How many are getting the solar option

[CybertruckinDave]

I live west of Seattle and our home has a 9.7kW solar system that creates ~10-11MW per year but we face due-south, towards the top of a (mostly) treeless hill. I would be interested in getting the solar panel option as I have seen how well our solar array works. There is no "if" about function. The only question would be how much it adds to the range. I would be happy to be part of the test group. Someone's got to do it and even at just 5-10 miles a day solar recharge that would be 150-300 miles a month or 1800-3600 miles a year. Considering my average yearly driving is 12K miles, the 30% "free miles" I'd be gaining at 10 miles a day is 30% off the cost of charging. Every little bit counts in my book.

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[alan auerbach]

Living in Costa Rica (plan to drive/ship the Cybertruck down from the US) with plenty of sunshine, I am definitively signing up for the solar option. Even 10 km/day would make me grid-independent. Even though electricity here is from fully renewable sources, the electricity rate is quite expensive (north of 30 cents/KWh for marginal consumption). Solar is more important to me than FSD, even though I signed up for that under the illusion that self-driving in the narrow and chaotic roads of Latin America will be feasible one day!

Anyway, here's a nifty video explaining the math checks out for the 15 mi/day claim by Elon:

Self-driving requires white lines on paved roads, somewhat scarce in the Latin American countries I've driven in.

 

[ReddykwRun]

Na, I think I'll pass on this one. I live in Southern Alabama, plenty of sunshine and I seriously doubt the gain is worth the cost and care for the system. Plenty of power where I drive. Maybe some soul stuck in the middle of the desert it might be viable. The only appreciable amount of serious sand around me is the beach.

 

[akia123]

i would love for them to come up with panels that you roll out from the truck. So during camping i can fold them all out and they can handle the elements. But when driving they are all folded and tucked away. For me its a no though until they release the price but i dont see it being worth it yet.

 

[Gargoile]

Will the solar option help the batteries from being bricked from the truck sitting for a long time?

 

[ajdelange]

Will the solar option help the batteries from being bricked from the truck sitting for a long time?

The one real value in them, IMO, is that they will at least offset if not entirely support the phantom drain (depending on sunshine and phantom drain levels) so that one ought, for example, to be able to leave a CT equipped with them at an airport for weeks and not come home to a battery with only 10% charge remaining.

 

[mggoulet]

I live west of Seattle and our home has a 9.7kW solar system that creates ~10-11MW per year but we face due-south, towards the top of a (mostly) treeless hill. I would be interested in getting the solar panel option as I have seen how well our solar array works. There is no "if" about function. The only question would be how much it adds to the range. I would be happy to be part of the test group. Someone's got to do it and even at just 5-10 miles a day solar recharge that would be 150-300 miles a month or 1800-3600 miles a year. Considering my average yearly driving is 12K miles, the 30% "free miles" I'd be gaining at 10 miles a day is 30% off the cost of charging. Every little bit counts in my book.

Here in Québec, we produce electricity by damming big river in the north... So, our cost is around $0.06 CAD all day long... So, with the trimotor we will not really need that... But, I'M not oppose to that wonderfull idea especially where the production of electricity is from fossile (gaz, petroleum)...!!!
Also, we odered the trimotor with FSD as we are snowbird (not until the border is closed with the covid-19) we go in our other home in Fl. twice a year...!!!

 

[ajdelange]

When I saw 6.08¢ is said wait a minute. He's only a lake or 2 away and I know I'm paying more than that but actually I am not. The catch is that this is for the first 40 kWh per day. Thereafter it goes up to 9.38¢/kwh. In the winter I use about 98 kWh/day so my rate will be closer to 8¢ which is still dirt cheap (about half what I pay in the US when converted to USD). Hydro says "Our rates for residential customers are indeed the lowest in North America." Guess I'll go charge up the X.

 

[DareBear]

I will spring for the solar option if it has the ability to add additional solar arrays while driving or while parked. Having a travel trailer with a large 2KW+ solar array and being able to plug that into the CT while parked and driving. You would get ~45 mi/day while camping, with some benefit while driving. That would totally make it worth it!

 

[Newton]

I want to add it, but most likely wont. Since I added fsd, its already too expensive for me.
I should really make a plan, I will. tomorrow.

 

[mggoulet]

When I saw 6.08¢ is said wait a minute. He's only a lake or 2 away and I know I'm paying more than that but actually I am not. The catch is that this is for the first 40 kWh per day. Thereafter it goes up to 9.38¢/kwh. In the winter I use about 98 kWh/day so my rate will be closer to 8¢ which is still dirt cheap (about half what I pay in the US when converted to USD). Hydro says "Our rates for residential customers are indeed the lowest in North America." Guess I'll go charge up the X.

There is my copy of Hydro-Québec... all in CAD: DÉTAIL DES COÛTS – TARIF DOMESTIQUE D Du 17 juillet 2020 au 14 septembre 2020 (60 jours) Consommation totale 3 240 kWh Jusqu’à 40 kWh x 60 jours 2 400 kWh x 0,0608 $ 145,92 $ Le reste des kWh 840 kWh x 0,0938 $ 78,79 $ Frais d’accès au réseau 60 j x 0,4064 $ 24,38 $ Total partiel 249,09 $ TPS (5,0 %) 12,45 $ TVQ (9,975 %) 24,85 $ Total des coûts de l’électricité 286,39 $

 

[mggoulet]

There is my copy of Hydro-Québec... all in CAD: DÉTAIL DES COÛTS – TARIF DOMESTIQUE D Du 17 juillet 2020 au 14 septembre 2020 (60 jours) Consommation totale 3 240 kWh Jusqu’à 40 kWh x 60 jours 2 400 kWh x 0,0608 $ 145,92 $ Le reste des kWh 840 kWh x 0,0938 $ 78,79 $ Frais d’accès au réseau 60 j x 0,4064 $ 24,38 $ Total partiel 249,09 $ TPS (5,0 %) 12,45 $ TVQ (9,975 %) 24,85 $ Total des coûts de l’électricité 286,39 $

So, $0.09 CAD X .75 = $0.0675 USD

 

[ajdelange]

Yep, same rates as on mine (Schedule D). Only difference is that my bill says 0.0608 rather than 0,0608 because my bill in in English. Also my average is about 8¢ per because I go farther past the 40 kW limit (heat pumps). Still about half what I pay in the US.

I didn't count the 40¢/da access fee.

 

[mggoulet]

Yep, same rates as on mine (Schedule D). Only difference is that my bill says 0.0608 rather than 0,0608 because my bill in in English. Also my average is about 8¢ per because I go farther past the 40 kW limit (heat pumps). Still about half what I pay in the US.

I didn't count the 40¢/da access fee.

Usually we go 4.5 months in Fl... And we heat about 8,000 Square feet with 3 stories at ceiling of 10 feet high... this summer we had 4 "canicules"... need AC... Total coast of $3,100 yearly... But I expect less than $4,000 ...Also, we have 2 heat pumps of mitsubishi (Zuba) / 3 blades windows (argon + low-E)... Hoping that the border will open in April...

 

[ajdelange]

I hope so too. What a pain. My wife got quarantined for going 30m into Vermont for 5 minutes to check the mail after she checked in first and they told her they wouldn't! And Vt. infections are about 1/4 Estrie's.

Can you fly into Florida?