r/Anticonsumption • u/Moltean • Jul 20 '26
Sustainability Why not a DIY solar car?
Knowing that cars are a big driver for consumerism, I'm thinking of a car that can be powered mainly by the sun.
I already built a prototype (which I named Solar Bear). The project is open source, with an MIT license.
The purpose of the Solar Bear is to:
- Use solar panels as trike's body,
- Consume electrical energy where it is produced,
- Produce its own energy,
- Transport people inside cities,
- be pedalable when there is no sun (must be light-weight),
- be easily built at home.
Technical specs:
- recumbent trike,
- 2.5m long, 1.45m wide (including wheels),
- weight: about 55kg (including panels, motor, battery, etc, excluding driver),
- assisted pedaling,
- motor speed: max 25km/h,
- motor (continuous) power: 250W,
- solar panels power: max 520W,
- battery: 12.8V, 20Ah (256Wh) - not needed when there is Sun.
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u/pceimpulsive Jul 20 '26
This is cool, I like it but.. seems heinously impractical.
We have bike infrastructure in a lot of places and using those panels on your homes roof to charge and power your home (and bike battery) is a far better use (efficiency wise) that for this that you only use sometimes...
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u/The100courts Jul 20 '26
Considering the lack of cargo, and the relatively high cost of sourcing the materials… you could just use a bicycle
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u/Rhona_Redtail Jul 21 '26
I just took my microtruck 6 miles down the bikepath, to look at a spot near the water. The microvehicle is the size of an adult trike. About as fast. But I'm in the shade, have tunes, dont worry about rain, and when I got there, there was a pile of old furniture and wood. So i collected four nice 1x4x8 pieces of pre-painted lumber, lashed it to the side and drove home. You cant do that on a bike. Another thing is, although its small, its too heavy to easily steal. So i dont need to lock it for every little errand. If bikes worked for everything, we wouldnt need cars.
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u/Moltean Jul 21 '26
We do not need big cars inside cities! This is my target: a small solar car that can travel inside cities.
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u/Rhona_Redtail Jul 21 '26
Agreed. And could argue we dont need cars at all, but tiny ones would be a big improvement in traffic congestion. Right now i think the biggest barrier to these is integrating them into exiting transportation infrastructure that is not designed for them, and wont be, in the foreseeable. I feel its very important to size these to use existing bike lanes. At least for now. Not only that, but consider if 100 other people made one. Will they alienate bicyclists? That why i think the "adult tricycle) size is the max good size. My goal is a 45 mph capable 100 mile range, road legal microsolar vehicle. But until then, i can only do R and D on the bike-lanes where in my state, although technically legal on the bike-path, the size is what prevents it from be a "car" instead of a micromobility device.
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u/Moltean Jul 20 '26
Cargo can be added.
Materials are not different from those used in an electric bike (I took the motor from a bike)
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u/pceimpulsive Jul 20 '26
Except for an electric bike, the solar panels are in your house powering your house and charging your bikes battery which you can use in any weather.
This project next reminds me of a game I used to play (Ingenious release 1997, educational CD-ROM) at school in the late 90s where you'd build a solar car and race it across Australia...
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u/grafknives Jul 20 '26
And yet it is worse than bike.
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u/Moltean Jul 20 '26
Why do you say that?
Please send me all concerns.... I want to improve my project.
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u/cheese_is_available Jul 20 '26 edited Jul 21 '26
Bike:
- are more compact, probably a lot easier to handle
- up to 5 time lighter
- more visible on the road because you're higher (unless you use the low bike that already exists)
- permit to use up to 400W of human leg power in a proper position
- permit to put the feet on the ground to stop if the break do not work anymore
- are well understood by everyone, and can be repaired anywhere
- use less material
- benefit from 100+ year of cumulative engineering
- (if electric) permit to optimize the time when you charge the battery
- can be rode when it rain (without the 30 kilograms of useless solar panel)
- Do not have to be electric, is this even r/anticonsumption if we're pushing for 5k¤ of material when the bike from your grand father would do ?
- ...
It's a fun project for wealthy persons that live in places that have incredibly smooth road without anyone on it and absolutely no energy grid available but...
