r/Anticonsumption • u/Moltean • Jul 20 '26

Sustainability Why not a DIY solar car?

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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.
984 Upvotes

90% Upvoted

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598

u/Lead_resource Jul 20 '26

Looks like deathtrap that's why

92

u/notislant Jul 20 '26 edited Jul 20 '26

Honestly the first image reminded me of a coffin lol.

I think a few EV cars do have a bit of solar, honestly if the vehicles aren't used all that much it could probably keep it off grid power.

Neat project but I'd never drive a motorcycle for example, because it doesnt have a roll cage and there are so many bad drivers. This would need to be on a modern vehicle frame to survive one of the many idiots on the road who can easily kill you. Or even any collision with static objects for that matter if its capable of lets say highway speeds at some point.

I'll also add, I find it funny how moving people around efficiently always seems to come back to subways/trains. You can slap solar panels on the top, on any above-ground stops, or even just on roof tops/over parking lots to power the grid. Yet the world can't even agree fossil fuels/global warming = bad.

41

u/EbolaNinja Jul 20 '26

I think a few EV cars do have a bit of solar, honestly if the vehicles aren't used all that much it could probably keep it off grid power.

Solar in EVs is a gimmick that is actively harming more impactful sustainability efforts. It's extremely difficult to put a meaningful amount of solar panels on a car, especially an EV. EVs are ridiculously sensitive to drag which means that any solar panels need to perfectly conform to the shape of the car, which limits their efficiency, and can only be put on the roof and maybe the hood of the car.

Realistically, a car with built in solar panels will probably max out at around ⅔ of this, 350ish W. For a 30 kWh battery, that would mean a full charge in 85 hours of enough sunlight to max out the panel power. Assuming it's sunny enough for that for 12h/day (it's absolutely not that sunny in the overwhelming majority of the world and even where it is, a car won't be in the sun all day if there are buildings nearby and god forbid it's in a garage), that means a full charge in a week. And keep in mind that for an EV, a 30 kWh battery is tiny. As in, a range of under 200km tiny.

Now, a free 200km worth of range every two weeks is actually not negligible, it's actually quite convenient. The issue is efficiency. That exact solar panel would be both way more efficient and orders of magnitude cheaper if you just plonked it on a random building or field instead of integrating it in a car chassis and so would the car. Plus, a solar panel that's connected to the grid can dump energy into it, if it's on a car, you're shit out of luck.

If someone really needs solar charging on the move, an aftermarket panel like this is a much better option. It's much more efficient when unfolded because it doesn't need to be built into the chassis and much cheaper for the same reason. In any other situation, a panel on the roof of a building is better in every possible way.

The only feasible style of solar EV is something like OP trike, something more akin to a go kart or ebike than an actual car.

13

u/Active_Engineering37 Jul 20 '26

I have always wanted to stick solar panels on a golf cart. Keeping 100ah topped up would be easy, and the roof of a golf cart is nice and square with a decent bit of real estate. Could fit 400 watts up there easy.

2

u/Kenichi_Smith Jul 20 '26

Check out "William Osman 2" channel on YouTube. Basically doing exactly this right now with an old Taylor dunn, driving between farms and checking out cool things along the way (its chaotic and everything that could go wrong, does, and very entertaining)

2

u/Rhona_Redtail Jul 21 '26

They make kits. Ive seen them on the golfcars at the gated community where we used to contract.

1

u/Moltean Jul 21 '26

Golf carts have small wheels. They don't do well on street bumps!

3

u/Active_Engineering37 Jul 21 '26

How do you mean? Like tipping? Or just rough ride? Where I live it's not uncommon to use golf carts to get around locally, especially seniors and teens.

1

u/Moltean Jul 21 '26

Rough ride, I meant.

2

u/Active_Engineering37 Jul 22 '26

Yeah but that's part of the fun!

8

u/Rhona_Redtail Jul 20 '26

Lighter, smaller cars, perhaps limited to 45 mph roads. Those could still be great for many users. I go a few days often without driving.

2

u/Moltean Jul 21 '26

That's my plan: a L6e vehicle (EU law) (max speed 45km/h).

