Jeep Is Installing Solar Chargers at Moab And Rubicon Trail For New Hybrid Wrangler 4xe

[Kevin Mojito]

My best days are in the 150-160 KWH / day. Winters ( Nov-Jan) 400-600 KWH/MONTH lol
I'm on the east side of the state, Wind does really good here too. I'm on hillside land, so great to hide the field on the ground.

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[Sean K.]

On that note, I'm digging this new one - "virtue signaling."

Not even remotely new.

 

[RubiTuesday]

the leading edge of residential size panels is around 370w and each panel is about 16ft2

5kW of solar offsets one full charge per day depending on sun hours per year. If you’re north of Oklahoma, 6kW works, in the sun belt, 4kW works.
if I was Jeep I’d build 30kW arrays and have about 150kWhs of storage along with three chargers.
that turns into about 1300ft2

I’ve done solar for almost 15 years now.

Thanks. If I’m following along correctly, this system would handle roughly 6 full charges per day. So about 220 sqft / Jeep / day?

 

[jeepingib]

What do you think, like 10%?...........

Absolutely knew that this was coming!

 

[jeepingib]

the leading edge of residential size panels is around 370w and each panel is about 16ft2

5kW of solar offsets one full charge per day depending on sun hours per year. If you’re north of Oklahoma, 6kW works, in the sun belt, 4kW works.
if I was Jeep I’d build 30kW arrays and have about 150kWhs of storage along with three chargers.
that turns into about 1300ft2

I’ve done solar for almost 15 years now.

I thank you for bringing some real knowledge to this conversation. I think that your calculations are pretty accurate for Moab, but I think that there would be less need overall at the Rubicon. I just can't imagine 6 4xE Wranglers going on that trail every day.

 

[TheRealTVGuy]

Speed is the enemy of electric vehicle efficiency. On the Rubicon and Moab trails you crawl, as I'm sure you know. My Prius gets 70 MPG on drives into Los Angeles on freeways choked with bumper to bumper traffic. But on high speed runs up Hwy 5 where you run 90 mph or more...

There's a highway in California where the official posted speed limit is 90mph?

 

[Sean K.]

There's a highway in California where the official posted speed limit is 90mph?

Not this shit again!

 

[T_square]

Haven't read much about regenerative braking or run the Rubicon trail have you?

Well considering I daily a JL and an i3 (an EV w/ modular regen braking) I think I have a little bit of experience in both subjects.

 

[JimLee]

Well considering I daily a JL and an i3 (an EV w/ modular regen braking) I think I have a little bit of experience in both subjects.

Then you should know that there is a minimum speed for regenerative braking to work, and that those speeds will not be reached on the Rubicon trail.

 

[Toycrusher]

Then you should know that there is a minimum speed for regenerative braking to work, and that those speeds will not be reached on the Rubicon trail.

It can all be scienced. The force of the Jeep, momentum and gravity, is the max force available to be recaptured. Take away the efficiency losses of the method of recapture, and the conversion back to DC, and the method of storing in the battery, and there's only so much juice you can ever hope to push back into that battery.

 

[HardSell]

I doubt land based heavy equipment is going to be an option for even getting the charging stations set up.

Gas company groomed Cliffhanger on Amasa Back a few years back to bury gas pipe and make trail passable for heavy equipment. Returned trail to Jeep status when finished. Power company did the same for Iron Chest out of St. Elmo. Moved all the boulders then replaced 'em. Hats off to those guys! Charging stations are no big deal. ICE is on its way out. Give it 10 years max.

 

[Fargo]

ICE is on its way out. Give it 10 years max.

 

[cosmokenney]

Aesthetically the last thing I want to see in the great outdoors is charging stations everywhere.

 

[Windshieldfarmer]

Aesthetically the last thing I want to see in the great outdoors is charging stations everywhere.

I agree - just a few More years of battery development and it won’t be an issue. Just need to bridge with transitional technology. Those solar stations will be simple to build and later remove....

 

[Toycrusher]

I agree - just a few More years of battery development and it won’t be an issue. Just need to bridge with transitional technology. Those solar stations will be simple to build and later remove....

Long range light weight batteries are in the same category as that 80 mpg carburetor...