As a KZbin university graduate and city keyboard scribe, please let me tell you how you should improve your project.
@DrewBuildsStuff2 ай бұрын
Haha best comment! Pinned 👍
@alexjeffs70922 ай бұрын
Comments are KZbins bread and butter. Any engagement is good. Even this in bad taste criticism of the engaged audience that surely will have some albeit minimal effect on people making suggestions which is harmless.
@bigskyproducers2 ай бұрын
I'm sitting here waiting for the expertise in the comments lol
@tsanteri2 ай бұрын
@@bobscat-wj4ub *could HAVE
@WillHurtUrFeelingz2 ай бұрын
@@DrewBuildsStuff You kno how they make lights for bicycles that can be powered by a little wheel that set on the bike wheel basically making it motion powered. Can you attach something like that to all four wheels to make a difference? & would it work at all in any way to make & or keep power?
@InimitaPaul2 ай бұрын
You could drop a heck of a lot of weight by building the trailer out of aluminium, only the vehicle itself needs to be somewhat structurally safe, other than cost it doesn’t really matter if the trailer is hit and destroyed. On the subject of the panels it would be good to make some aero out of thin plastic to direct airflow under them for cooling, you’ll get significantly better efficiency the cooler they are.
@DrewBuildsStuff2 ай бұрын
I can't weld aluminum... kzbin.info/www/bejne/hH_Qn556mttsjLMsi=BP-jNJIyqO3SAec4&t=1537
@CRIMSONDANTE2 ай бұрын
@@DrewBuildsStuff Two word: Carbon Fiber
@Buy-n-large2 ай бұрын
@@DrewBuildsStuff get a lot of L channel aluminum, if you use the right hardware you could just cut, drill and bolt it all together
@Raymo2u2 ай бұрын
@@DrewBuildsStuff Ebay has Tig welders that are pretty decent for around $400...then you could weld aluminum. There are also Brazing Rods, 3M Urethane Epoxy, or just bolt the aluminum together.
@xanosdarkpaw12 ай бұрын
@@DrewBuildsStuff What about wood?
@TheFutureIsLater2 ай бұрын
Has anyone told you about the World Solar Challenge held biennially in Australia for the last 20+ years? You have to drive a solar car from Darwin to Adelaide (~3000 km).
@aaronsharman80312 ай бұрын
I compete in this for the WSU Solar car team!
@Tyler_18_2 ай бұрын
3000km is crazy!
@aaronsharman80312 ай бұрын
@@Tyler_18_ 3022km in 5 days against 34 competitors with a car you built from scratch Is a true adventure. There's a KZbin oringal series on this called light speed by seeker i recommend it !
@mikecui6262 ай бұрын
Race the Sun movie
@BramMertens2 ай бұрын
I was going to recommend this challenge as well as a source of inspiration. There must be papers available with techniques they use to improve performance and reduce drag to extend the range.
@aussiespartan97192 ай бұрын
As an electric skateboarder I try to get as much range as possible. With nobby off-road tyres, I get 42 kilometres. With Road tyres I get 63 kilometre distance, They are called off-road tyres for a reason. I’m in Melbourne Australia and I can hear your rumbling tyres from here ; )
@trentvlak2 ай бұрын
I'm thinking Schwalbe Super Moto.
@TheMisterpino2 ай бұрын
This, you can literally hear the inefficiency
@boreholedrillingcapetown42952 ай бұрын
i dont need more yhan 40 kil at age 52 on skateboard after 20 km i had enough so 250 km is an over kill job well done
@albertshaju23812 ай бұрын
Hi, that sounds really cool what skateboard do you have btw I live in Bendigo so ur location surprised me a lot
@emircosic78602 ай бұрын
ur probably from werribee, imma send the cops to fine u. thanks
@MichaelFalcon-g3fАй бұрын
Grat job!, 10 years ago nobody would've believed that you can create a self sufficient vehicle with solar, even like this. you proved all of them wrong!
@kimhenry56588 күн бұрын
In the mid 90’s a guy named Dick Smith made and drove a solar powered car that he and his team drove from Perth to Sydney and established the record for that 3000 km drive in a solar vehicle. The concept has been around for a while.
@MichaelFalcon-g3f7 күн бұрын
@@kimhenry5658 ok, sorry, my knowledge is limited, and I didn’t know about that.
@DanAndreiVladut2 ай бұрын
As a solar design engineer, I love the effort you put into this, but I believe you can fundamentally change some items for far greater success: 1. manufactured solar panels are not just heavier. They have greater power density. You can get a 420W panel that weighs about 50-70lbs. The use of aluminum railing and glass also increases heat transfer. Solar panels heat up and their efficiency drops considerably. Using the wood backing and the flexible panels, their efficiency due to heat is lower. The manufactured panels will stay cool especially on a moving vehicle. 2. The steel frame is heavy. Consider using solar railing for the frame. Something like the Ironridge XR100 has great rigidity for the weight and has built in attachment points. You can use end clamps and mid clamps to secure the panels to the rail for easy removal. You'd shave a lot of weight and reduce the footprint of the vehicle. 3. I didn't see the initial video, so I don't fully understand your electrical setup, but you may benefit from a different power supply configuration. The excess solar production needs to go somewhere. Use a configuration where the power supply can be powered by the panels, and excess solar charges the battery. As solar power goes down, the battery takes over.
@karanoelle48192 ай бұрын
I was JUST thinking about #3. That excess power is wasted otherwise, and you lose extra time. I believe powerwalls and solar powering houses have the ability to do just this.
@a647382 ай бұрын
@@karanoelle4819 There is no excess power, all the power in a setup like this goes to power the vehicle and the rest charges the battery. And if you have excess power due to the battery being full you are out of luck, either get more batteries, larger / more motors that use all the energy and give you more speed or except the loss.
@AnnatarTheMaia2 ай бұрын
@@karanoelle4819 they do.
@TimeFlyBy2 ай бұрын
It would be interesting to see a performance comparison of the actual configuration and the one you suggested...
@bogravel85512 ай бұрын
I admire your efforts! Applaud the the time and money you exerted into the vehicle/ trailer and video. Forgive me if you did mention in video, but what was your average speed and top speed and rough weight of vehicle +/- trailer?
@HieuNguyen-ek2by2 ай бұрын
Hey Drew, if you ever decide to revisit this project, consider: Switching over to rigid panels. The flexible panel produce 1/2 of the rigid panels power at peak. You can possibly integrated the panel as structural parts as well. Many of them designed to handle snow loads. Use higher voltage but in parallel. Many panels have poor performance in shaded conditions, and can affect the performance of the whole string.
@jammymark2 ай бұрын
Having the panels directly facing the sun makes a big difference.
@jamesbowser93502 ай бұрын
Could’ve also used 450w rigid panels and not really need the trailer.
@tyrelirwin2 ай бұрын
And make the trailer and frame lighter (aluminum), and use lower rolling resistance tires, and find all the other ways to improve your efficiency rather than just upping your capacity. If you continue to use flexible panels, mount them to rigid styro insulation rather than cedar. Solar panels and battery tech improve monumentally each year, but it's important to nail down the fundamentals. Think "Aptera" rather than "Hummer EV".
