A company has successfully wrapped a Tesla Cybertruck with solar cells, enabling it to charge an onboard battery pack. The upgrade costs around $10,000—raising the question: is it worth it?
Back in 2017, Tesla CEO Elon Musk revealed that his engineers had explored integrating solar cells into the Model 3 but concluded that it wasn’t practical at the time. Since then, solar cell efficiency has improved, and Tesla has gained expertise in embedding solar technology, thanks to its development of solar roof tiles.
This progress led to a surprising announcement. After unveiling the Cybertruck, Musk revealed plans for a solar roof option that could add up to 15 miles of range per day. Tesla later filed a patent showing solar cells embedded in the retractable tonneau cover.
Despite this, the Cybertruck launched without solar roofs or tonneau cover options. A year after its release, there’s still no official word from Tesla about introducing these solar features.
Now, a third-party company has stepped in with an even more ambitious solution. California-based Sunflare Solar, known for its flexible solar cell technology, claims to have covered the entire Cybertruck in solar cells. This wrap can generate up to 1.5 kW of power, which aligns with Musk’s earlier estimate of adding about 15 miles of range per day.
The solar wrap, priced at $10,000, includes a 5 kW battery inverter to channel the energy to the Cybertruck. While the power output is modest for the surface area, it offers a unique way to harness renewable energy for the vehicle.
