Electric RV - 5000 Miles on Solar Only
Donation protected
Environmentalists, RV'ers and Solar Energy Fans out there; do you hate gas prices, air pollution and noise? Read on to see if you like this innovative concept. Please note that all images in here are artist renderings of the vehicle. They will be replaced with photos as the vehicle is funded and built.
I'm building this vehicle to prove that an RV, in this case a teardrop size camper, does not have to leave a carbon footprint wherever it goes and eat up most of the cost of travel with buying fuel. This vehicle could serve as a model which, when scaled up to family size, would revolutionize RV travel. The best way to prove this concept is to make a 5000 mile cross country trip with no gas, no plugging in, no generator and only using Solar Panels for charging and accessories to convince the doubters. This will show the capabilities of solar charged vehicles to everyone we meet along the way and convince them that alternative energy is not a pipe dream any more!
(Be sure to check out the Blog link at bottom after reading this to see lots more images and all details of the vehicle)
As you will read below I already have a lot of the parts and materials but need funding for the Two 50HP DC motors, two 11KW Lithium Battery Packs, Seven solar panels and the solar charging system.
If each of you gave just $5 (the price of a Starbucks coffee) to help me prove that this project will work it could help revolutionize RV travel. At $5 each it would take less than 2000 people out of 300 million in the US to put this little bugger on the road for all the skeptics to see!
The image above will be the typical camping setup. Both side solar panels can be raised up to access the doors or to increase their exposure angle to the sun. The Solar Panel Rack is mounted to the base vehicle and leaves an air gap of 3” between the panels and the camper to provide shade and to keep the panels cooler. The awning is rolled up against the camper, the support poles are stowed under the trailer and the chairs fit into the storage space under mattresses. Since the camper is locked into the bed of the trike it can be unlocked and slid off onto the ground in the shade, and the trike parked in the sun to recharge.
With the solar panels supplying 1600 watts when driving on sunny days it we should get close to 200 miles between charge and we plan to use the charging time to to enjoy the local scenery, cook out, meet donors and supporters and update everyone about the trip on the BLOG. The first blog entry shows the trip route. We will be going through some large cities on the state roads rather than the interstate. We would love to meet all the donors we can and show them how everything works!
The technology, parts and materials I am using already exist and can be purchased by anyone but no one, so far as I can find, has built the pieces into this form. Check out Zero Motorcycles website and you can see electric bikes have come of age.This RV just needs this proof of concept trip to prove it can be done. We are working with an electric vehicle convertor to supply the motors, battery packs and custom charging system.
I have already purchased a lot of the materials and equipment for the construction of the base vehicle and the camper. The motorcycle frame,12V Chest Fridge, TV, audio system, a 2000 lb. capacity 12V winch to pull the camper onto the bed and LED lights for the inside and outside. I also have the 12V charger/convertor and batteries to power all of it plus a 12V to AC convertor to power the TV, laptop, audio system and charge phones and other items.
The 5x5x8 camper box walls will be built using outdoor sign panels for the walls which are hard insulating foam in the center with thin fiberglass bonded to both sides. This is lightweight, great insulation, easy cleaning and and is made to be out in the weather all the time. The camper box will weigh well under 400 lbs and the total ready to roll weight of the vehicle with supplies and two riders will be about 1850 lbs.
Click Here for Blog and More Details
I'm building this vehicle to prove that an RV, in this case a teardrop size camper, does not have to leave a carbon footprint wherever it goes and eat up most of the cost of travel with buying fuel. This vehicle could serve as a model which, when scaled up to family size, would revolutionize RV travel. The best way to prove this concept is to make a 5000 mile cross country trip with no gas, no plugging in, no generator and only using Solar Panels for charging and accessories to convince the doubters. This will show the capabilities of solar charged vehicles to everyone we meet along the way and convince them that alternative energy is not a pipe dream any more!
(Be sure to check out the Blog link at bottom after reading this to see lots more images and all details of the vehicle)
As you will read below I already have a lot of the parts and materials but need funding for the Two 50HP DC motors, two 11KW Lithium Battery Packs, Seven solar panels and the solar charging system.
If each of you gave just $5 (the price of a Starbucks coffee) to help me prove that this project will work it could help revolutionize RV travel. At $5 each it would take less than 2000 people out of 300 million in the US to put this little bugger on the road for all the skeptics to see!
The image above will be the typical camping setup. Both side solar panels can be raised up to access the doors or to increase their exposure angle to the sun. The Solar Panel Rack is mounted to the base vehicle and leaves an air gap of 3” between the panels and the camper to provide shade and to keep the panels cooler. The awning is rolled up against the camper, the support poles are stowed under the trailer and the chairs fit into the storage space under mattresses. Since the camper is locked into the bed of the trike it can be unlocked and slid off onto the ground in the shade, and the trike parked in the sun to recharge.
With the solar panels supplying 1600 watts when driving on sunny days it we should get close to 200 miles between charge and we plan to use the charging time to to enjoy the local scenery, cook out, meet donors and supporters and update everyone about the trip on the BLOG. The first blog entry shows the trip route. We will be going through some large cities on the state roads rather than the interstate. We would love to meet all the donors we can and show them how everything works!
The technology, parts and materials I am using already exist and can be purchased by anyone but no one, so far as I can find, has built the pieces into this form. Check out Zero Motorcycles website and you can see electric bikes have come of age.This RV just needs this proof of concept trip to prove it can be done. We are working with an electric vehicle convertor to supply the motors, battery packs and custom charging system.
I have already purchased a lot of the materials and equipment for the construction of the base vehicle and the camper. The motorcycle frame,12V Chest Fridge, TV, audio system, a 2000 lb. capacity 12V winch to pull the camper onto the bed and LED lights for the inside and outside. I also have the 12V charger/convertor and batteries to power all of it plus a 12V to AC convertor to power the TV, laptop, audio system and charge phones and other items.
The 5x5x8 camper box walls will be built using outdoor sign panels for the walls which are hard insulating foam in the center with thin fiberglass bonded to both sides. This is lightweight, great insulation, easy cleaning and and is made to be out in the weather all the time. The camper box will weigh well under 400 lbs and the total ready to roll weight of the vehicle with supplies and two riders will be about 1850 lbs.
Click Here for Blog and More Details
Organizer
John Havard
Organizer
Mobile, AL
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