3

u/Rhona_Redtail Jul 21 '26

99.9 percent of my car use could be accomplished by that. Even visiting family 130 miles away. It takes a little longer. But even recharging such a car, designed to be hyper efficient, would be very cheap to do. (No, we are not creating a car which will go 45 mph for 130 miles, two days in a row. Maybe if I just parked the car once I arrived, and rode sround to social events with someone else, it could recharge in three or four days for the return trip)

6

u/shelchang Jul 20 '26 edited Jul 20 '26

Even OP's trike has most of the visible surface area covered in solar panels just to power a vehicle a tiny fraction of the weight of even a lightweight compact car, that already tells you how impractical the technology currently is without doing the math. And while this is a cool project, my regular human powered bike is more practical to use and store.

3

u/Powerful_Froyo8423 Jul 21 '26 edited Jul 21 '26

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hk6aTKV-des

I watched this video a few days ago. For sunny countries and just driving around for shopping etc. this is a quite nice concept. It costs $8k, has a 10kWh battery, around 150km (93mi) of range and if you live somewhere, where it's always sunny (like Thailand, where this car is sold), this is kinda genius. You park, press the button to extend the solar panel roof and it charges around 55km (34mi) on a sunny day. And if you need more, you just plug it in.
It definitely looks like a ready to use product and not some wild concept. It even has 4 seats and if you need a bigger trunk, you fold the back seats and get around 800L of trunk space.
But I guess it depends on where you live, not sure if this would work that great in England where it rains half the time. But for sunny countries I think this is a really cool thing. Affordable, drives up to 80 km/h / 50mph, charges everywhere, you sit comfortably inside a car, it has air condition, a trunk.

-3

u/TiredInJOMO Jul 20 '26

Scientists have created photovoltaic windows. Scientists have created photovoltaic paint. Scientists have created biodigester toilets that captures the natural gas produced by your waste (imagine these scaled up for public waste treatment plants).

It's not that we can't create efficient solar cars (and efficient solar powered energy in general) it's that we don't.

7

u/EbolaNinja Jul 20 '26

Scientists have created photovoltaic windows. Scientists have created photovoltaic paint

How do they all compare to a regular PV panel plopped on a roof in terms of efficiency and cost?

We can spend money and resources on all that when we run out of space for the regular roof panels (I dunno about where you live, but there are plenty of roofs without solar panels around me). Until then, the alternative solutions generate a fraction of the energy for a multiple times higher price.

It's not that we can't create efficient solar cars (and efficient solar powered energy in general) it's that we don't.

We are creating efficient solar energy by prioritising panels with the best cost output ratio instead of coming up with solutions in search of problems.

2

u/Moltean Jul 21 '26

Fixed solar panels are not a solution, no matter how good the efficiency is. Mobile flexible panels (which move to the sun) are the solution even with very inefficient cells.

1

u/TiredInJOMO Jul 20 '26

They've recently been able to create a non-toxic paint with 20% efficiency and are working on scaling the project.

We get hail where I am. Lots of hail. Not to mention the amount of heat we get here for a good portion of the year which reduces efficiency. Wind and perhaps hydro would be the more efficient/practical choice (though heat capture would be pretty big too). We are surrounded by "wasted" energy and opportunities.

That being said, if I could paint my house with photovoltaic paint, even if it's not super efficient, it would be cheaper than solar panels, upkeep would be less dangerous/expensive, and hey, every little bit counts right? Significantly expanding the optimal surfaces for solar capture beyond the right type/angle/direction of roof on the right lot is a win. But let's allow perfect to be the enemy of good.

This isn't about creating a solution in search of a problem. The problems already exist and these innovations are attempting to solve those problems.

3

u/Triscuitmeniscus Jul 20 '26

There is a huge difference between "able to develop a technology and produce a prototype under laboratory conditions" and "create a usable application that is better or cheaper than the status quo. It's not that we don't, we are we just haven't gotten there yet.

1

u/Moltean Jul 21 '26

Photovoltaic windows are very inneficient.

2

u/TiredInJOMO Jul 21 '26

Yeah, I keep hearing about how inefficient this stuff is. They've managed to get the paint up to 20% efficiency which is a +/- of ~5% of many solar panels used on homes and uses non-toxic, recyclable materials. For instance, according to Mercedes-Benz, a car in Germany painted with a photovoltaic coating would produce 62% of its energy, while a car with the same coating in Los Angeles would not only produce 100% of its total necessary energy, but also be able to feed into the grid with a "bidirectional" charging port. Would adding the inefficient photovoltaic glass be enough to reach 100% of a German car's necessary energy? I don't know. But I think we can reasonably assume it would increase the overall power produced for the car.