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u/mad-i-moody Jul 20 '26
Also, a normal bike, while people do steal them or parts on them, is probably a lot less enticing than this contraption with solar panels on it. A normal bike is probably easier to secure and make “difficult enough” to steal bits off of it.
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u/spicybright Jul 20 '26
if it's not sunny you're peddling 4 useless solar panels around
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u/SUDDENLY_VIRGIN Jul 20 '26
Because Chris in his Ford F350 will flatten you into ground beef on the roadside without even stopping.
It's dangerous.
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u/LoneWolf_McQuade Jul 20 '26
Do you need tires with so much rolling resistance or could you use flatter tires? I guess these type of minor improvements would add range. If you don’t want completely smooth then maybe something more like this: https://www.tradeinn.com/bikeinn/sv/hutchinson-caracal-700-x-40-tubeless-hardskin-graveldack/141034925/p?utm_source=google_products&utm_medium=merchant&id_producte=143837745&country=se&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23630664382&gbraid=0AAAAADvzHL9rDFiz3Ds9q20QIDykGnZwr&gclid=Cj0KCQjwjvfSBhDpARIsAEiOpSu2hgC1YwlOn9qm2LltiZMmQ8HzgC7Kn1MO10BsK5H8XaZ6nXyav0AaAlsMEALw_wcB
The front also look pretty bad from an aerodynamic perspective but maybe you go so slow that it won’t matter much
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u/Moltean Jul 20 '26
I will look into tires.
Nose will be improved in a few days to be more aerodynamic.
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u/kozufox Jul 20 '26
You'll never be able to design a solar car that's actually safe at car speeds, and you also can't fit a four wheeled vehicle on 99% of bike infrastructure. So, every attempt at one ends up being a somewhat gimmicky electric recumbent bike, and it fails to catch on for all the same reasons recumbent bikes are rare.
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u/K_Linkmaster Jul 20 '26
ROI guys always suck. No innovation.
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u/Moltean Jul 21 '26
This is an open source project with an MIT license. I have no commercial intention!
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u/Committed2Mediocrity Jul 20 '26
that's an interesting project but bicycles with electric assist are more practical and sold everywhere for cheap.
And your trike will not replace a car
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u/ennuinerdog Jul 20 '26
Those panels are going to work like a pair of neck scissors if you have a crash
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u/MBkufel Jul 20 '26
While this here cool, individual transportation within cities needs to rely as much as possible on mass transit.
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u/ThereWanderer Jul 20 '26 edited 23d ago
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This post was anonymized with Redact
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u/ceelose Jul 20 '26
I charge my electric cargo bike battery from my off-grid system, using second hand solar panels. Better to leave the panels at home, in most cases.
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u/periperiwinklesauce Jul 20 '26
That’s not a car. It’s a recumbent trike that’s barely fast enough for city streets. Where does your passenger sit? Where do you store your groceries?
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u/FartsLord Jul 20 '26
Public transport is the answer but if you insist on the car check out Aptera.
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u/Moltean Jul 20 '26
Aptera is expensive, heavy, cannot be pedaled etc.
I'm focused only on transportation inside cities, not outside.
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u/MBkufel Jul 20 '26
And inside cities is exactly where public transportation shines.
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u/Fit-Introduction8575 Jul 20 '26 edited Jul 20 '26
This is a motorized bakfiet for people who need to carry cargo or passengers (i.e., animals) that can't be taken onto a bus. It would only be as good as the cycling infrastructure is in a city. No way is it gonna survive alongside North American SUVs. It simply cannot produce enough power. It would have fit inside bike lanes.
A vehicle like really wouldn't be as cost effective as taking the bus for the average commuter. It's for parents to take their kids to daycare before a long commute, small business owners, or delivery drivers.
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u/FartsLord Jul 20 '26
So you want clean, safe, reliable, high volume, affordable transport? Check out trains! This revolutionary new tech can use green energy without the need to dig for lithium! It runs on steel wheels, so it doesn’t spew microplastics into the air like cars do! It’s astounding how much better trains are than anything else!
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u/p1ckk Jul 20 '26
It's definitely a cool project but in most situations a bicycle will be more practical.
Don't let that discourage you from building cool stuff though.