@merendell2 ай бұрын
There's alot of factors involved. yes ridgid can produce more, but they are also significantly heavier. You also need more structure in your base to suport said extra weight adding even more mass for your motor to haul around requiring more power. So its not as simple as just saying use ridgid pannels and cut the number needed in half.
@LarryRichelli2 ай бұрын
@@tyrelirwin You mean dream Aptera, as thats all it is
@king_of_savagery62892 ай бұрын
Dude, I've been welding almost 20 years now. I'm not just saying this, 90% of your welds are GOOD WELDS. Honestly. You're too hard on yourself about that stuff. 95% of those welds would pass inspection and are structurally sound. I hope this helps reassure you to just weld it up and ignore the Karen's. Most of the people who would bash welds like those almost assuredly just like insulting people because they're unhappy with their own lives. And I would bet a large percentage of that group is not even qualified to comment on welds in the first place. You did awesome man. Loved the welds, loved the build, loved the video. Keep up the awesome work brotha! :)
@vaakdemandante8772Ай бұрын
Not a welder, so won't comment on weld quality, though welding in a t-shirt does look like a sure way for x-ray skin burns or worse - depending on exposure dose.
@lenni213Ай бұрын
Yes I'm sure Logan is up in the mystique mountains as professor Xavier is magnetising the ionosphere to cause a global rising of cake in the oven
@AxeyardАй бұрын
Tears welled up in my eyes.
@John64125Ай бұрын
Yes agree. The first couple looked a bit untidy but the later welds were great. Not an easy skill so good effort. As was mentioned the difference between a bad weld and a good weld is a minute with a grinder.
@nickierv13Ай бұрын
@@vaakdemandante8772 no xrays in welding, only uv. And from a uv blocking standpoint, a t-shirt is more than enough..
@KraussEMUS120 күн бұрын
I used to drive a DIY solar car in the 90s in Sacramento California. People used to say it looked like a "Stealth Bomber" etc. It was very lightweight and was built basically around a homemade recumbent bike frame with a streamlined shell. I always knew that if it had a trailer for extra solar panels that it would have had a much greater range. In those days though the panels cost too much for my budget. Nowadays it can be done more economically. Thanks for the great video of such an awesome device!
@allyboouwu15 күн бұрын
I’m from sac too that’s too cool! Got any pics
@KraussEMUS113 күн бұрын
@@allyboouwu I posted a pic, but it’s not showing up yet. Let’s wait and see.
@mr.hughes63632 ай бұрын
As a cyclist I know if you put slick tires on those wheels you will get better efficiency and a smoother/quieter ride. I wouldn't put narrower tires on though, some fat tire slicks would be perfect. Would be cool to be able to tilt the trailer panels, like in the sun setting end if you could stand those panels up a bit then you could have gotten home. Maybe triangle shaped frame in front and rear with panels sitting on a center pipe that can lock flat or tilt and lock one way or the other.
@KC9UDX2 ай бұрын
I would use track tyres. Thin as thin gets. You don't need fat tyres on this at all.
@fredfred90002 ай бұрын
ya indeed , slick tire would be much better
@Arivera416822 ай бұрын
That's what I was just going to write. Some 100psi bmx tires would do alot of Justice. And slanting a panel up would create a great spoilers to keep it down at speed
@rustyheyman2142 ай бұрын
Air pressure is an easy fix. Costs nothing and can possibly get more gain with zero additional dollars
@daemn422 ай бұрын
@@KC9UDX If you look at where road bike tires have gone over the last couple decades, they're getting fatter. They found that fatter tires run at a lower pressure have lower rolling resistance (and are more comfortable) than skinny tires at the necessary higher pressure. All the vibration you feel with really skinny tires is wasted energy. Yes there are aerodynamic considerations but not really a factor on this pretty draggy vehicle.
@zecuse2 ай бұрын
18:46 Seeing the horse buggy go by followed by your solar "buggy" was VERY satisfying.
@rrnabors12 ай бұрын
The Amish couldn't build a solar powered car . . . but they could borrow yours!
@rodafowa12792 ай бұрын
@@rrnabors1 The Amish wouldn't want a solar powered car...Ever. Their horses are far more reliable. Horses also work on cloudy days, or at night. What an incredible achievement. Hopefully, one day, we'll go beyond what the Amish have and find a mode of transportation that doesn't require horses at all! Who knows? We may not even need the sun to be shining. We'll get there soon. I can feel it in my bones.
@STho2052 ай бұрын
The Amish are using a solar powered carriage. The horse eats hay, which grows from photosynthesis, which is sunlight powered. They are Way ahead of you Lou
@rodafowa12792 ай бұрын
@@STho205 By that same ridiculous logic, humans are solar powered, because we breathe in the oxygen produced by plants and trees.
@riparianlife977012 ай бұрын
The horse is also solar powered.
@denniswendtland9707Ай бұрын
I liked many of the suggestions I’ve read already: lighter frame, a way to cool the panels, light material to make the whole rig more aerodynamic, less roll-resistant tires, maybe a way for you to add pedal power when you’re not too tired and especially going up any hills, some kind of sail to help capture the wind, a way to generate power when going down hill. Fun watching and brainstorming.
@aocg19144 күн бұрын
Switching to aluminium frame, and a slimmer design would work..
@dadthegrappler41252 ай бұрын
A 450 watt solar panel weighs just under 52 lbs. The efficiency of the rigid panel is much higher as is the longevity; so the weight savings are not nearly as important as it seems. An aluminum trailer and bike would have almost completely offset the additional weight IMO. Having said that, your builds are brilliant and I thoroughly enjoy watching your videos 😊.
@normalguy5562 ай бұрын
The panels have structural integrity themselves as most are designed to be mounted on the sides only in the middle, and sustain 80mph winds. So he could have saved additional weight by using a lighter gauge steel and letting the panel frames provide additional integrity. Biracial panels are also an option
@c6q3a242 ай бұрын
Don't even need a trailer if you design the base vehicle with 450w panels.
@KuddleKittens2 ай бұрын
@@normalguy556 "Biracial" gave me a good laugh
@normalguy5562 ай бұрын
@@KuddleKittens yeah autocorrect is a hoe sometimes
@raph1515152 ай бұрын
ok but he would need to redesign the whole thing more power, more weight, needs bigger brakes, probably can go faster so better aero. At his scale and price what he did is excellent
@nielsdebakker32832 ай бұрын
Use narrower tires, reduce roll resistance. You could mount solar panels overhead, use it as sunshades and weather protection and get rid of the trailer. that is also reducing roll resistance.
@robloggia2 ай бұрын
I wonder what the trade off would be with drag would be.
@TerryHope2 ай бұрын
@@robloggia I built a battery-less solar bike 10 years ago.. very similar structure, except I made a 4ft tail off the back. V4 - was going to try and elongate the front 4 ft aswell..