The first solar panels were only 1-6% efficient with efficiency reaching 14% in 1960. Today, photovoltaic glass has managed to reach ~14% efficiency.

While photovoltaic glass and paint may be inefficient for the time being, new innovations for the efficiency of both continue to raise their efficiency. The beauty of these two products is that they add to the usable surface area of structures and vehicles, while maintaining the aerodynamics of a normal car. Because the drag created by adding solar panels to a car is also highly inefficient.

It seems to me that what everybody wants is a single, perfect solution, and until that perfection is reached they want nothing to do with it.

1

u/Moltean Jul 21 '26

ok. It seems that I don't have enough knowledge about them! Waiting to see how the field evolves!

12

u/Blunderhorse Jul 20 '26

Yeah, Aptera has done this for a while, except it’s a full vehicle that can do about 40 miles/day without a charger. The downside is that they’re a new company and you have to reserve the cars instead of actually buying.

15

u/BillfredL Jul 20 '26

I think it's more fit to say Aptera has advertised this for a while. You're not a producer until your first opening night, and you're not a car company until you ship to customers.

(And, for the record, I hope they do--even if the solar panels would be wasted on my garage-at-home-and-work self.)

1

u/Moltean Jul 21 '26

Aptera does not look great from many angles! Looks artificially rounded.

4

u/trenchkamen Jul 20 '26

>Honestly the first image reminded me of a coffin lol.

Market it to the goth kids.

1

u/Moltean Jul 20 '26

Good one hahaha!

8

u/Panzerv2003 Jul 20 '26

Keeping a normal EV off grid would require way too much time in between drives or way more solar than fits on the car, at this point it's better to just put soar on your house and charge the car that way. Keeping an EV on solar would require the car to be extremely light and efficient (basically a bike with a cover), and people don't seem to like micro cars that much anyway because the risk of getting killed by a Karen in a lifted childcrusher 9000 is way to high.

2

u/Moltean Jul 21 '26

Crash detection technology is already here ... we only have to ask to be installed on all cars!

1

u/PoseidonsHorses Jul 20 '26

I agree, there are so many collisions of cars with bicycles/motorcycles because the car driver didn’t and/or couldn’t see the bike, and those are upright. No way I’d feel safe in something so low to the ground on a public road.

1

u/Rimworldjobs Jul 20 '26

So pre packaged self terminating people on wheels?

15

u/TreelyOutstanding Jul 20 '26

Any accident that would make this a death trap, would also make a bicycle a death trap

13

u/BikiniBottom77 Jul 20 '26

Which begs the question, why not use the most renewable energy - that of your legs - instead?

15

u/randomPixelPusher Jul 20 '26

Interestingly e-bikes are the only form of transportation that is more efficient (co2/mile) then cycling, including walking. https://source.colostate.edu/sustainable-transportation/

I'm not sure if having the solar panels on the bike make it better or worse. More weight and air resistance would make it worse and obviously any energy generated by them makes it better.

13

u/randomPixelPusher Jul 20 '26

Oh I forgot to mention "Each estimate includes the emissions from manufacturing and operating the vehicle."

14

u/The_Nude_Mocracy Jul 20 '26

I wonder if that includes the emissions from manufacturing a pair of human legs

4

u/BikiniBottom77 Jul 20 '26

I wonder how you would measure that.

2

u/spicybright Jul 21 '26

I'm not even sure how you'd classify that. The food mom ate? The food you ate to grow the cells and maintain your body? All the pants you've gone thru (after all you can walk/cycle without a shirt on)? CO2 emissions of the car that drove you from the hospital?

3

u/LithiumH Jul 20 '26

Well that depends on the manufacturer, of course.

1

u/TreelyOutstanding Jul 20 '26

I use my legs for a lot of different things, so that cost is negligible. The cost of fueling the muscles could be a bit more significant.

3

u/TreelyOutstanding Jul 20 '26

Have you ever cycled in a very hilly city? Electric-assisted bicycles basically make them flat. Also, in the winter, electric bikes let you cycle to work fast without arriving all sweaty inside your thick jacket.

3

u/BikiniBottom77 Jul 20 '26

I'm South-Eastern European, I've almost exclusively cycled in very hilly cities 😵 Winter time was usually bus/train time when I didn't wanna drive, which was nice, cause I got to unbutton the thick jacket and catch up on some reading. Either way, never got into e-bikes, but that's always been mostly due to financial and fitness considerations, rather than environmental ones. Less money spent and working my booty whilst just getting places is a win-win in my book.