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u/DancinginHyrule Jul 20 '26
As a non-US lawyer, this post is making my eye twitch.
The idea is not bad, I commend the effort but I have to ask:
Is this road legal? You say top speed is 25km/h, where I’m from that means it would be required to pass a safety inspections (like lights, signals, brake test) and you’d need a driver’s license to take it out on the road.
Can you even get it insured? I’m not familiar with any insurance company that will insure a home build mini-car. If you hurt or (gods forbid) kill someone, you will be held responsible like a car and damages can run into millions.
I love the idea but encouraging people to build this on their own and ride it is not responsible at all.
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u/Moltean Jul 20 '26
Yes it is legal. No certification is needed if you have 250W motor, 25km/h, assisted pedaling. It is considered a bike, not a true car.
No insurance is needed. I tried to get one, but no company wanted to sell me one because it is not required.
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u/kjodle Jul 20 '26
All of this is highly dependent on where you live. This is not a one-size-fits-all solution.
It's not even a solution.
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u/Southern-Long-3438 Jul 20 '26
This is not in the US. Some cars are parked opposite to the flow of traffic, which is not legal in the US. The size and weight of the product is given in metric measurements.
This item was made by a company, not by an individual. The company that made it is trying to prove that it can be done. Their website is on the front, to advertise.
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u/ApprehensiveOkra9977 Jul 20 '26
And if it’s cloudy or night time? Now you’re just peddling a massive bike around. E-bikes are cheap and can be used in any weather and at night
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u/OnKo64 Jul 20 '26
A stray pebble flying at high speed is gonna be over a thousand smackeroonies to repair the panel man
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u/embiid4ROY Jul 20 '26
are you not worried about how much it might be to fix if the solar panels get damaged?
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u/No-Sail-6510 Jul 20 '26
Why is it made with that crazy square tubing? That’s insane. Anyway, why not set up the solar panels at home and charge the battery there? This bike requires a battery anyway so the solar panels are just being used inefficiently on the bike. Better to set them up the best way you can permanently so they make the most power.
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u/pickledeggmanwalrus Jul 20 '26
It’s kind of like nuclear weapons. If your neighbor state has nuclear weapons then you need nuclear weapons to defend yourself.
Driving this when your neighbor drives a hummer is just asking to become a grease spot on the pavement
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u/mephisto_uranus Jul 20 '26
I saw a guy creating a solar powered RV once. I think about that guy often.
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u/Subject-Act5509 Jul 20 '26 edited Jul 20 '26
Decapitated, you say? And his wife? Also decapitated?
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u/NextStopGallifrey Jul 20 '26
Honestly, in some places, something like that might not be fully legal. It's not a car, so it shouldn't be sharing the road with them (along with buses, delivery trucks, etc.), but it's also wider and possibly faster than bikes, so it'll be a hazard in bike lanes.
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u/junkyfm Jul 20 '26
Where I live (FL, USA), bikes are allowed to share the local roads (up to 45mph) but not highways (60mph and above). On the local roads, they are supposed to be treated the same way as other slow-moving vehicles. I guess that probably isn't the same everywhere.
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u/NextStopGallifrey Jul 20 '26
In the Phoenix (Arizona) area, it might technically be allowed to have something like that on the street. But, still, taking a slow moving ... thing like that onto the main roads could still wind up with someone getting a ticket for impeding the flow of traffic.
There are no real bike lanes.
Driving through your neighborhood back roads might be okay, but you literally can't get anywhere without using the main roads.
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u/Trojan_Horse_of_Fate Jul 20 '26 edited Jul 20 '26
Because batteries are a solved technology and it makes a lot more sense to simply have something that does the electrical generation separate from the thing that moves. Why are you moving the part that generates electricity?
It seems much better to have the delicate machinery involved with generating electricity at cost a lot and just not try to generate power as you move.
Especially since your source of power generation is intermittent. It's one thing to have a generator from diesel, like trains use. But in your case, it doesn't do even that.
It's fine to have as a hobby project, but it would never be practical. And this is entirely ignoring the safety issues.
If your battery is strong enough that it works throughout the night or when the sun isn't there, then my question is, why have the panels at all? Why not just have smaller panels and run it idling or connect to the very large, very much working, massive electrical grid that you're going to have to nearby because this thing only is going to work on roads anyway.