@aviationaidan22472 ай бұрын
Not to mention the added weight of the trailer and extra panels. All that extra weight affects the range negatively
@c6q3a242 ай бұрын
@@robloggia Aerodynamic drag could be significantly improved very cheaply. Just take the solar panels off, and wrap the space frame chassis with industrial pallet wrapping. Then re-attach the panels.
@mmmd34292 ай бұрын
Use aluminum instead of steel.
@MerwinARTist2 ай бұрын
I have a local friend who built a similar setup .. pulling a trailer .. the main vehicle is made to look like a miniature Model T pickup .. John Deer green & yellow. He picks up extra energy by using a braking mechanism that engages an alternator and the resistance creates a braking effect while also helping to charge the batteries. Really cool. I wish YT would allow photos for comments like this.
@TrumpIsrael20242 ай бұрын
Regenerative braking. My CRV hybrid has that. As soon as you release the gas, regenerative braking kicks in. Kinda annoying. I wish it would NOT kick in unless you engage the paddle shifter.
@MerwinARTist2 ай бұрын
@@TrumpIsrael2024 .. yes .. my friend said that he only uses it when going downhill as a brake since the drag slows him down .. unless the battery is fully charged .. then he has to rely on the brakes.
@anjhindul2 ай бұрын
@@TrumpIsrael2024 Or even touched the brake, ya it is annoying AF.
@ALCRAN20102 ай бұрын
@@anjhindul, so this means you have to continually keep your "gas" engaged with the pedal? I like to rest mine off the pedal at times while coasting.
@hank49172 ай бұрын
You don't know what you're talking about. All EVs have regenerative braking. It's not "a braking mechanism that engages an alternator." You're really dumb for thinking that.
@jongold128322 күн бұрын
Wow you are a genius and make everything look so easy. Crikey so many of us just dont have the patience or know how and skillset. You are a Master craftsman...........!
@mharding12582 ай бұрын
Awesome dude. I put an e-bike build together that comes home every day after work and plugs into an outlet on my 400W solar shed which has accumulated enough charge throughout the day to get me to work and back the next day.
@_big_man_69_2 ай бұрын
I´d just have it charging a second swappable battery, but that´s because I´m just that cool
@xinxiao23942 ай бұрын
你是上夜班吗或者用月光发电😂
@mharding12582 ай бұрын
@@xinxiao2394 Clearly you cant read. The system has a battery bank. If you had your eyes open you'd see the word 'accumulated'.
@silentstormstudio47822 ай бұрын
Thats great, afterall there is always night
@davidt41022 ай бұрын
That is what it's all about right there. Well done!
@tri_yt2 ай бұрын
It’s always a good day when Drew builds more stuff
@JimmyBiffle2 ай бұрын
:DD
@SgtBUSMC2 ай бұрын
Maxxis Holy Roller 20x2.2 hybrid tires. Great tire, MUCH less rolling resistance. Just an idea. Love the project!!
@geoffmerritt2 ай бұрын
Less rolling resistance of a good road tyre as opposed to knobblys...
@filonin22 ай бұрын
@@geoffmerritt He's driving on gravel roads though.
@LewisCampbellTech2 ай бұрын
@@filonin2 looks like they're mostly paved? the gravel sections are hard packed too. Would have zero hesitation riding those with slick bicycle tyres on a bicycle. I imagine a 4 wheeled vehicle means even more grip?
@leolimateclas3 күн бұрын
Solved: 1 - Pollution and global warming from burning fossil fuels 2 - Free urban mobility at minimal cost; simply adapting it to public transport vehicles. 3 - Oil cartel and gas stations. 4 - Noise pollution and traffic accidents due to speeding. 5 - Entertainment. BRAVO!
@Evan-bc6nb2 ай бұрын
Should find some quieter tires. Probably will extend your range as well.
@sgas2 ай бұрын
I would suggest the same but he did seem to take it on dirt paths a few times. And smooth fat tires are slightly harder to find
@nedlyest2 ай бұрын
For the short term, the bicycle tires ok, but I would change to motorcycle tires for a long term solution.
@tyrelirwin2 ай бұрын
@@nedlyest if range is the desire, road bicycle tires make way more sense.
@nedlyest2 ай бұрын
@@tyrelirwin I'm just looking at the overall longevity. The bearings as well as the tires are only good for 1000ish miles, where motorcycle tires are into the 10s of thousands. Brand dependant.
@MrSCOTTtheSCOT2 ай бұрын
@@sgas I had cross tyres for my mountain bike for 70/30 , smoother grip center tyre for less rolling resistance and a knobbl youter for grip on dirt tracks or softer ground must be a tyre out there that would have less rolling resistance it is a four wheeler.
@user-ys4op3ux1p2 ай бұрын
18:45 I'm sure the Amish lady appreciates you blurring her face in your video on building a devil machine
@vladimirpetrov12392 ай бұрын
oh shit I lol
@Juangontiz2 ай бұрын
When I saw the buggy I thought of a possible business idea. Some Amish churches accept solar panels and wind turbines as a way of having energy. So something like this that could transport then like 200 miles in a day (something a horse can't do) could be a good way of transport for them.
@Skylancer7272 ай бұрын
@@Juangontiz It's a pretty uncommon view in among the Amish. They mainly believe technology is a result of man's gluteny and therefore is sinful. I've really only seen the Amish use technology when it helps their personal businesses. Like for using digital purchasing as there's a large portion of people who refuse to use cash today, they need digital purchasing to keep business.
@KuehlIndustrial2 ай бұрын
Amish by us use everything battery powered. They also sell all brands of battery powered hand tools . I saw one kid flying a drone a couple days ago. Go Amish -Trump2024
@pepini12 ай бұрын
I think it would be better if you adjust the angle of your front solar panel, aerodynamics are important.
@darylnicklen36852 ай бұрын
I remember when you built the car and thought so much more can be achieved. You came back and did more it's people like you who dare to do this stuff that helps inspire others to do more. Thanks for your drive and sharing what you've done.
@John64125Ай бұрын
You could double the panels on the trailer by mounting two banks in a V and possibly add additional battery(ies) to capture and store the power. But ultimately when the sun doesn’t shine or it gets dark it will stop and you’ve more or less got a vehicle that can drive all day already. Concept is great.
@MrDusterguy9 күн бұрын
What about using bifacial panels in a V diagram?
@RedawesomeobyАй бұрын
"How much gas you got left in your car?" "4 hours and no clouds"
@d.w3stt94710 күн бұрын
Dude that’s actually pretty funny
@FallLineJP2 ай бұрын
It’s worth pausing to appreciate that 10-20 years ago this would be a multi-million dollar project by a team of phds. Now it’s a (very impressive!) but still fairly achievable build for a KZbin video with off the shelf parts and without any crazy aero bubbles etc The *next* 10-20 years of progress will be fun to observe. Great build and awesome video!
@FuncleChuck2 ай бұрын
Not really. You’re compressing time a bit. Solar Cars have been a university club sport since the 80s
@Mike-oz4cv2 ай бұрын
@@FuncleChuck The aerial video shots would have been the most expensive part a few years ago ;)
@FallLineJP2 ай бұрын
@@FuncleChuck OK.. PhD candidates and major auto manufacturers 😅 en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Solar_Challenge_1987
@MrTetsaga2 ай бұрын
I honestly and hopefully believe that in 20 years' time, humanity will have started using fusion reactors.