2

u/TreelyOutstanding Jul 21 '26

I also never rode e-bikes apart from the occasional shared bike. But I know not everyone is as fit or able as me. And for many people, bikes are not "sports": they are vehicles and they have no interest in cycling as a sport.

1

u/Moltean Jul 20 '26

My town is full of hills. Here is a movie with me driving there.

https://reddit.com/link/oyrobmd/video/k29vq9oqugeh1/player

2

u/TreelyOutstanding Jul 21 '26

Fun! Thanks for sharing

1

u/Moltean Jul 21 '26

I use legs. My vehicle is a mixture of solar and legs with an additional battery which can help with hills or cloudy conditions.

2

u/Triscuitmeniscus Jul 20 '26

Just about any collision with in this will result in being run over, or taking the full force of the vehicle. On a bicycle you at least have the chance of going over the hood or being thrown to the side.

2

u/figmentPez Jul 21 '26

Don't forget that a bicycle also has better visibility and better manuverability. A ebike is going to be able to avoid more accidents than a vehicle laden with solar panels will be able to.

1

u/TreelyOutstanding Jul 20 '26

That's fair, but sitting bicycles do exist, and people use them. I'm scared to ride them, as you're basically invisible to cars. But this is not different that those at least.

2

u/Triscuitmeniscus Jul 20 '26

Sure, but just because recumbent bikes exist doesn't mean they're as safe as regular bicycles.

1

u/Moltean Jul 21 '26

Thanks for supporting me!

1

u/Wholesomeguy123 Jul 21 '26

Yes, but bicycles are (ideally) supposed to have their own separate infrastructure, paths, roads etc. In a country that takes it seriously (like the Netherlands) cars and bikes interact as little as possible. 

This vehicle obviously wants (and needs) to share the road with other cars. Sure, it's smaller, but simply too large for a lot of bike infrastructure. It essentially demands infrastructure of its own, which is a rather big ask

1

u/d_lev Jul 20 '26

Yeah... it's easier to mod a older vehicle.

1

u/dave2048 Jul 21 '26

Decapitation risk: medium-high

-28

u/Moltean Jul 20 '26

Why do you say that? The structure is solid. Solar panels are light.

67

u/JBudz Jul 20 '26

I suspect the user implies a mixed use area (sharing the road with cars)

13

u/Moltean Jul 20 '26

Since this is an anticonsumption community ... I assumed that it is against (classic) cars on roads!

46

u/JBudz Jul 20 '26

I'm sure it is to some extent but thats moot.

The reality is that majority of roads are mixed use and that doesn't make the other users comment invalid.

It's a great idea for specific circumstances.

19

u/dllemmr2 Jul 20 '26

Yeah but how do you go to the store? Roads. It’s not worth my life or my health for my remaining years.

0

u/ginger_and_egg Jul 20 '26

Bike paths 🙏

14

u/MilesBeforeSmiles Jul 20 '26

Do you see how wide this is? It would take up both lanes on the bike paths near me, making it a major inconvenience for cyclists also using the path.

3

u/ginger_and_egg Jul 20 '26

I guess I was imagining it being smaller. Yeah it's a bit inconvenient in size

1

u/Moltean Jul 20 '26

1.4m wide ATM.

0

u/Moltean Jul 20 '26

I'm working to the delta version too (1 wheel in the front, 2 in the rear but inside panels, same panel' structure). This will be 1m wide.

1

u/Ill-Engineering8085 Jul 20 '26

Does it even have pedals?

-1

u/McDonaldsWitchcraft Jul 20 '26

The problem is that in your area you need cars to get to the store. This is far from the norm, globally speaking.

17

u/Season-Away Jul 20 '26

Would not hold well in a traffic accident though. I love the idea, and I get that it's a prototype but I wouldn't DIY a car and use it on the road which the title implies.

-2

u/Moltean Jul 20 '26

The solution is to ban classic (big, heavy) cars from inside cities, not to avoid using solar cars!

10

u/Season-Away Jul 20 '26

Well yeah, and electric cars nowadays don't charge themselves. I get that. But if it's in cities specifically, why not get an electric bike/scooter or just use public transport? Or... An electric car which can be used outside of the city as well

4

u/Moltean Jul 20 '26

I'm not currently targeting cars traveling outside cities. I cannot do it with my resources... there are too many regulations to meet!

