Does This RV Run on Solar Energy?

Here’s yet another EV whose manufacturers (falsely) claim to run exclusively on solar energy.

The math goes like this: depending on where on Earth you live, you’re receiving about 1000 Watts per square meter while the sun is close to its zenith.  If the efficiency of solar is 25%, that means you’re generating, ignoring efficiency losses, 250 Watts per square meter.   This array looks like it could be 2 meters by 5 meters = 10 square meters, so we have 2500 Watts or 3.35 horsepower.  The average American car puts out 180 – 200 hp.  There are ebikes that put out 3.35 horsepower.

If you want to charge a battery, the math goes like this: In California, we get 0.6 KWhrs per day per 100 Watt solar panel, which is 0.52 square meters. They have roughly 20 times that, so they’ll get 12 KWhrs per day.  It’s fair to say that an EV of this size will require 2 KWhrs per mile.  That means, for each day of charging, you’re getting 6 miles of range.

To call this “dismal” is to be kind.