Photo voltaic Cannonball Try Is Going Sluggish, However Future Ones Will Be Quicker

For those who’ve heard of the Cannonball Run, you’re most likely both considering of the 1981 movie or the real-world information individuals have set driving from New York to Los Angeles. As of this writing, the quickest run I’m conscious of was executed in 25 hours and 39 minutes, with a median velocity of 125 miles per hour. In different phrases, the phrases “gradual” and “Cannonball” typically don’t belong in the identical sentence, and doubtless not in the identical paragraph, proper?

However, it’s essential to understand that there are different kinds of Cannonball runs. The outright velocity report decisively belongs to ICE proper now, however as a result of the all-out report is unofficial (and unlawful to beat), there are additionally different unofficial variants for the report being set. Electrical Cannonball information present us how briskly an EV can get from the Crimson Ball Storage to Portofino Lodge and Marina. Different variants embrace the Diesel Cannonball, Double Transcontinental (NY to LA to NY), Motorbike Cannonball, and Semi-Autonomous.

Principally, anyone can invent a brand new class of Cannonball and set a report for others to show round and beat. Authorized challenges, just like the max MPG runs throughout the nation, may be sanctioned by somebody like Guinness, however outlaw velocity runs are one thing even they received’t contact.

A comparatively new class of Cannonball is the Photo voltaic Cannonball, or as one group named it, the “Cannonball Solar.” The primary try I’m conscious of to set an preliminary NY to LA report constructed a customized photo voltaic automotive that’s fairly much like one you’d see at a college photo voltaic automotive competitors. Their run try resulted in mechanical and digital failure in summer time 2021. The car died in Indiana, nonetheless over 2,000 miles from the end line.

However, one other EV fanatic latest determined to take the problem on utilizing a totally completely different method in a standard manufacturing EV.

As a substitute of constructing a college science vessel, Joe Kliewer determined to take the problem on in a Tesla Mannequin Y. In contrast to the final crew, he’s very more likely to truly end the problem, however most likely lots slower than a customized photo voltaic car would. He added a 5 kWh battery pack into the trunk, which he costs with 6.4 kilowatts of transportable, light-weight photo voltaic panels. This 5 kWh buffer pack then costs the Mannequin Y by way of a standard transportable EVSE.

You’ll be able to study extra about his setup at a video Munro Stay made concerning the journey.

His plan is to cost up on photo voltaic (so long as it takes, he estimates two days), drive to the subsequent cease, after which set the photo voltaic panels again up for an additional cost. His plan is to camp on the websites whereas the autos costs from the solar. He estimates it will take him 20 days.

Right here’s a video the place he goes by way of his first day’s run: (article continues after video)

Like all good Cannonball runs, it begins on the Crimson Ball Storage. He explains that he thought the story of Alex Roy’s cannonball run was a fictional story at first, however discovered half approach by way of the ebook that it was a real story. So, that received his creativeness going, which ultimately led to this.

He left late at night time so he may go gradual in New York and different jap states. The aim was to go to Shenandoah Nationwide Park in Virginia on the primary night time, going a complete of 330 miles on the primary cost. He determined to keep away from utilizing Autopilot or FSD Beta to decrease power consumption, however did a mixture of them alongside the way in which to make driving at comparatively gradual speeds simpler.

Ultimately, he fell just a little wanting having the ability to make it to the campground, however he used the car’s buffer battery (which he charged forward of the journey) to get a couple of extra p.c to make it during the last hill and get to the campground. He added 5% to the battery, and made it.

I’ve reached out to Joe to see if he made it to cease #2 or #3 but (he seems to have struck camp on Friday), and can do some followup articles because the journey continues. Hopefully we’ll get some extra detailed info. So, be at liberty to let me know what you’d prefer to know within the feedback concerning the journey.

My Ideas On This

His plan looks as if a reasonably stable one, however because the previous saying goes, “No plan survives first contact with the enemy.” With solar energy like this, any variety of issues can go improper, and he’s already seeing that. Clouds, sudden shade from vegetation, wind issues, and sudden power use on legs of the journey can all add as much as delays. On a visit that’s already anticipated to take 20 days in good circumstances, the journey may simply take 30+ days with sufficient small issues.

One other essential factor I observed right here is that he seems to be counting on Tesla’s built-in journey planning software program. When you’ve most likely seen me bag on Tesla and its eccentric Technoprince or no matter he identifies as as of late, one factor I can’t dispute is that Tesla does a superb job with journey planning software program. However, pretty much as good as this software program is, it wasn’t designed for going uncommon speeds with unusually heavy masses with out using the Supercharger community. So, he’s clearly struggling as he tries to press Tesla’s software program into service planning legs of this journey.

So, I’ve really useful that he tries to make use of A Higher Routeplanner (ABRP) for this uncommon process. It enables you to set speeds, consider uncommon additional weight, and even construct a customized power use profile primarily based on actual driving knowledge to foretell future journeys (reference determine). I believe that if he had used ABRP, he would have had a neater time getting the primary leg accomplished while not having to depend on his buffer battery for the previous couple of miles.

If he has the persistence and endurance to complete this journey out, the 20-something day report will probably hold getting damaged. Extra environment friendly autos, bigger photo voltaic arrays, and even charge-while-driving autos just like the Aptera will most likely minimize the time down significantly over the subsequent couple of years. Later, as photo voltaic expertise improves, we’re more likely to see even quicker instances.

This may seem to be a foolish train, however it might assist drive technological development within the business. Setting information results in individuals figuring issues out that they in any other case wouldn’t have. For instance, journeys to the moon didn’t immediately profit life for individuals on the bottom, however the applied sciences invented to get there result in all the pieces from sun shades to insulin pumps, so anticipate this new problem to drive no less than just a little little bit of innovation and alter within the business.

Featured picture: screenshot from the embedded YouTube video, by Joe Kliewer.