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Integrating Portable Solar Panel Technology into the Tesla Model S

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Voltaic Systems Tesla Model S Center Console

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UPDATE: 8/19/14 – After three months of continuous everyday use, both in-car and outdoors (predominantly left on the patio), the Voltaic 10W portable solar system has managed to power a household of two iPhones and one iPad purely on solar energy, and become a welcomed new member of the family.
It took some getting used to at first considering the entire assembly is as tall as a high schoolers backpack and more cumbersome to lug around than some of the smaller portable solar devices that I had a chance to test (Solar Joos, Anker). But despite the larger size, the Voltaic solar panel was hands down the best performing, most reliable and had superior quality over the others. In fact, it’s changed my entire perspective on how useful solar energy can actually be to the point I felt dirty just plugging anything into a wall (as ironic as that may sound from an EV family).
The Voltaic System portable solar panel device is certainly not the cheapest and some will argue that the cost for portability far exceeds what you would be paying if using a standard wall outlet, and they are right.
But for some it goes beyond just a cost benefit analysis. If you’re that type, then this device is for you. All in all, it’s a superb device in every sense and has made me become quite reliant on it. It’s hard to imagine adjusting back to using outlets for my mobile and tablet devices when each day brings free energy from the sun.
Read the original review below.

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Elon Musk has long touted that solar energy will be the future of electric vehicles so why wasn’t it incorporated into the Tesla Model S?

A part of me still wonders why this never happened. Perhaps it was a way to offset the large costs associated with having an automotive-grade lithium ion battery pack capable of 260+ miles of range. Or was it due to the fact that roof-integrated solar cells à la now defunct Fisker is nothing more than a cool factor with no real cost benefit?

Either way, it got me thinking – how can I store some of the sun’s energy while embarking on a long distance Tesla road trip? Or better yet, store solar energy while the Model S is at rest during the work week? The energy recouped through the sun need not be channeled back into the car itself, but could still provide usable power for a mobile device or laptop.

This exact thought led us to find three leading makers of portable solar charging technology with the goal of being able to store solar energy implicitly through our Tesla Model S. We’ll be conducting a review of each product in a three part series. The first being Voltaic System‘s Fuse 10W Solar Laptop Charger.


Initial Impressions

Voltaic-Fuse-10w-Solar-Charger-10Voltaic’s 10W Fuse Solar Charger dominates in its presence. The three large solar panels encased within a beautiful gloss coated metal frame is a tell-tale indicator that this device can pack some serious charging capabilities. At first I was surprised to feel how heavy the entire unit was (3.6 lbs), only to later find out that the bulk of the weight was from the detachable high capacity lithium polymer battery that was stowed inside the zippered clam-shell casing.

Attached to the back of the Fuse Solar Charger unit was a set of straps and clips which, frankly, I had no idea how to use but was eager to learn.

Voltaic Systems Battery Output

 

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Technical Specifications

The Fuse is capable of generating 10 Watts of power through its three 3.4 Watt solar panels. Configurable voltage settings provide the flexibility to power your most basic low voltage mobile device and tablets, to laptops and digital cameras that can demand up to 18V.

Aside from the obvious good of using renewable solar energy, Voltaic Systems took it to a whole new level of being eco-conscious by mounting the solar panels to a durable and lightweight shell made from recycled plastic soda bottles, otherwise known as PET. The clam shell design allows it to be used as a storage container for the detachable 20,000 mAh, 72 Wh lithium polymer battery and a plethora of device adapters.

NOTE: Amazon’s description shows a 16,000 mAh although the one we received directly from Voltaic Systems contained a 20,000 mAh battery

Tablets and small notebooks can easily fit within the casing.

LEDs on the battery indicate the level of charge. Five lit LEDs represents a full 100% state of charge. The battery has a USB out as well as an attachment set that allows you to connect to virtually any type of device.

Voltaic Systems Battery LED

Solar Panels

  • Solar panels are waterproof and abrasion resistant
  • Power: 10 Watts total peak output at 6 or 18 Volts

V72 Universal Laptop Battery

  • 20,000 mAh, 72 Wh battery capacity is one of the larger portable batteries I’ve seen. Capable of replenishing an iPhone ten times and an iPad twice on a single charge.
  • When not in the sun, the battery can also be charged through the included DC car or AC chargers, making it just as useful on the grid as off.
  • Charge Time: In direct sun, V72 battery fully charges in 14.5 hours from 10 Watts and in 9 hours from 16.8 Watts of solar panels.
  • Protection: Short Circuit, Over Charge, Over Discharge, Over Current, Over Temperature
  • Charge Display: LEDs light sequentially when charging.
  • Capacity Display: 1 light < 20%, 2 lights < 40%, 3 lights < 60%, 4 lights < 80% full, 5 lights > 95%

Solar Charging Tesla Center Console

The Voltaic Systems Fuse unit is far too large to be placed onto the dash of the Tesla Model S.

