AUTONEWS

Roboteos Heliotrope 1.0: the solar panel that tracks the Sun during the day and moves to improve light collection

Solar panels have become popular as a way to generate easy and cheap energy to power electric vehicles, especially those who live on the road. But there are still some challenges. A fixed solar panel, for example, only receives sunlight during one period of the day, as the star moves. Mobile panels do not have this problem, but they require the owner to be ready to always move it according to the movement of the star.

Californian startup Roboteos created the solution: a solar charging system that tracks the Sun during the day and moves with it to improve light collection.

Named Heliotrope 1.0, the solar panel was designed to extract as much energy as possible, combining the advantages of existing models.

The structure is mounted on the roof of a van or trailer, like a box that rises 6 inches above the surface;

The panel combines GPS signals and sensors to track the Sun's position in relation to the vehicle;

Then, when the owner turns on the system via a wireless controller, it starts working at sunrise and repositions itself throughout the day. At sunset, it retires to operate again the next day.

To capture sunlight and generate energy as efficiently as possible, the Heliotrope 1.0 has a three-strut design and 360º movement.

The result is the generation of 400 W, equivalent to 2.5 times the energy of a fixed solar panel. The number depends on the season and weather conditions, which directly affect the incidence of light.

Furthermore, the project supports winds of up to 40 km/h and has automatic retraction in case of stronger winds. Retraction also works when the vehicle starts moving on the road.

And although it seems like a good solution for generating solar energy anywhere, the panel was designed specifically for electric vans and trailers.

According to New Atlas, the Heliotrope 1.0 is now available for pre-order at a discount, starting at $5,440

by Mundoqautrorodas