@thelastant83662 ай бұрын
@@FallLineJPyou're still wrong, 20 years ago was 2004, this project was possible on a budget in 2004.
@c6q3a242 ай бұрын
Hi. The rigid solar panels weigh a lot more, because they are a little larger, and they produce MUCH more power. Rigid panels can produce 450w per panel, 230w/m2. Flexible panels produce about 175w per panel, 165w/m2. 4 rigid panels will give you more power than 9 flexible panels - you might not not even need a trailer - saving much more weight.
@trentvlak2 ай бұрын
That's a good point.
@teardowndan53642 ай бұрын
Rigid panels may have durability issues in a high-vibration environment like a road vehicle.
@c6q3a242 ай бұрын
@@teardowndan5364 It's quite common to use rigid panels on motorhomes and campervans - at over 100kmh/60mph. The simple solution for vibration is rubber. Just like any suspension bush or engine mount.
@a647382 ай бұрын
@@c6q3a24 No vibrations when you mount them ridigly with hard mounts in every corner and in the middle on a 1m x 1,6m like on my van that go 100km/h usually on long trips (uses less fuel at that speed then when going slower, most likely because when going slower you drive in 5th gear but at that higher speed you can use 6th gear). I would think that rubber mounts actually increases that chance of the panels vibrating?
@MrAdopado2 ай бұрын
@@a64738 Your van has suspension ... this vehicle is transmitting every vibration.
@DanoFSmith-yc9tg10 күн бұрын
For a car, aerodynamics is basically everything for fuel efficiency. If you build a mk2 version I'd be looking at some sort of thin fiberglass body, the air efficiency will outweigh the actual weight of the body in the long run. Also skinnier tires would help with efficiency, along with solid wheel caps to cover the spokes. The air drag those spoked wheels make is unbelievable honestly.
@jacobmcravin21232 ай бұрын
the "opposing similarities"(not sure if that how you would say it) of the horse drawn buggy and a self sustaining electric vehicle was amazing.
@vinny91522 ай бұрын
both are solar powered!
@whophd2 ай бұрын
@@vinny9152yep and both will still be around in 300, 500, 1,000 years when the other systems are kaput
@justg34952 ай бұрын
The word you are looking for is juxtaposition.
@russbilzing53482 ай бұрын
As I see it, the greatest difference is that horses can 'build' more little copies of themselves. Here's an idea or two to ruminate on... 1) A 'fresnel' layer, composed of many for each panel, or, 2) a layer of hemispherical bubbles in an overlay to focus light from a less than overhead sun onto the layer below, or 3) A tubular photocell as an on/off switch to a tilting mechanism for more direct interaction, as it cannot be noon all the time. Just an old fart noodling around with a subject I'm just coming to grips with.
@werner.x2 ай бұрын
@@whophd No, that's a false assumption. It takes very refinded processes to build solar cells. If shtf, the technology to build solar cells won't survive and cannot be rebuilt in an aftermath MadMax scenario. You can refine crude oil with primitive technology like in Mad Max and fire up surviving internal combustion engines, but you cannot produce silicium wafers. So - horse and buggy are the safer bet.
@Nera-whimwhams2 ай бұрын
If you dropped the weight of the frame down, you could possibly exchange that weight for an additional battery. I love this project. The shot of the horse and buggy is priceless. Your builds are always fun, but the effort you put into the presentation is so very appreciated!!!❤
@Kattbirb2 ай бұрын
So glad to see this project continuing! Next step is to make an aerodynamic chassis and reduce the rolling resistance. You can get away with fewer watts with three wheels, better tires and some aero faring while still reaching 45 km/h
@fisharmor2 ай бұрын
Not to mention 3 wheels gives it a prayer of being road legal
@pjotrtje0NL2 ай бұрын
Exactly - you could increase range and decrease burn when using less wide, waay smoother tracked tires.
@tosgem2 ай бұрын
For some tips he should search for "Outback solar race" on youtube. There has been an 1800mile (2900km) EV desert crossing race in Australia since the 1980's. The vehicles are extremely refined, covered in solar panels that are moulded to the aerodynamic shape of the body design. 3 wheels, very thin wheels. Enclosed cockpits. They can average speeds of 70mph from sunrise to sunset running only on solar.
@Mike-oz4cv2 ай бұрын
@@fisharmor Certainly not without a license plate and insurance.
@Kattbirb2 ай бұрын
@Mike-oz4cv That doesn't sound like much of an issue, really. Registration and insurance of a three-wheeled motorcycle is usually pretty cheap. A lot of places in the US don't even require motorcycle licenses for an enclosed autocycle either.
@DaveConsiglio2 ай бұрын
Aerodynamics will help a lot for sure. For a few pounds you could put a shell on this that might save you 20% on air resistance alone. Someone else said knobby tires and that tracks, too. Noise = loss! But this is super awesome. Thanks for building and sharing!
@LutraLovegoodАй бұрын
If a solar plane can fly around the world, this car could drive all day
@otonjogaАй бұрын
If he gets to a cd of 0.2, he would save like 50N tops on drag because he can only go 40km/h, that spread over 300km saves 15MJ of power right? Wich would save 4.1kWh, wich is a damn lot haha, but the problem is getting to that 0.2 without adding weight enough to blunder too much that 50N drag.
@Lunarl4ndrАй бұрын
Aerodynamics were my concern as well. Since he's using flexible panels he may even be able to move them all to one chassis and form a cockpit. Then just box in the floor with hard foam or something light and easy to shape.
@therealgaragegirls2 ай бұрын
Sure. Lots of ways I'd improve a v2.0. But you're out there actually building this stuff and doing so in a way that entertains. Thank you, Drew!
@xanderlander89892 ай бұрын
Amazing. As a kid I built an infinite range solar car, out of LEGO. It was about 1ft long. No battery, really struggled in the shade, but the concept was there.
@Jdbye2 ай бұрын
I built one of those as well, used 3 of the lego solar panels. It was very slow, but it worked.
@OneOfDisease2 ай бұрын
I think it is a matter of scale. Small motors don't use nearly the amount of watts and have good power to weight efficiency. Plus, the model you made didn't have the extra weight of a human inside it. 3 large panels could probably spin his motors but they wouldn't have a lot of power.
@Enderplays122 ай бұрын
@@OneOfDisease Higher voltage motors could also improve his efficiency a ton. Electric unicycles have some mean motors reaching 150+ volts, with peak power of 8kW each.
@recyclespinning98392 ай бұрын
Doesn't Aptera already have a solar powered car ? You tube it ..
@adambeck818019 күн бұрын
Nice job! It's helpful to visualize how much solar is needed for that weight at that speed.