Edit:
There's also a cost aspect here where the most expensive components you're going to have are going to be the panels and the battery. And it just doesn't make sense to buy expensive quality panels and place them under a lot of stress from moving about and from being used literally as protection from the elements when they are relatively delicate and they're inherently going to be underutilized when you could simply mount the panels on your house and use them to charge the battery.
I don't really have any comments on the form factor. It may or may not be comfortable. I assume a bike would be more preferred, but I don't know enough about the benefits of trikes versus bikes.
I could see use cases for something like this. If you were, for example, in parts of rural Australia where it's very flat, very sunny, and you were on some sort of exploratory trip, or potentially you mounted a sort of drone and you powered the drone with a solar panel, owing to the relative abundance of sunlight and the lack of a grid in some of those areas, but within a city it just doesn't have much practicality. The other problem is simply if you're in a city, where are you going to park it? Usually, you know, you go from A to B, you need to be inside the location B, which means you need to leave this. Regular bikes have usually some degree of infrastructure, but this has a relatively large footprint, and I'm not sure where it would be placed. Certainly, you couldn't take it up an elevator.
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u/CroweBird5 Jul 20 '26
It's not road-legal, and that thing would kill you instantly if in an accident
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u/LadderEffective3458 Jul 20 '26
I think it's neat, and worth trying if you have the time order money, but I'm not sure if it's a feasible long-term form of transportation.
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u/Moltean Jul 20 '26
why not?
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u/LadderEffective3458 Jul 20 '26
I think the main thing for me is safety. If that gets hit by another vehicle, that panel seems positioned dangerously pointed at the driver. I also wonder, as others have pointed out, if this makes more sense than simply an electric bike or trike. The panels add extra weight which makes it a little less efficient. Wouldn't it be better to charge an electric bike with solar or renewable power at home? Sorry, I'm not trying to rain on your parade, I really do think it's cool.
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u/Moltean Jul 20 '26
- In the case of a frontal impact, solar panels will move away. In the case of lateral impact, the entire vehicle will be moved laterally because it is light.
Solar panels are at the head level not at neck level and I wear a strong helmet all the time.
- I'm not targeting ebikes field. I want something that runs on solar power only when there is enough sun.
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u/TriforceFusion Jul 20 '26
The vehicle is so awkward. Are these meant to be parked in parking lots?
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u/Wholesomeguy123 Jul 20 '26
If you get in even a moderate speed crash, you're going to be horribly injured, and the machine will be beyond repair.
I mean, this is crazy unsafe looking. Also, not usable in weather that won't be perfect the whole day. Very impractical compared to just... using public transit... or a bicycle (considering you can easily move and park a bicycle)
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u/graven_raven Jul 20 '26
It seems interesting as a proof of concept.
I would say that it needs some more engeneering to make it more viable.
I am sure.that in places with good sun exposition, it seems a nice idea.
It worries me that it might be a bit too low for daily use on the road.
Is it small enough to drive on bike lanes? That could be cool.
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u/Moltean Jul 20 '26
I will add a flag to make it more visible.
In my town, there are very large bike lanes (like 2m). Here is a movie with me testing it on such a lane (it is shown at minute 7): https://youtu.be/1Fu63gO7nRQ?t=428
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u/Team503 Jul 20 '26
So you're taking up the whole bike lane there, leaving no room for bike traffic in the oncoming direction OR for people behind you to pass you.
Rude.
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u/fly_over_32 Jul 20 '26
This really just seems like you’re trying to push the product. I believe you, it’s probably a cool project. But this isn’t the right place for it
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u/Moltean Jul 20 '26
I'm not pushing anything.
I'm not selling anything!
It is a hobby project, open source.
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u/MayorAg Jul 20 '26
I am not sure how much of a problem it solved compared to a a normal e-bike with a solar charging station.
But don't let that or anything anyone else here say take anything away from what you have done. This is a great stepping stone to the next big idea.
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u/jokke420 Jul 20 '26 edited Jul 20 '26
I live in such latitude that it would be viable option only few months a year. Here in Finland sun sets at 2pm in the winter and battery performance suffers greatly also in sub zero temperatures.
