge the battery on an e bike the solar panels you select need to be a fair size and with a decent wattage output.
Freeloader super cheap small 1 5w solar charger batteries with 800 1600mah built in batteries.
Part bicycle and part car these solar powered velomobiles are designed to fill an interesting niche in the personal mobility industry.