@K41E82 ай бұрын
0:10 not to brag or anything, but i thought of this when i was 6😎 (my parents were very unsuportive)
This idea sucks anyway unless you want to drive solar panel bus
@K41E82 ай бұрын
@@lnteI their is some validity here, but you'd need an extremely light (and emtpy) bus inorder for the energy to exceed the weight it has to propell if that makes sense
@WildBillyGardening2 ай бұрын
It's kind of how everyone has the "freezerwave" idea when they're 5 to compliment the microwave. Then as adults realize it's a pretty common idea (not to rain on your parade lol)
@jeffmoestaygyi.12482 ай бұрын
You parents sniffed farts for a living
@userprobablynotfound2 ай бұрын
It's all fun and games until the clouds come out 😂 Seriously, though, I'm in my thirties and I want to be like you when I grow up. Great project!
@olscro2 ай бұрын
when you grow up?
@userprobablynotfound2 ай бұрын
@@olscro the only thing turning 30 taught me is that I'm just closer to turning 40 than I am to feeling like an adult. Ask any millennial, they'll probably tell you the same thing.
@JerryRigEverything2 ай бұрын
Freakin sweet. Nice work!
@antongalusha70142 ай бұрын
You need such a trailer for your Humvee immediately :)
@Whyrureadingthat2 ай бұрын
Sup
@estradar11Ай бұрын
Hey look the commie showed up.
@RayGouveia-y9rАй бұрын
Loved the video. Did not read all the comments, but you find a way to angle your solar panels to get the maximum absorption of light. And add some comfort with a canopy using solar panels also. Again, great video.
@The8BitGuy2 ай бұрын
Very cool! Of course, if I tried driving something like that around where I live, I'd get run over by a giant pickup truck going 80 mph or something. And if I managed to avoid that, then the police would give me a ticket for driving something that isn't properly registered and inspected.
@echow20012 ай бұрын
Ayo it's the ibookguy!
@jayw9002 ай бұрын
Yep, something with four wheels like this could draw attention from local law enforcement for those reasons. You might be able to get around that by using 3 wheels instead, either delta or tadpole design.
@nicholas48392 ай бұрын
Hey 8bitguy same around here but very cool idea
@jlucasound2 ай бұрын
@@jayw900 😃
@jlucasound2 ай бұрын
@@nicholas4839 😄
@ansoncall64972 ай бұрын
A horse and buggy are just another kind of solar powered vehicle. I loved watching your build and drive. Very relaxing.
@azerafati2 ай бұрын
hehe fun way to look at it, but I'm also thinking by that definition Oil is also solar energy
@hazratmuhazmat88312 ай бұрын
All power is solar power. Wind, Water, even wood from photosynthesis. Edit: The only exception would be nuclear. But one could say all power is nuclear.
@Nordic_Mechanic2 ай бұрын
And the horse has heating for the nordic people such as me
@WhyName2 ай бұрын
@hazratmuhazmat8831geo thermal? Also first trials for fusion have been showing net energy gain. Not being used yet, but still you said all.
@hazratmuhazmat88312 ай бұрын
@@WhyName Without the sun, the earth would become an ice ball.
@Leongon2 ай бұрын
Why take offense of the people giving suggestions? Take it as a compliment to the content creator, guys, he got people excited about the idea and trying to help improve it, as he requested. I see no sense in dismissing people calling them armchair engineers and such when many are likely to be actual experts in the technology and skill set involved.
@larjasoul2 ай бұрын
Some people are more butthurt about "backseat-drivers" than others. I suffer from a similar sensitivity. I admit, it is a setback, as it makes it harder for me to sincerely consider what might be very valid suggestions. It takes time to tame that knee-jerk reaction to critique, but it's an ongoing process.
@Leongon2 ай бұрын
@@larjasoul I think it's easy to understand it from the first person, it's not easy to take criticism even when it's gentle and constructive, it takes maturity. But I find it so much stranger to take offense as a third person over the possibly offended feelings of the one receiving the critique who actually asked for in the video xD
@Night_Hawk_4752 ай бұрын
Agree 100% Video is awesome, but I'm just sad afterwards when I scroll and see that pinned comment/response :c
@larjasoul2 ай бұрын
@@Leongon DONT YOU DARE TELL ME HOW TO UNDERSTAND IT. jklol. yeah it is a very weird mindset to take offense on OP's behalf. terminally online behavior.
Доброй,белой завистью,завидую творцам,имеющим ресурсы для творчества!!!😂❤😂 См.,,ОПЫТЫ,ПЕСНИ ИВАНА КОПЕЦА" Здоровья,вдохновения,успехов,коллега!!!❤❤❤
@4thorder2 ай бұрын
For a prototype, this is badass! Real nice simple design and looks like fun to make. As some others here suggest, changing the material of the frame would help. As a retired engineer, I am geeking out, lol.
@cverlaak2 ай бұрын
An idea for the trailer: Raising the solar panels, extend over/on top of the wheels, and rotate 90°. place the panels more like this: /⁻⁻\. Put the 3 panels front to back in series instead of left to right. You would need 3 more panels and have 1 more set in series. When the sun is high, all 3 series on the trailer generate power. Is the sun lower, then depending on the angle, 1 side and the top have sun. Is the sun about to set, then 1 side still generates some power. Raising the panels also creates space for storage, foldable chair, tent, batteries or other stuff so you can go camping for example. And if you don't want to buy more panels you could shorten the trailer and have the trailer move less like a seesaw on bumps and holes in the road.
@niikon2 ай бұрын
9:34 „To save weight“, builds whole trailer out of steel… lol my dude, you funny af 😂
@Spinattitude2 ай бұрын
I was thinking the exact same thing!
@derekgamble70902 ай бұрын
Aluminum is not easy to weld. But yes much lighter
@niikon2 ай бұрын
@@derekgamble7090 Wood doesn't need welding 🙃
@Enderplays122 ай бұрын
@@niikon Wood warps sideways if you don't want it thick or add lots of supports.
@markwhatzhisface33312 ай бұрын
I agree, sure aluminium costs more but would be 60% lighter. Unless you don't know how to or want to weld aluminum.
@gliixoАй бұрын
Not sure if anyone else has said this yet but you should totally build a roof canopy on the car with panels on it too, that way you have a roof that shades you and even more panels on just the car! That's how I would do it at least and I'm inspired to build something similar. Have you thought about also using small wind turbines to generate power? They sell inverters that take solar panels along with turbines, I would look into it! I love this idea
@MrBashem2 ай бұрын
So many people seemed to not have seen a solar car or boat before. Its' great to have fun building your own stuff.
@coffeeisgood1022 ай бұрын
THANK YOU for making this video. It hit home with me. Years ago I took a toy Ford Bronco which ran on two AA batteries. I removed the batteries and built a trailer eerily similar to yours and mounted twelve 2 watt Radio Shack solar cells on it. I wired it in series - parallel and connected the wires to the positive and negative battery terminals. (I did not replace the batteries. The power is supplied solely from the cells). When in the sunlight the Bronco would barrel down the sidewalk. With no remote controls the only way to stop it was to run and catch it and take it out of the sun. (It would actually move slowly in the shade). What fun this was. I built two of them, the other being a different vehicle, not a Bronco. Loved this video so much I subscribed
Hi there! Nice project! I really liked it. One way to improve it a bit is to raise the rear panels to a sunny side. For example, if you are driving east and the sun is to the right - the panels should be lifted from the left and angled towards the sun. This should improve the efficiency of the solar panels a little. The idea here is to get the panel surface as close to 90 degrees to the sun as possible. I think I have described the idea correctly. Thank you very much!