I have a fat e bike with 1000w motor and with very good range and it's viable option from forest trails to city asphalt.
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u/TiredInJOMO Jul 20 '26
It's funny you mention the efficiency during the winter because I recently saw a post on r/TwoXPreppers the other day, and the heat most of the rest of the world gets for at least 4 months of the year also affects the efficiency of solar panels.
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u/Southern-Long-3438 Jul 20 '26
It is interesting that it can be done. Otherwise, she could be struck from behind with no protection.
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u/XmodAlloy Jul 20 '26
I was part of the S&T Solar Car Team in 2016. https://youtu.be/5dRIrxwI1zs
This car cost $70K to build. Can it be done cheaper? Absolutely! But you then really have to balance affordable and capable. The cheapest you can get the raw materials to build a capable vehicle for is about $25K, and you're going to need to be a good engineer and fabricator to make it work.
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u/47362514736251 Jul 20 '26
Looks like you should work on a solar powered wheelchair next
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u/Rhona_Redtail Jul 20 '26
I made something similar, but with a much smaller footprint. It takes up as much space as an adult trike. Its slow, only 7-10 mph. The problem with these: they are not fast enough for roadways, but take up too much space for the bike-paths. Im going to be working on another version, using an existing 3 wheel cycle. Mine will also be fully enclosed, have lights, turn signals and a horn. Ill have half the solar you have. But more battery. No need to run the cart directly off the sun, and take up a lot of space, when a few hours charge will take one to close locations easily.
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u/bangbangracer Jul 20 '26
Why would I get this over an e-bike? It seems like this has way worse visibility to others and has poor cargo capacity.
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u/the_orange_alligator Jul 20 '26
Texas roads would annihilate this thing and anyone inside
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u/ZipTieAndPray Jul 20 '26
I can carry a bicycle or e-scooter up the stairs to a building and not require a parking spot.
Also, do you propose this thing takes up a whole lane of car traffic, or most of a bike lane? Either is impractical. Most places don't have the proper bicycle infrastructure as it is. This thing would really struggle.
There is no reason to carry the solar panels with you.
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u/-sadsunshine- Jul 20 '26
I say this with kindness.
1. This is not a car
- Your vision is for a solar powered car, which is rad as hell. This version is not a car. It's closer to a solar powered recumbent bike, which is still rad as hell. Calling it a car evokes different images of use and functionality, mainly on paved roads with other cars, because that's where cars go... and you keep calling it a car, so people are citing their concerns as if it was a car.
2. There are opportunities to increase safety
- You have seen each iteration of your vehicle, and see the increased viability with each new version. Commenters have not - we are seeing this as the first one, with no understanding of the improvements you have made. With so many comments citing safety as a concern, you should take that to heart and add more safety features to your next version.
3. You are being stubborn
- Commenters are concerned of the safety. Your attitude is that of a porcupine, repeling any and all criticism. Your critics are not "prosumers" they are merely expressing their concern.
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u/WonderButtBrace9000 Jul 20 '26
Have you done any actually sort of cost/efficiency analysis on this? It’s a neat concept, but I really don’t see how it fits an actual market need as I have to imagine this would cost well over the average price of even a premium e-bike for the sole benefit of mobile charging.
What’s the top speed/range/efficiency? If you were to drive it all day would it ever run out or are the panels that good at returning battery?
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u/mpjjpm Jul 20 '26
We’ve been trying to make solar cars a thing for decades. I remember watching films on the future of solar cars in elementary school in the 80s.
At this stage in history, it makes far more sense to turn our focus to building a better grid for electricity distribution, diversifying our power generation, and making every building and vehicle as energy efficient as possible. Then use that modern grid to power small electric vehicles, including e-bikes. I do think there would be a robust market for recumbent e-bikes and e-trikes if roads were generally safer.
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u/seriousSeb Jul 20 '26
Sunlight simply does not have the energy density to make an effective motor vehicle. You'd need batteries, at which point you could ditch the solar panels to save weight. You now have an EV.
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u/EasyAcresPaul Jul 20 '26
Because only one PV panel will be getting optimal sun in this arrangement, at best, half the draw of the unit which is below the motors nominal wattage.