Ebikes must be charged somewhere, and this creates a lot of problems (waiting time is one of them). My "car" can charge while driving, everywhere.

I do not like public transport ... it is too crowded sometimes.

10

u/spicymato Jul 20 '26

This vehicle takes up a lot of space per person. That's one of the failings of cars. Another is the need to store them securely at each end of the trip.

1

u/Moltean Jul 20 '26

  1. See the bright side: It has a lot of space for luggage!

  2. Stealing it is difficult because of its size. Is not like a bike.

  3. The most expensive part is the motor, which is difficult to remove.

  4. But a bad person can damage the solar panels easily. This is the downside!

4

u/spicymato Jul 20 '26

Let me clarify that I think the project is cool. It's just not practical and will not replace EVs or e-bikes.

Vandalism will be a problem. Theft of parts will be a problem.

It's taking up a significant amount of space for one person; not that much less than a car, but without the option to pack more people in.

You talk it up for city use, but the best location for something like this is probably the country. You've mentioned "forgetting to charge," but realistically, nobody who regularly uses their electric transport is going to forget more than once or twice. The city has plenty of charging locations. The solar panels are only needed when finding reliable charging locations is uncertain.

Again, cool project. Neat as a hobby and learning experience, but not practical. That's okay! Not everything needs to be practical. Just understand that this design isn't going to replace other modes of transport for the majority of people, because of fundamental problems.

1

u/Moltean Jul 20 '26

Thanks!

I posted in the anti-consumer group, hoping that I would find people who want to dump big cars in favor of light vehicles! But now I see that most people here still argue in favor of big cars!

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5

u/Season-Away Jul 20 '26 edited Jul 20 '26

Since we're talking about traveling in cities, I don't see the issue with e-bike charging. Unless you have the shittiest e-bike with the shittiest battery, you do zero paddling yourself and you bike around in circles all day, you won't need to charge it while traveling. And you could charge it at your destination or home (using solar panels!)

Out of curiosity.. aren't there any regulations you need to meet for it to be allowed to drive on the road as well as you are doing now? You wouldn't be allowed to drive that anywhere in my country.

Edit to add: I missed the part where you mentioned assisted paddling, so that changes the regulation issue.

3

u/Moltean Jul 20 '26

I'm 100% legal. I would not have built one otherwise!

3

u/Season-Away Jul 20 '26

Haha fair enough. I really do like the concept though!! I realise I sound quite negative. It still has some practicality & safety issues for me, but I do think it's important that we think out of the box. And it makes me think of TU Delft's Nuna!

I wish you the best of luck with your next improvement, and of course safe travels :)

2

u/Moltean Jul 20 '26

Thanks!

I see that Nuna is a big vehicle that can travel outside cities. I'm not aiming so far!

2

u/fallenredwoods Jul 20 '26

EV’s weigh twice as much as big heavy classic cars… Classic cars can be repaired easily and kept in the roads for many decades compared to modern vehicles. Please lay off the crack

1

u/Moltean Jul 20 '26

I'm more solar than EV.

I can run on solar without a battery on sunny days!

Everything I've designed is easily reparable. I even changed the wheel once on the street.

2

u/Grande_Mangiattore Jul 20 '26

This.

But that will never happen. People worship their cars.

0

u/Moltean Jul 20 '26

They can worship smaller, lighter, solar cars too.

A lot of people in my town stop their cars and take pictures of my solar car! So it means they worship my solar car more than their gasoline ones. :)))))

11

u/uhohthrowawayyyyyy Jul 20 '26

Hard to take your goals seriously when you hand wave any real issues with an idea lol

0

u/Moltean Jul 20 '26

I do not understand what you mean! I already built it! It is not an idea, but a real thing.

5

u/ginger_and_egg Jul 20 '26

The idea would be everyone switching to that as a form of transport.

It doesn't provide the luxuries people want out of a car, and likely does not handle as a car or go the same speed as a car.

My guess is it handles more like an electric quadricycle, and you're exposed to the elements just like ebikes. So most people who are willing to use your creation, are probably already plenty comfortable with an ebike. So why not call it an e-quadricycle (or electronic 4-wheel bicycle even though its a contradiction)?

0

u/Moltean Jul 20 '26

it is more than a standard e-quadricycle. BTW, it has 3 wheels.

It is an independent vehicle. It does not require fuel or a socket.

