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DJPhil

New member
Joined
Apr 8, 2022
Messages
1
Hello,

I'm new here, so I apologize if this has been posted before. I bought a 2020 Nissan Leaf and I wanted to know if it is possible to charge it with a portable solar panel.

The idea being, I could put the panel on the windshield, connected it to the charge port on the car, and get some free solar charge while I'm at work. Just curious!

Thank you
 
You can charge the 12 volt accessory battery that way, but it takes about an order of magnitude more power to charge the main battery than a single portable panel can provide. You would likely need, at the very least, about 35-40 panels.
 
AND a way to connect the panels to one of the two the traction battery ports.
Oh wait... Solar panels on your roof, an inverter, and an outlet in your garage could work.
😉
 
Steelcity said:
To help the OP, what voltage is required for the DC fast charge port ?

On the order of 500 volts. Of course there is a lot more to the chademo protocol, which as far as I know you may still have to pay just to get the protocol specifications. Quite a project for minimal gain in this scenario. If one wanted to play with this, the recommendation to charge the 12V is sound advice. The implementation would be much simpler and in effect you'd still be making use of the small amount of power from the panel since the car would have some time where it doesn't need to top off the 12V from the main pack. The original LEAF actually did have a small solar panel in the rear spoiler that was meant to top off the 12V in this manner.

The upcoming Aptera will offer integrated solar panels that charge the main pack. Thanks to the much higher efficiency of the vehicle, such a scheme could actually provide some meaningful range boost.
 
DJPhil said:
I apologize if this has been posted before. I bought a 2020 Nissan Leaf and I wanted to know if it is possible to charge it with a portable solar panel.
No, not possible in any meaningful way.


And it has been posted before. Often.

Use search to see some of those many threads:
https://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Amynissanleaf.com+charge+solar

At least you're not asking about solar charging while driving.
 
[MOD: Aptera posts moved to appropriate thread: https://mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?p=620645#p620645]
 
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