Working A Cybertruck On Principally Photo voltaic Energy — Interview

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The final time I interviewed Anthony Sicari, it was about when he examined his house solar energy and Tesla batteries to generate and make the most of his personal electrical energy for just a little over a month as a substitute of utilizing grid electrical energy. (Elon Musk re-tweeted that interview.)

Then, the world was fairly totally different. It was pre-pandemic and the Cybertruck had been introduced however was nowhere close to manufacturing.

Arriving in 2024, it seems Anthony now has a Cybertruck and he makes use of it in his solar energy and power storage enterprise. On his YouTube channel, he has uploaded some movies together with his Cybertruck in them.

The 2019 interview generated lots of consideration, so it solely appeared pure to observe as much as verify in with him concerning the distinctive electrical pickup truck. 

Why did you determine to buy a Cybertruck?

I initially determined to buy the Cybertruck as a result of, rattling, that factor appears to be like so cool. It’s one thing that I might like to take off-roading and who is aware of perhaps stress take a look at it by throwing a metallic ball on the window for enjoyable, lol. Initially, I assumed it was simply a few hundred {dollars} for the reservation, so I figured I might fear about it in a few years if it was ever made and determine then if I actually needed it. Then, push involves shove, it’s January, and Tesla messages me saying if I would like the Cybertruck, it is going to be roughly one other $1,000 fee to carry my reservation. At that time, I began questioning if I actually needed this truck and if I actually needed to swing the price of a Founders Sequence Cybertruck.

I referred to as my buddy in Hawaii who has a photo voltaic firm, and he mentioned, “Anthony, not solely is that truck so cool, however you’ll be able to wrap it and use it for advertising and marketing the photo voltaic enterprise as effectively. It’s a no brainer.” What higher strategy to ship supplies to job websites than a sleek-looking Tesla Cybertruck? And what higher strategy to drive engagement from the neighborhood than to have this sick rig driving round? We’ve accomplished totally different occasions with the truck, however essentially the most rewarding was the New Paltz Contact-a-Truck occasion. The youngsters have been completely stoked to see it. I’ll always remember just a little boy screaming, “Mother, it’s a Cybertruck!” It’s been a blast speaking to folks about this truck.

What do you want about it thus far?

I’m not going to lie; it took me a little bit of time to heat as much as the automobile. Clearly, it was enjoyable to drive, however I wanted a while. At first, I nonetheless needed to drive the all-electric Ford Lightning. It felt too removed from sensible initially, however over time you understand what an engineering masterpiece this truck actually is and also you additionally dial within the settings of the truck and study extra about it. The extra you drive it, the extra you suppose, “Wow, this steer-by-wire is completely superb,” and “This retractable tonneau cowl is so helpful.” I filmed a video of our expertise selecting up the truck, and on the finish of the video, it was so humorous—my new child daughter Mia made a giant poop, so we didn’t even pull out of the parking zone with the Cybertruck earlier than we have been already utilizing the middle console as a altering desk. So, the Cybertruck is baby-approved.

Something you’d change?

There’s nothing I might change concerning the truck apart from having extra frunk area. It looks like lots of area is unused, and it will be nice to suit a stroller or bigger objects within the frunk.

The wrap appears to be like actually good. Did you get that primarily to make it simpler to wash the Cybertruck?

This truck isn’t a trailer queen, we use it day by day and have it at totally different occasions. So, sure, the fingerprints would have been unimaginable to maintain up with on this truck, so wrapping it was a necessity. Once we first obtained the truck, simply the primary 3 days when it was not wrapped was near unimaginable to maintain up with the fingerprints. 

Do you continue to have 3 Tesla Powerwalls?

I nonetheless have three Powerwalls which have been working nice, and I’m within the means of including a fourth, in addition to upgrading my Tesla Gateway at house in order that I can make the most of the PowerShare from the Tesla Cybertruck. It’s superb that each one current Powerwall clients don’t have to do something however have an current Gateway and a Tesla charger, and their Cybertruck is now further battery capability. So, if all the pieces goes as deliberate, I at the moment have three Tesla Powerwalls totaling 40.5 kWh. When you add the Cybertruck on high of that, it’s an extra 123 kWh, so my house can now have 163.5 kWh of backup storage. That’s completely superb, particularly within the Northeast the place we lose energy very often, and within the winter when our whole house runs off electrical—from heating and cooling to home equipment and transportation. That is actually going to assist.

Did you broaden your solar energy system, and in that case, what’s the complete kW now?

My present photo voltaic system is 17.2 kW, with 48 360-watt panels, and I’m within the course of of accelerating the system dimension to assist cowl extra of the load from these electrical automobiles. 

Does it present sufficient electrical energy to energy the Cybertruck?

In these summer season months, my photo voltaic system does cowl the utilization of the Cybertruck, the Tesla Mannequin Y, and the Ford Lightning. However within the winter months, we’re at roughly 50%. With the added photo voltaic to the house, we must always be capable of shut the hole on an annual foundation. 

I’ve two Degree 2 chargers at my house and 4 at our workplace in Modena. The info is fairly cool to have a look at my house—simply this yr, the Cybertruck and the Ford used a mixed 5,334 kWh from the Wallbox charger, and the Tesla used 2,025 kWh from the Tesla charger. So, complete YTD, we used a mixed 7,359 kWh for all our electrical automobiles, and our photo voltaic produced a complete of 11,426 kWh. Sadly, my house used 14,256 kWh, not together with automobile charging, so yr thus far, we’re at 50% offset.

What do you employ the Cybertruck for?

This Cybertruck wears many hats. We use it as a day by day driver for the household, and we even have it parked outdoors our workplace, the place at the very least two folks a day pull in or take photos of the truck. Someday the truck was in entrance of our workplace and the utility firm was altering a lightweight on the pole and we should of had 10 utility line staff throughout the truck asking questions. Beginning subsequent month, we will probably be delivering Tesla Powerwall 3s within the Cybertruck. And final however not least, we use it for various neighborhood occasions. 

Do you might have every other EVs?

Sure, we now have a Mannequin Y, a Ford Lightning, and the Cybertruck.