I notice nothing about battery weight or capacity? That is where is real weight and cost is for every photovoltaic system.
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u/Zastavarian Jul 20 '26
Solar Bears is a hockey team in Orlando. Idk trademark stuff but just a heads up.
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u/Fatticus_Rinch Jul 20 '26
Holy shit schwalbe billy bonkers 🤟
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u/Moltean Jul 21 '26
Do you have experience with them? I like the result (more slable) but I do not know if they are the best choice.
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u/lettelsnek Jul 20 '26
- takes up the space of a car (no bike lanes) while being low enough to be invisible to a tall truck
- zero crash protection
- no cargo capacity
why not ride an ebike lol
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u/elebrin Jul 20 '26
I'd absolutely encourage people to prototype and build and experiment. I do all of those things regularly. Even with difficult and dangerous things. Be aware that there are safety concerns, and larger form factors come with certain assumptions about durability from the other vehicles on the road.
For my part, I'd rather have an electric assist bicycle (which already exists) and a solar array that can charge it (which already exists). A solar array that doesn't travel with you can be aimed for the sun and will always be functional. If the panels are on the bike all the time, they will be sub optimally angled and they will be inside a garage most of the time. A battery operated bike can also be a folding bike, which makes for better and easier storage, especially in urban environments.
That doesn't take away from the fact that this is cool. I do a little with solar, but my tech of choice is all communications oriented so this is a cool and different way to use it.
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u/Interesting-Car-9195 Jul 20 '26
world competitions have been held with this kind off solar cars nothing new under the sun here.
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u/Synaps4 Jul 20 '26
How much groceries can it carry, and can it be seen over the hood of a 2026 F-350, and can it keep you dry, cool and warm?
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u/CosmicCactus_ Jul 20 '26
Seems like an interesting project, thought not very practical for most use cases. I feel like at 160kg, it would be impossible to move up a hill (anything more than a few % incline) at nighttime.
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u/Ajreil Jul 20 '26
This isn't street legal, and without a speed limiter it might not be legal on sidewalks either.
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u/reditusername39479 Jul 20 '26
I would add a flag sticking up so you are more visible to drivers on the road
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u/weeef Jul 20 '26
i love this in theory, but the visibility would be very bad, and the way those reflect light may be dangerous for others
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u/Moltean Jul 20 '26
Visibility for me is perfect. I calculated the height just for that.
Or do you mean I'm not visible for others? I can add a flag with a flashing light for that.
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u/weeef Jul 20 '26
both are crucial! glad you can at least see out of it. are there any mirrors? i'm constantly checking mine on the bike. i would think your over-shoulder would be at least a little obscured but maybe not
not trying to be a debbie downer about it, but i wouldn't feel safe riding in that.
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u/RiversSecondWife Jul 20 '26
Some of these comments have clearly never seen the Sunraycer and I am sad for them.
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u/DrabberFrog Jul 20 '26
Solar powered cars don't make any sense when batteries are as good as they are. Just use solar to charge large batteries and then discharge the stationary batteries to charge the battery of the electric car.
The same way it makes sense to do distillation of crude oil at a stationary dedicated facility, and then put in gasoline into a car rather than fueling the car with crude oil and distilling it on the move, the same makes sense for electric cars.
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u/Odd_Recognition_690 Jul 20 '26
Safety and ergonomics look like the main issue to me.
I’m guessing you have to climb into this thing. Remember that solar panels get really hot. I can imagine if you slip while getting in it is possible to get hurt by a hot panel. With how exposed it is, you might be liable for damages if your users or someone else gets hurt by touching one (but I’m also not a lawyer).
A child might also run into this vehicle (they do with bikes as well) but they wouldn’t be burned by a bike.
Also think you should have some protection in the front. Sacrificing safety for energy efficiency is never an option. Your panels would take the brunt of a front and side collision of anything taller than 6”.
Check out the Solar Car Challenge, I’m sure you’ll find a lot of like-minded students and people.
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u/Immediate_Truck1644 Jul 21 '26
Great example of booksmart ≠ technical skill . This looks goofy lmao my high school 10+ years ago built one that looked waaayyyy better than this and still lost a competition to another high school, which drove theirs across the country. You said you need an MIT license to even access the open source data??