@McBenjiBooАй бұрын
Yeah I thought the exact same thing for long journeys in one direction. It makes a noticeable difference to efficiency having them angled towards the sun.. It looked like maybe he was doing a big loop of local roads, in which case you would need to change the height more frequently. I thought having the panel mounting struts on actuators that could raise and lower each panel corner separately. That way you could angle them back if the sun was behind you, forward if it's in front, or either side, while you're driving.
@FelineFurryКүн бұрын
Now I'd love to see you make that entire rig amphibious. Love your channel and your builds.
@K1llerSchniTzel2 ай бұрын
18:00 is starting ;)
@dkrk55952 ай бұрын
Thanks :)
@TimothyWhiteheadzm2 ай бұрын
Excellent test. The reason we don't see solar panels on cars is because it makes more sense to put them somewhere stationary, charge a battery then come and charge the car there, because the car will often be in a non-ideal location for solar panels whereas stationary ones can always be at the ideal angle/location. The reason we can't have 'infinite range' on are normal vehicles is an area problem as you found out.
@adastraedu2 ай бұрын
Actually, on a vehicle using enough power, like a Tesla, the solar just isn't enough to matter much. That's why the tesla doesn't use solar, while Aptera has them because it uses little enough power to make a difference.
@TimothyWhiteheadzm2 ай бұрын
@@adastraedu Electric cars have a problem similar to the famous 'tyranny of the rocket equation'. Essentially, as you add more batteries to add more range, you are also adding more weight which requires more power. So a solar powered car that could drive at night would need more batteries and to fill those batteries would need more panels and to pull all that extra weight would need even more batteries and panels and it quickly gets ridiculous. Nevertheless solar cells on the surface of any electric car would make an appreciable difference to daytime range, but even in the case of the Aptera, the extra cost means that it still makes more sense to have stationary panels and to to recharge when necessary. For the Aptera it is a sales gimmick not a good sense option.
@tyrelirwin2 ай бұрын
@@TimothyWhiteheadzm you clearly haven't looked into Aptera enough. The average Californian would never need to plug in their Aptera. The projected efficiency is around 100wh/mile. 400w of solar panels. 10 hours of sun nets 40 miles a day. More than the average person needs. Quite a bit more than "just a sales gimmick"...
@NBSV12 ай бұрын
@@tyrelirwinProjected efficiency, not proven real world average efficiency. And, 40mi a day wouldn’t get a lot of people to work and back let alone trying to run some errands or take a trip somewhere. As interesting and neat as they are it just isn’t a valid solution for many people. A plug in hybrid makes so much more sense and would benefit far more people.
@sortascouseace2 ай бұрын
Counterpoint.... Trains
@garyvee60232 ай бұрын
I think it has 100% usefullness, especially for here in Australia. The Wright brothers didn't fly around the world with their first plane. ☺ Carbon fibre body, solarplex canopy to reduce wind resistance. 🥰🥰 Well done and a step in the right direction.
@zilfondelАй бұрын
Look up the Aptera, it's a near-production ready vehicle as you describe.
@Nickjucyanneedwardflegal5 күн бұрын
I have never seen anything like this is my life.
@DocMicrowave2 ай бұрын
Getting some "The Martian" vibes from this build. Good job!
@luxxxa11862 ай бұрын
I was thinking the exact same Thing ❤
@derekkee55882 ай бұрын
My favorite thing about Drew’s filmmaking style is that every single shot always has at least a touch of motion to it. Makes the whole project breathe - smart stuff
@49erjohn2 ай бұрын
As a fellow graduate of the School of Hard Knocks with a degree at KZbin University, my logic tells me that constructing your trailer frame from a lightweight aluminum chassis would cut the weight way down and take less energy to pull. I gotta say I am thoroughly impressed with your design. The wiring and PV equipment was very clean. I appreciate the video!
@kylecrane57512 ай бұрын
That's how Elon built the frame for the cyber truck 😲
@marsettenmohn2 ай бұрын
bunch of know-it-all yappersvilles in the comments who never built anything close to this.
@49erjohnАй бұрын
@@kylecrane5751 LOL. Point taken
@49erjohnАй бұрын
@@marsettenmohn And you know this how??
@keithbrunson9875Ай бұрын
i build this concept 3 years ago ,go to youtube Brunson solar power car
@DBLGameplay12329 күн бұрын
Everything good until moon showes up😂😂
@ianball39722 ай бұрын
Give the trailer bed the ability to tilt left to right, possibly in a motorized fashion, controllable from the driver seat . You could further maximize available light as you change direction in relation to the sun. Love the project !! Keep Going !!
@astecheee15192 ай бұрын
My thinking exactly. you can actually do left/right and up/down with a total of 2 linear actuators and a ball joint. Hook that up to a cluster of light sensors and a processor that automatically adusts the angle based on that data and you could be looking at easily a 30% increase in efficiency in morning and afternoon.
@degreeless_engineering2 ай бұрын
"A grinder and paint make me the welder I ain't". One of my favorite sayings!
@wytblur2 ай бұрын
Along similar lines, sometimes people say, "Do your best and caulk the rest."
@ujjuwr27852 ай бұрын
It's crazy that most of us had this idea crossed our mind at least once, yet hardly anyone tried it. There's a lot of room of improvement here. Please add donation under the video or something so we can contribute for next project on this idea. We want to see most efficient build of this. Prove the world wrong.
@emptyshirt2 ай бұрын
Its a lot of work to build something like this, only to not be allowed to drive it on public roads.
@DrewBuildsStuff2 ай бұрын
You bet. KZbin allows me to have the time and finances to build something like this. It would be pretty hard to justify the build without KZbin.
@SamuelMM_Mitosis2 ай бұрын
Theres actually an annual competition to make an entirely solar powered car. Its just impossible at least with today’s technology to make a practical, commercially viable car that is entirely solar powered
@emptyshirt2 ай бұрын
@@SamuelMM_Mitosis I don't think it is impossible, but it would take a lot of cooperation with industry people who can make more money by building vehicles that aren't solar cars. Its like how you can make more money making videos that sell videogames than making videos that teach calculus, but it doesn't cost $100,000,000 to make calculus videos, so a few people do it anyway.
@sharpvidtube2 ай бұрын
@@SamuelMM_Mitosis I imagine there are a lot of people that will do anything to stop a commercially viable solar powered car?
@ColinNixon-u2hАй бұрын
A man of ability and the desire to accomplish something can do anything.