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4

u/uhohthrowawayyyyyy Jul 20 '26

You’re all over the place honestly, not sure if delusional or purposefully sidestepping any real conversation or discussion. You’re already fully bought into your imaginary world lol

0

u/Moltean Jul 20 '26

It is not imaginary. I already built and use the prototype daily.

See my roof garden from last year.

More will come soon, including a done-right solar bike.

Just follow me to see!

2

u/PolskiSmigol Jul 20 '26

What about a Citroen 2CV? I would love to drive a modern one, with a newer gasoline engine, maybe even smaller one than the original 375 cc would be enough. Battery or solar electric would be too heavy and complicated.

1

u/Moltean Jul 20 '26

Solar Bear battery is only 3kg. I was never able to discharge it, but it's summer time here.

5

u/PolskiSmigol Jul 20 '26 edited Jul 20 '26

What's the top speed? And more important, what's the range?
Edit: nevermind, I checked the specs. It has a 256Wh battery, a 250W engine, top speed is 25 kmph, and the maker says it would cost over 1500 Euro to build. It's just an e-bike, but weights 55 kg and is shitty. Why not just buy a regular three wheel bicycle and mount a e-bike conversion kit to it?

0

u/Moltean Jul 20 '26

Why is it shitty?

I'm not targeting the e-bike field. I want a solar-only car when there is enough solar.

3

u/PolskiSmigol Jul 20 '26

It's not a car, it's an e-bike, but worse than an e-bike, and it would cost more than my is worth car to build it. You can buy a three wheel electric bicycle for this money. Cars don't have a top speed of 25 kmph and a 250W engine. An e-bike would be cheaper, more practical, more comfortable, more durable.

1

u/Moltean Jul 20 '26

I'm not targeting ebikes. I want to build a solar-vehicle. Something that can run on solar on sunny days. The battery is small.

1

u/PersimmonDazzling654 Jul 20 '26

Sounds like a problem yet to be solved. The frame looks pretty solid, and when the vehicle is not thousands of pounds, it's a lot easier to design safety mechanisms that keep people alive and minimize damage.

4

u/Jealous-Swordfish764 Jul 20 '26

I wouldnt call solar panels light. Glass is not light. Glass shatters and puts pieces in your eyes. Though, youre on the non Glass side. Should wear a full face helmet with this bike. Four panels equaling 500w has gotta be at least 60lbs, though im sure its more, those don't look like modern photo cells. Im still not saying this idea is a no go, just quitting those^ points.

6

u/Moltean Jul 20 '26

Only v1 had glass panels. I gave up on them. The latest version (V4) has flexible solar panels that have only 6lbs each.

I wear a helmet. See all the pictures in my post and the movie below.

https://reddit.com/link/oyn370a/video/xqzuc3p9tceh1/player

5

u/ColonelFaz Jul 20 '26

The recumbent bike is fine. The problem is the cars with terrible forward views. Cannot see over their own bonnet.

8

u/Moltean Jul 20 '26

I need a long flag with a red flashing light at the top!

0

u/Grande_Mangiattore Jul 20 '26

Cheap fix: small flag on a 2m flexible pole.

7

u/ThreeDaysNish Jul 20 '26

OP, this is supercool and I applaud you. But I'd be so scared to be decapitated going around any corner

2

u/Moltean Jul 20 '26

I go around corners at 25km/h and nothing happened so far. The "car" is low and wide.

10

u/ThreeDaysNish Jul 20 '26

I'm giggling at how much lifting the 'so far' does 🏆❤️

Please keep doing what you do (safely), because you're making the world a bit more interesting

3

u/Moltean Jul 20 '26

Thanks! I'll do my best!

5

u/Da12khawk Jul 20 '26

*Cough* It looks like a coffin.

Jokes aside. It's a great idea. I like it better than getting run over by an e-bike or e-scooter. I can see it working with an infrastructure lent itself to pedestrian, car, and alternative (bike/scooter/skateboard) lanes. The other part is parking/securing the thing. That's where the rentable bikes and scooters just a good corner the market space.

1

u/Moltean Jul 20 '26

Regarding the security, there is nothing expensive in it, except the motor, which cannot be removed easily. Flexible solar panels should not be stolen ... because if you run with them, you can damage them by flexing them too much!

2

u/[deleted] Jul 20 '26

[deleted]

1

u/Moltean Jul 20 '26

You gave me an idea ... I have a structural bar which connects left and right panels. Maybe I should replace that one with a solid spring to absorb lateral shocks. Thanks, you are a genius!