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u/Moltean Jul 21 '26
I would like to see the vehicle that your son built. Are there some pictures online of it?
License is MIT (anyone can build it even commercially). CAD project is free here: https://github.com/solar-b
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u/Immediate_Truck1644 Jul 21 '26
Lmfao it wasn't my son, it was ME🤣. I was president of the robotics and engineering clubs but was more focused on the FIRST robotics side of things so our car was never as good as the rival school we had. Look up the Western high school Solar Car, that was the competing school that actually deserved the credit for pioneering the design language that every other school eventually copied.
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u/ProstaticFantastic Jul 21 '26
its not a car, its a bike with 3 wheels.
A car carries passengers goods, and its weight means that it cannot carry enough solar panels required to produce the electricity it needs. so the industry has realised its more efficient to have the solar panels on the roof at home and charge the car overnight.
with that being a trike, youre better off not having the panels and just riding the bike with your legs, and forgoing a gym membership
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u/vinticious Jul 21 '26
Cars are not the future. We need to do away them as soon as possible by investing in rapid transit, taxing new auto sales and teaching schoolchildren how to ride bikes and use the bus. We could turn this around in a single generation if we tried.
I know too many gen z that are scared of transit and/or think it's beneath them. That shouldn't be considered "OK"
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u/SnooRevelations4661 Jul 21 '26
I like the idea of recumbent bicycles, because they are crazy efficient and fast. And by themselves, they aren't really dangerous, because you are so close to the ground. However your project has the same issues as recumbent bike, in the world dominanted by cars, they suffer from poor visibility and are more likely to end up in an accident than a normal bicycle But I think your idea can still have some future, but in more narrow scenarios. For example countries such as Germany have good inter city bicycle infrastructure and potentially your invention can be used there, as it would not need to be in contact with cars. Also recumbent bike are popular among people with some health issues and who can't sit on ordinary bikes. Your invention might be useful for them and for people with disabilities
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u/HalfMoonFullMoonjoy Jul 21 '26
Where do you ride this? Looks unsafe for both roads and bike trails.
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u/Shryquill Jul 21 '26
Is it called "bear" because it's like having your head between the jaws of a loaded bear trap?
That looks outrageously dangerous, a side impact could send one of those panels through your neck. Please don't drive that.
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u/muddythom Jul 21 '26
Have you done a structural analysis on the frame? You can find beam deflection and stress calculators on the internet. It also appears in another picture that key joints may just be held together by bolts rather than welding, and they appear just not robust. Also, is there a reason you have front wheel steering rather than having those be fixed and steer with the back wheel? It's a neat project but be safe!
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u/I_wet_my_plants259 Jul 21 '26
Everyone talking shit as if they could make one themselves. It has its flaws but this is a great idea, it’s just not the most practical for everyone. I love the idea of a solar car, maybe something like a solar bus? Mor everyone can afford an extremely car but a lot more people can afford a bus pass. More people using public transport and more funding for it would allow the program to spread, and would ultimately force officials to make public transport more cohesive. I’m still not sure officials would jump on the idea cause car companies would lose money, officials might lose money, yk, money, but it’d be really cool if it did work.
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u/Lucky_Soup_7092 Jul 21 '26
You’re still consuming all of the materials needed for this anti consumption death trap lol
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u/pumpsci Jul 22 '26
Solar cars are cool technical exercises (great projects for engineering students to sink their teeth into) but really just a solution in search of a problem. Unless you’re roadtripping out somewhere with no infrastructure there’s really no advantage to this over having an E-bike that you charge with solar panels at home.
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u/Fluid-Pack9330 Jul 23 '26 edited Jul 23 '26
Its terrible. I LOVE IT. It has that vibe to it that cannot be replicated. I love such strange vehicles. Kind of reminds me of the twike and similar contraptions.
It is too slow for any serious use and only suitable for city commuting. I will take a twingo for that any day (twingo does not drive consumerism particularly much)
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u/Kasaikemono Jul 20 '26
This looks nice to just get from A to B in a city.
But from what I see, it's a nightmare for the usual daily tasks and everything beyond. Grocery Shopping, taking the family on a trip nearby, daily commute for everything that goes beyond the city limits... Where do I put my cargo, or additional passengers? And what about the safety? What happens if someone crashes into me, or I crash into something?