@HiFiGuy12 ай бұрын
I love your intent, and so admire using your resources to pursue this cool project. I think you might be missing an opportunity with the solar panels, however. Maxeon 7 has a 445W panel, as an example. Your nine panels totaled 1575W and even without the trailer weigh almost 90 kg including the wood frames. Only four of the Maxeons would be 1780W for a 13% increase in charge capacity, weigh less than 84 kg, and if you made a "roof" on your car with one of the panels it would not only shield you from the heat, you wouldn't even need the entire trailer system. So MUCH less weight, and less drag, which means much more power efficiency. Just a thought!
@stormveil2 ай бұрын
Yep there is a solar bike race in France and the self build designs there are converging on a single, tilting roof over the length of the vehicle.
@rodh21682 ай бұрын
Bridgestone World Solar Challenge-the world's premier solar car event relying on solar energy as its power source to travel 3,000 km across the Australian continent over the course of approximately 5 days.
@rchender2 ай бұрын
APTERA
@rodh21682 ай бұрын
@@rchender ??
@rchender2 ай бұрын
@@rodh2168 Aptera!
@CharlesAnsman2 ай бұрын
@@rodh2168 vaporware
@newolde12 ай бұрын
@@rodh2168when someone writes something you don't understand/know, look it up.
@magnuscircleАй бұрын
Dude, the vehicle is amazing. You have demonstrated so many skills just with this one build: electrical/mechanical/materials engineering, solar tech, bike tech, painter, etc. It's very, very impressive. I really enjoyed the Amish wagon juxtaposition. The stunt double is hilarious. I think the design is fantastic, as are the finishing aesthetics. Thank you for following through on your scientific experiment. It was a huge success!
@magnuscircleАй бұрын
Oh, I forgot environmental engineering. Also, what beautiful county. Where is this being filmed?
@alexnorth2452Ай бұрын
Sorry but this design has dozens of serious flaws, it isn't fantastic in any way
@iwantcheesypuffs27 күн бұрын
Great video! Quite a few improvements. Some notes below: 1. Framing as aluminum would reduce the weight quite a bit 2. Reduce drag by adding fairing over the middle, preferably which will flow down to the trailer solar panels which would keep them cooler and increase output 3. Skinner taller wheels like fatty bike tires will reduce wheel and wheel bearing friction drag, especially at higher speeds 4. Adding one extra battery to store excess solar output 5. Adding the ability to tilt left or right the panels on the trailer to face the sun movement As you noted filming probably did not help with getting a true valuation of this prototype. Moderate clouds were a considerable factor. Overall excellent run. Well done!
@fiveeyedfrog2 ай бұрын
First thing I thought when I started watching was "...sounds like a TIE fighter..." So cool!!!!!
@sgas2 ай бұрын
that's because of the knobby tires. Get a regular bicycle with knobbies or a fatbike and it'll sound the same. Pitch changing with speed. Enjoy.
@matthewprather73862 ай бұрын
It turns out a TIE Fighter sounds suspiciously like a knobby-tired electric-powered cart..
@pauljs752 ай бұрын
Most Lucasfilm spaceship noises are from the studio's sound designers recording vehicles passing by on the interstate. So it's not too surprising.
@PropaneWPАй бұрын
It's cool, but that's the sound of wasted energy
@sgasАй бұрын
@@PropaneWP not rly
@MmmHugglesАй бұрын
18:45 that is a neat shot there. A glimpse into the very old and the very new.
@jopnick2 ай бұрын
What a beautifully built machine and masterfully produced video! That shot of the horse drawn carriage, passing the solar bike. A horse powered by grass, powered by the sun and a bike and trailer doing the same.
@Grushnerd2 ай бұрын
few tips to reduce friction: try using skinny slick tires pumped up to maximum capacity check your wheel alignment this should give significant mileage boost considering the long distance. Also the flexible panels are less efficient than solid from what I've heard. You could use an aluminium frame for the trailer and use the rigidity from solid panels as part of the structure so maybe look into that factor as well. Great vid, I've always dreamed about doing this kind of build.
@denniswendtland9707Ай бұрын
I liked many of the suggestions I’ve read already: lighter frame, a way to cool the panels, light material to make the whole rig more aerodynamic, less roll-resistant tires, maybe a way for you to add pedal power when you’re not too tired and especially going up any hills, some kind of sail to help capture the wind, a way to generate power when going down hill, a way to tilt the panels toward the sun, possibly some kind of reflectors especially during waning sunlight. Fun watching and brainstorming.
@randyconrad41552 ай бұрын
I live down in Norfolk county not too far from this guy. I really hope I run into him sometime. I cant wait for the next build video for this project. There's been awesome comments and I cant imagine all the ways he's going to improve this rig.
@blackboxxj96472 ай бұрын
Please don't run into him, that would be awful to be hit while driving that thing. 😣 Sorry, I saw an opportunity for a dad joke and had to take it. 😂
@thatdoggoo2 ай бұрын
Can’t wait for this build man hope your shoulder is doing better!
@raven4k9982 ай бұрын
now it's your turn to make one of those solar cars get to work man😂😂
@DrewBuildsStuff2 ай бұрын
Not sure it’s getting better or I’m just getting use to it
@oggie19672 ай бұрын
Stumbled on this by chance but watched in admiration! Well done & fair play to you sir, fair play!👍👏👏👏♥️
@R1ch4rd74Ай бұрын
Add heat lamps (Or high intensity light bars) for night time driving and add a dedicated battery for the lamps. have the lamps battery be charging during the day time so you can use the heat lamps or high intensity light bars as a limp home mode. it will be slow but will still get you home depending on the size of the battery you use for the trailer and the distance to your home/workshop/base. this was very entertaining to watch. liked and subbed.
@maxnits95562 ай бұрын
These shots have literally the vibe of post-apocalyptic tv series where main hero travels on his solar mobile and collects abandoned things on the road, then takes rest at night.
@JDMLOVER862 ай бұрын
They made the post apocalypse eco friendly 😭
@navigatingthedestination2 ай бұрын
Bridgestone solar challenge is always great to watch to get inspired. If you switched to rigid bifacial solar panels you could reduce the amount of panels you need. And if you built everything out of aluminum to reduce the weight. Love the build.
@kristysalgado31862 ай бұрын
@Brigestone
@vladimirpain39422 ай бұрын
"Lets clean this up with angle grinder, that's what it is for anyway" is brilliant line.
@daanwilmerАй бұрын
Grinder and paint make me the welder I ain't!
@mikeleadproАй бұрын
What an outstanding accomplishment! You could travel all day...rest at night and resume your trip the next morning! Real world practicality friend!
@Josh-cw8by2 ай бұрын
When he passes the horse drawn carriage, it looks like it was done intentionally to showcase the differences in technology, but it's important to remember both "vehicles" are solar powered.
@JamshadAhmad2 ай бұрын
The horse has a bigger battery though. It can go on all night.
@Klipik122 ай бұрын
Everything on earth is solar powered. Even uranium was made in a star.
@pcguidelk2 ай бұрын
@@Klipik12 ha ha.. true! we the life as it exists today - is solar powered in some stage of its existance!
@Josh-cw8by2 ай бұрын
@@Klipik12 That is true, but a solar panel and a horse are a lot further up the chain than the elements formed in our star.
