One of the great things about taking an EV camping is the silence. You can run all the things-electric from the vehicle without having to listen to a generator.
But, one of the challenges of camping with an EV is that some trips are more difficult when you’re going out boondocking far from “civilization.” When I used to drive a gas vehicle, I’d put a 5-gallon can in the bed so we could get up to 30 miles (60 round trip) farther from everyone.
With a decent solar system and auxiliary battery, the same can be accomplished with an EV. When camping and on road trips, I carry a 5.1 kWh portable power station that can provide up to 30A 120V power to recharge an EV. That 5.1 kWh will give me about 15 miles of low-speed, off-road extra range. And with some solar panels, I can refill that power station every day. That’s independent of the vehicle I might be driving. If I can fit the power station and solar panels into or onto the vehicle, I can recharge the vehicle slowly but surely.
However, there are some challenges:
Some people might be reluctant to leave their expensive power station outside when they go for a hike for fear of sticky fingers. In a truck with a tonneau cover (my setup), this isn’t as much of an issue. I can just disconnect the charging plug and close everything up—the solar wires can easily fit in the many spaces around a tonneau cover or tailgate.
In an SUV, this is more of a problem. Transferring power from the solar panels to the power station when driving or the power station is otherwise inside the vehicle would require some kind of intrusion from outside to inside. Similarly, if you want to charge the vehicle from the power station, the options are: leave the vehicle open enough to allow the cable to get outside or set the power station outside.
An upgrade option that I would certainly appreciate would be to have an XT-90 (or similar) low-voltage, relatively low-amperage plug near the charging port on the outside of the vehicle (or somewhere else that makes sense) and a mate to that plug on the inside of the vehicle so solar power can be transferred to the vehicle while the vehicle is closed up (driving or parked, doesn’t matter). Another part of the package would be an interconnected charge port on the inside of the vehicle so that the auxiliary battery can power a Level 1 EVSE that is charging the vehicle also while the vehicle is all closed up—the interconnection would be necessary so plugging in at a charging station doesn’t short out the system. Whatever the design is there, I’m sure Scout engineers could figure it out.
Note that solar power does not extend single-leg range in the way many people misunderstand requests for solar. Solar on a vehicle can’t provide direct charging of a 400 or 800 volt battery. But solar can charge an auxiliary battery that can then provide 120V power to an L1 charger. Some can even provide 240V power. That extra power is best thought of as an extra gas can that can be refilled while on the road and boondocking.
None of this is requesting the auxiliary battery or solar be included with the vehicle, just an option to purchase a small kit that’s installed at the factory to enable this kind of extra charging. The aftermarket can provide the additional options such as the auxiliary battery, a solar tonneau covers, solar racks, solar rooftop tents, etc. But having a well-designed and well-built intrusion into the interior of the vehicle would help make the Scout that much more attractive to overlanders and others looking to get farther off the beaten path.
But, one of the challenges of camping with an EV is that some trips are more difficult when you’re going out boondocking far from “civilization.” When I used to drive a gas vehicle, I’d put a 5-gallon can in the bed so we could get up to 30 miles (60 round trip) farther from everyone.
With a decent solar system and auxiliary battery, the same can be accomplished with an EV. When camping and on road trips, I carry a 5.1 kWh portable power station that can provide up to 30A 120V power to recharge an EV. That 5.1 kWh will give me about 15 miles of low-speed, off-road extra range. And with some solar panels, I can refill that power station every day. That’s independent of the vehicle I might be driving. If I can fit the power station and solar panels into or onto the vehicle, I can recharge the vehicle slowly but surely.
However, there are some challenges:
Some people might be reluctant to leave their expensive power station outside when they go for a hike for fear of sticky fingers. In a truck with a tonneau cover (my setup), this isn’t as much of an issue. I can just disconnect the charging plug and close everything up—the solar wires can easily fit in the many spaces around a tonneau cover or tailgate.
In an SUV, this is more of a problem. Transferring power from the solar panels to the power station when driving or the power station is otherwise inside the vehicle would require some kind of intrusion from outside to inside. Similarly, if you want to charge the vehicle from the power station, the options are: leave the vehicle open enough to allow the cable to get outside or set the power station outside.
An upgrade option that I would certainly appreciate would be to have an XT-90 (or similar) low-voltage, relatively low-amperage plug near the charging port on the outside of the vehicle (or somewhere else that makes sense) and a mate to that plug on the inside of the vehicle so solar power can be transferred to the vehicle while the vehicle is closed up (driving or parked, doesn’t matter). Another part of the package would be an interconnected charge port on the inside of the vehicle so that the auxiliary battery can power a Level 1 EVSE that is charging the vehicle also while the vehicle is all closed up—the interconnection would be necessary so plugging in at a charging station doesn’t short out the system. Whatever the design is there, I’m sure Scout engineers could figure it out.
Note that solar power does not extend single-leg range in the way many people misunderstand requests for solar. Solar on a vehicle can’t provide direct charging of a 400 or 800 volt battery. But solar can charge an auxiliary battery that can then provide 120V power to an L1 charger. Some can even provide 240V power. That extra power is best thought of as an extra gas can that can be refilled while on the road and boondocking.
None of this is requesting the auxiliary battery or solar be included with the vehicle, just an option to purchase a small kit that’s installed at the factory to enable this kind of extra charging. The aftermarket can provide the additional options such as the auxiliary battery, a solar tonneau covers, solar racks, solar rooftop tents, etc. But having a well-designed and well-built intrusion into the interior of the vehicle would help make the Scout that much more attractive to overlanders and others looking to get farther off the beaten path.
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