Startup company Worksport has unveiled its first project, an innovative tonneau cover equipped with solar elements for the cargo bed of an electric truck.
Such cars are currently being developed by Ford, General Motors, Nikola, Rivian and Tesla. Solar panels seldom find use in battery cars due to their comparatively low efficiency and high cost. The Toyota Pruis uses them exclusively to provide power for its on-board electronics and not the drivetrain. They are also incompatible with panoramic glass roof solutions, which is why Tesla is not using them either.
But pickup trucks are a different matter entirely, argues Worksport. You can easily place the solar elements on the removable tonneau cover with no side effects. The current prototype comes with a 2-kWh battery that can be used to power external devices, but the manufacturer promises to make it compatible with the main traction battery of the car. In this case, according to Worksport, the solar array will provide the pickup with up to 25% or even 30% of its power.
The startup is currently looking for investors and will be releasing the product in a year or two if it raises enough funds.