Australian scientists to fit Tesla with printed solar panels in 15,000-kilometer test ride
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2022/04/21/tech/tesla-solar-energy-climate-intl/index.html
Author: Reuters
Scientists in Australia are testing printed solar panels to power a Tesla on a 15,100-kilometer (9,400-mile) journey beginning in September, which they hope will get the public thinking about steps to help avert climate change. The Charge Around Australia project will power a Tesla electric car with 18 of the team’s printed plastic solar panels, each 18 meters (59 feet) long, rolling them out beside the vehicle to soak up sunlight when it needs a charge. Paul Dastoor, the inventor of the printed solar panels, said the University of Newcastle team would be testing not only the endurance of the panels but their potential performance for other applications. Printed solar is a lightweight, laminated PET plastic that can be made at a cost of less than $10 a square meter. The panels are made on a commercial printer originally used for printing wine labels. Dastoor said using the panels to power a car would get Australians to think more about electric vehicles and could help ease their “range anxiety.”