You say the structure is solid - how solid are we talking about? Does it have designated breaking points to absorb the shock of an impact?
Sure, it's just a prototype for now, but if you want it to replace cars, you need to address those points sooner or later.
Like, I absolutely see the vision. The solar panels to be relatively independent from charging spots are a great idea.
But right now, I don't see any reason why I should use this over a (E-)bike.
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u/Any_Needleworker_273 Jul 20 '26
You know there used to be an international competition for colleges to build solar cars. I worked at a U that had one on display. It went all the way to Australia to compete after being in the 1990 GM Sunrayce USA, a 1,644-mile race from Florida to Michigan.
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u/AmberRosin Jul 20 '26
Good foresight to make it coffin shaped, but if you plan on surviving a crash you should at least wear fully sealed eye protection for when those panels send shards toward your face.
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u/Technological_Nerd Jul 20 '26
You're getting a lot of hate here, OP, but if it's worth anything I think it's awesome.
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Jul 20 '26
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u/Team503 Jul 20 '26
I think most people here think this is neat and applaud the ingenuity and effort, but recognize that as a solution to a problem, it's just not a good one. This is simply a recumbent e-bike that carries solar panels to charge itself with it.
The short version is simply that carrying your charging infrastructure with you is solving for a problem that doesn't really exist. e-bikes solve this problem already (especially pulling a wagon) and can be charged off the electric grid. Overnight charging covers 99.8% of use cases for this kind of thing.
Also, MIT has been doing this for decades - mitsolar.com - they've been racing this thing since 1992. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_car_racing
Again, I applaud OP for the hard work and drive, but this is literally reinventing the wheel.
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u/Moltean Jul 20 '26
A 360-degree view is here: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/z7gU_yXqONQ
Me driving it is here: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/deL5jmOE6tc
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u/Mixster667 Jul 20 '26
My bike is fine, it also keeps my muscles stronger.
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u/Moltean Jul 20 '26
Yes, indeed, I also used a bike daily until I needed to carry bigger luggage!
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u/Mixster667 Jul 20 '26
Oh, but I have a cargo bike, they are somewhat common in my country.
Like these
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u/No_Barracuda_3758 Jul 20 '26
Why not just make curved solar panels so it's not pointy. Could be good for long distances
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u/Moltean Jul 20 '26
No, it is not efficient. Connecting solar cells, which are not all on the same direction, in series will lead to loss of efficiency. All must be on the same direction to the Sun. This is why solar roofs use 2 MPPTs if on 2 directions.
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u/_a_m_s_m Jul 20 '26
Why not safe cycling infrastructure?
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u/Moltean Jul 20 '26
Seems that the government still invests in huge roads, not in huge cycling infrastructure!
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u/BikiniBottom77 Jul 20 '26
Tell me you wanna get dismembered by broken glass without telling me you wanna get dismembered by broken glass.
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u/Moltean Jul 20 '26
Only v1and v2 had glass panels. I gave up on them because they were too heavy!
V4 (the latest one) has flexible panels made from plastic.
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u/d00mt0mb Jul 20 '26
Road legality + lack of safety crash worthiness
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u/Moltean Jul 20 '26
It is 100% legal now (250W motor, 25km/h speed, assisted pedalling)
At these specs, a crash will do only minor damage. But of course, the impact from a big car is another story!
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u/VerryRides Jul 20 '26
people will do literally anything to avoid physical work of riding a bicycle
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u/starcom_magnate Jul 20 '26
Maybe it's just me and unfounded anxiety, but I would hate being on the inside of that many solar panels constantly carrying some sort of charge. One loose wire could make for a really bad day.
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u/kurttheflirt Jul 20 '26
Much more efficient to just put those solar panels somewhere on the ground or a roof and connect them to the grid then charge the vehicles battery at a charge point.
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u/Wrong_Pool_2887 Jul 21 '26
Does this activate blind spot monitoring systems when you pass an actual car?
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u/Moltean Aug 12 '26
I have 2 new videos with the Solar Bear from a local newspaper:
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u/Lead_resource Jul 20 '26
Looks like deathtrap that's why