@xEstrangHero2 ай бұрын
@@JamshadAhmad and a lot of raw horsepower.
@keithmccracken55572 ай бұрын
Your sense of humor is great and quite rare.
@russellmolimock2 ай бұрын
You should start driving it on 1% battery at 10AM and see if it can continuously charge as you go. That'd be the real infinite-range test.
@AstrophageOfficialАй бұрын
yeah because that's practical lol
@jama211Ай бұрын
@@AstrophageOfficial why not?
@jama211Ай бұрын
Great idea
@russellmolimockАй бұрын
@@AstrophageOfficial nothing about this video or this vehicle is practical. No one watching this is wondering about practical use-cases. The point is to demonstrate that the principle is possible with current technology. The way to do that is as I outlined, start with almost no battery and see if it can charge as fast as it consumes energy.
@chrish1695Ай бұрын
my thoughts exactly
@cingkole789320 күн бұрын
23:40 imagine you put the trailer on an Aptera!
@TreCayUltimateLife2 ай бұрын
SO much room for massive improvement. Lighter frame. Better panels. Low resistance tyres.
@ex-engineer66572 ай бұрын
Money money money. It's a prototype.
@ThatToast2 ай бұрын
@@ex-engineer6657 i think the 2 and a half million views of the last video more than could have paid for an aluminum frame and street tires
@JohnDir-xw3hf2 ай бұрын
He won't use it anyway. 🤗
@virtualmidwest33942 ай бұрын
how many solar cars have you built?
@KorraTheFrenchie2 ай бұрын
Agree if money isn’t an issue. Although switching out to lower resistance wheels and tires wouldn’t be too much money comparatively speaking. I wonder what the weight difference between aluminum frame and solid panels would be?
@scottpasnikowski60602 ай бұрын
Finally!!! Someone tried it!!! I have been mulling this over for ages. Keep going! Think bigger!!! Length of a semi that folds up to car size when stationary
@DrewBuildsStuff2 ай бұрын
That would be cool. If the video gets enough attention I will push this idea into something bigger
@redechihwai93312 ай бұрын
A million views in 24 hours is good right😊😊😊 lets gooooo@@DrewBuildsStuff
@filup74192 ай бұрын
@@DrewBuildsStuff How much is "enough attention"? This video has been out for 2 days and already has well over 1.1 million views.
@tomahawk87542 ай бұрын
Check out the World Solar Challenge that happens in Australia every year. They do 3000km races in pure solar vehicles.
@sn0wchyld2 ай бұрын
check out solar challenge (australia) - been going on for years... similar idea to this guy but usually far better equipment thanks to lots of sponsorship in the competition (not knocking this guy, he did well for a 1 man home build).
@CharlieMacklin12 ай бұрын
MAGNIFICENT! This video will help people understand SO much about solar. My only suggestion would be adding circuitry for regenerative braking using the motor. Favorite moment is at 18:46 with the solar electric rig going the complete opposite direction as the Amish buggy while the roadhouse guitar is playing 😅 love it.
@homunculous0072 ай бұрын
The moment with the buggy was poetic.
@Khaztr18 күн бұрын
Happy to see he went the trailer route, that's what I did for my kids' 12v rider. Problem is they hate going in reverse with it, understandably, so I made it easily detachable for when they want to run off battery only.
@AussieScorcher2 ай бұрын
Been binge watching your videos and i have to say I love them you have done a very good job and I love the long form content. Now you just gotta make it fast :)
@myself2482 ай бұрын
Having watched the World Solar Challenge as a kid in the 80s and 90s, when these things cost upwards of a million dollars to build, it's simply mindblowing to see the price of all the components having plummeted to this point. What's your budget so far? Solar is SO cheap now, that you can use steel framing and fat tires, instead of lighter and more efficient components, and just make up for it with MORE CHEAP PANELS. That's just awesome.
@jasonharrison252 ай бұрын
I used to look forward to reading about the race and all the vehicles in that challenge. I strictly remember one called the solar racer that smashed the record and beat everyone else by over two days. The thing was shaped like a rain drop. Super aerodynamic Fun times
@travismiller55482 ай бұрын
they only cost millions if you try to calculate the hours of labor. most of the materials are donated by defense contractors. ask how i know.
@TONOCLAY2 ай бұрын
I would 100% recommend putting some tall flags or something on the trailer. Its flat profile might make it hard to see to inattentive drivers.
@johnniewelbornjr.89402 ай бұрын
Good thinking but... If today's drivers can literally run into big trucks with flashing lights and oversized flags and banners, it honestly won't make much difference... ;)
@bautiabaro25 күн бұрын
I had flexible panels and also big heavy panels huge difference in terms of energy production!! Especially when is cloudy ☁️!!! So for a practical final design I would consider the solar panels again, but great video!! I can’t imagine how much time and effort you put into this project!! Respect!! ✊ 🇦🇷
@rosetheblackcat2 ай бұрын
i love that shot of you passing the horse drawn carriage😂the future is now
@juniperhart32082 ай бұрын
Awesome that you made this with standard hardware. Unlike the Australian Solar car event, your machine doesn’t cost millions. Maybe version three you make the buggy longer, three more panels, more aerodynamic, shaded driver, lighter chasis. Same power system, same tyres, better flexible frame design for absorbing the bumps, and clear windscreen for rider comfort.
@camramaster2 ай бұрын
He should get a sponsor.
@bigmikeosg77532 ай бұрын
Some times building something, you build and build. Once you built it, it doesn’t necessarily need any other building. But you build anyway, and then what you built is great but needs a bit more building. Hope the building never stops 👍
@StreetsvillainyАй бұрын
i posted on reddit asking if this was possible a year ortwo back and this is exactly what i wanted to see. Amazing.
@zacharyreid75572 ай бұрын
23:47 “no value” the year is 2050 and you’re cruising the wasteland highways in this because gasoline is almost impossible to find
@Gl_3tch2 ай бұрын
by then a majority of cars will likely be electric
@zacharyreid75572 ай бұрын
@@Gl_3tch did you just compare electric cars to this purpose built lightweight solar rechargeable vehicle?
@whiteduck55632 ай бұрын
Or ride a camel
@SnackAttack772 ай бұрын
We have exponentially more oil than just a 25 year supply. Current reserves alone gives us a 50 year supply not counting what's still in the ground. Man y'all really do live in a fantasy world.
@mybeautifulcat70112 ай бұрын
@@Gl_3tchmajority? All cars will only be electric , in my country it is already banned to use gasoline or hybrid cars, only 100% electric cars are allowed. So we have electric cars, trucks, busses etc.....
@dedpixlroy15212 ай бұрын
The Armish person riding the horse cart was poetic as you came to frame
@singing4fun2 ай бұрын
Truly appreciate the work you put into your videos Drew. Production value is amazing!
@DrewBuildsStuff2 ай бұрын
Thank you, appreciate the support for the channel! Thanks for watching 😊
@empireranger7 күн бұрын
Outstanding! Your next project should be some kind of handlebar-adjustable gimbal system to allow you to aim all the panels to get more sun.