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The article explores the use of portable solar panels to charge electric cars as an alternative to traditional charging methods. It discusses the benefits of using solar power, including its environmental friendliness and independence from the grid. While portable solar panels can charge electric cars, the process is slow and may not be suitable for everyday use.

However, they can serve as emergency charging stations, especially in remote areas without access to other charging options. The article also reviews two portable solar panels available on the market, highlighting their features and pricing. Overall, while portable solar panels offer a clean and affordable way to charge electric cars, they may not be the most efficient option for everyday use.

Introduction

Charging your brand-new electric car at a charging station can be expensive and at times inaccessible.

Having the ability to harness the sun’s energy and power your devices using a solar panel is one that’s being used by an increasing amount of people. But with such power, could you use a portable solar panel to charge your electric car?

We discuss whether portable solar panels can be used as a way to provide power to your electric vehicle.

Portable Solar Panel for Electric Car

Why Use Portable Solar Panels

Solar panels are becoming a go-to method of powering your devices in different situations using the sun’s natural energy. The minute you opt for a fuel generator and suddenly run out of gas, that’s another expense and another item to lug around. 

You don’t need to worry about fuelling up the portable solar panel. If the sun is shining, anything being connected to your solar panels will receive power.

Portable solar panels allow you to power up your devices and appliances most cleanly and quietly possible. They are mobile and easy to use, giving them the ability to generate power on the go.

If you plan on going on a lengthy road trip with your trusty RV, having a foldable solar panel for camping on standby will be beneficial to everyone. That way, you can ensure that all appliances can be charged if the sun is shining.

There are various situations, from recreational to preparing for a disaster, where a portable solar panel will prove useful.

However, you seek the answer to a different million-dollar question. If portable solar panels can charge everything from a mini-fridge to a cell phone, are they powerful enough to charge a vehicle? More specifically, an electric car.

Can You Use a Portable Solar Panel to Charge an Electric Car

Before we can answer this question, we need to understand why it would even be considered as an option.

Many vehicle manufacturers are taking the electric route in terms of how cars are being powered.

Not only is this better for the environment due to lower carbon emissions, but you are now able to charge your car as if it were an appliance. However, this comes with a downside.

As more electric cars are being produced, more charging stations are needed.

Since there’s an insufficient amount of charging stations, people are being forced to charge their electric cars with electricity from coal and nuclear power plants.

This isn’t a clean way to go about charging your vehicle.

Another option that isn’t exactly green is using a wall outlet at home to charge your electric car. This method is slow and expensive.

Also, standard household plug points aren’t designed to use so much power for such a long period.

Clean Energy for Electric Cars

The best and cleanest solution to charging your electric car is indeed using a portable solar panel. What makes this the cleanest solution is providing 100% renewable and natural energy to your electric car.

Using a solar panel to charge your electric car is an independent and affordable solution. You won’t need to worry about price increases from power companies. Your only concern is if there’s enough sunlight in a specific area.

The most important factor to take into consideration is how much power an electric car uses and needs to fully charge. 

For example, making use of a 200 W solar panel hooked up to a portable 100 watt-hour generator will take 8 hours to get about 8 miles worth of driving.

Having a portable solar panel to charge your electric car serves as an emergency charging station should you not be near any other sources of charging. 

However, if it’s bright out and you wish to add some juice to your electric car, making use of a portable solar panel will do the job.

This answers the question of whether a portable solar panel can charge an electric car. It certainly isn’t the most efficient way to charge your vehicle, but it’s the cleanest and most affordable.

ShopSolar has some of the best portable solar panels available on the market. Let’s have a look at what panels they offer, and which work best for charging an electric car.

200-Watt High-Efficiency Solar Panel Monocrystalline

First up from ShopSolar’s website is this 200-watt solar panel that can harness the sun’s energy for clean power.

This portable solar panel can be used in a solar panel setup for RVs for those who enjoy long road trips. It provides a solution to charging your appliances when off the grid which means you will be able to hook this bad boy up to your electric car.

It makes use of a highly efficient 200-watt monocrystalline solar panel. This is a solar panel made up of cells with the highest efficiency rate offering more power per square foot. These cells allow for the best possible light conversion rate.

It has a maximum voltage of 20V and weighs in at around 27 pounds making it easy to carry around.

It’s easy to use, easy to install, and does the job of performing extremely well on cloudy days or mornings. It also has pre-drilled holes with various pole and tilt mounts making the setup much easier.

Hooking this up to a portable power unit that’s connected to your electric car will ensure that your car gets a good amount of juice.

Not only is this one of the best solar panels for RV use, but it serves as a good way to power up your new electric car.

They are priced around $230 making them one of the more affordable portable solar panels on the market.

200-Watt Solar Panel Briefcase

Our next portable solar panel from ShopSolar’s website is the briefcase-designed 200-Watt solar panel. This takes the term portable to another level.

It’s able to completely fold and resemble a briefcase making this one of the best options in terms of portability. It also has MC4 connectors, giving it a sense of plug-and-play with any generator you choose to connect it to.

This portable solar panel is made from strong tempered glass surrounded by an aluminum frame making it extremely rigid.

This 200-watt portable solar panel is roughly 37 lbs making it heavier than the solar panel mentioned above.

It isn’t the smallest solar panel, however, its being in a briefcase design makes it easier to store and fold when you’re finished charging your car.

Simply carry it as extra luggage or store it in the trunk of your car.

It goes for around $400 making it more expensive than the previously mentioned solar panel.  

ShopSolar.com has ensured that every purchase of this portable solar panel comes with free shipping and lifetime customer support.

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Who is ShopSolar.com?

ShopSolar.com is the #1 digital platform that enables consumers & businesses to source and purchase complete solar + storage solutions direct, saving you thousands in time, energy and money! With over 40,000+ happy customers, we’re on a mission to make solar simple, transparent and affordable.

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