Instead I found a perfect home for the Fuse in the Tesla Model S center channel. Not only does it fit great within that location, it helped conceal any miscellaneous belongings that would normally be left out in the open without a Tesla Center Console unit.

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Charging in direct sunlight will clearly achieve the best charging results, but nevertheless I wanted to see how much solar energy I can gather behind the UV protected glass of the Model S.

A red LED towards the top of the “Voltaic” insignia lights up as soon I placed the Fuse solar charger between the two front seats to indicate that solar energy is being collected. Bingo.

Placing the Fuse 10W Portable Solar Charger on the Model S center channel allows it to harnesses the power of the sun and store it for later use.

Even behind glass I was able to capture enough solar energy to charge a mobile phone. However, the most common use case for me was to leave the Fuse in the center channel of the Model S each day while I was at work. It’s always an exhilarating feeling to be able to come back to some additional energy at the end of each work day. The energy is stored within the detachable battery making it a useful battery extender for my notebook when I’m on the go or just as a battery backup.

Voltaic Systems Tesla Center ChannelVoltaic Systems LED Charge Indicator Voltaic Systems Upright Angle Voltaic Systems Tesla Center Console Voltaic Systems Tesla Center Console

 


Summary

Voltaic System’s Fuse 10W Portable Laptop Charger is extremely durable and capable of the most rugged of outdoor adventures. Short of going on a camping excursion where access to electricity maybe limited, it’s hard to see the need to carry both laptop and Fuse device simultaneously, although the name of the product may suggest otherwise.

However if you’re looking for a world-class portable solar charging device that can mount to practically anything, blends naturally into the Tesla Model S, has a huge industry-leading 20,000 mAh battery capacity with adjustable voltage outputs, and don’t mind paying a premium $339 USD, then Voltaic System‘s portable solar charger just might be for you.

 

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Gene has been obsessed with cars since before he could legally sit in the front seat. Writer, researcher, unofficial CS support, accountant, native suit guy when needed, and overall stick poker. He approaches every story the way he approaches a road trip: with too much enthusiasm, not enough planning, and a surprisingly good outcome. gene@teslarati.com

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Elon Musk

Elon Musk’s surprise addition to the X Takeover lineup has fans talking

Elon Musk will join Saturday’s X Takeover at Giga Texas for a live virtual interview.

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Credit: Tesla Owners Silicon Valley
Credit: Tesla Owners Silicon Valley

Elon Musk will join X Takeover at Giga Texas on Saturday for a live virtual interview, according to Sawyer Merritt, who shared the news late Thursday. Musk will not be on stage in Austin. The conversation is set to stream for free on the @teslaownersSV account on X.

Organizers had kept expectations in check. In a September update, Tesla Owners Silicon Valley said Musk had appeared at the event twice before but was not promising a third appearance, even as fans hoped he would walk the Giga Texas grounds in person. A virtual spot matches 2024, when Musk gave a surprise interview of about an hour to the crowd in San Luis Obispo, as Teslarati reported at the time.

This year’s edition is a first in several ways. It is the first X Takeover held outside California and the first at a Tesla facility, with tickets selling out in eight days. Tesla provides the venue, but the event is produced independently by Tesla Owners Silicon Valley. The main event runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT, followed by a drone and light show at 9 p.m. Maye Musk is the keynote speaker, Franz von Holzhausen is set for a virtual keynote, and Nicki Minaj is the special guest. Joe Tegtmeyer, whose drone footage Teslarati used to track the Optimus factory steel frame at Giga Texas, is also on the speaker list.

Musk’s interview topics have not been revealed, but the backdrop is busy. Tesla doubled its Cybercab fleet in Austin in late September, and last week Musk explained why Robotaxi hours only moved from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m.. Merritt also reported Thursday that Texas DMV records now show 319 registered Cybercabs, up from 169. NHTSA’s deadline for Tesla’s sworn answers on Cybercab certification is October 30, and Tesla reports third quarter earnings on October 21.

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Fans who cannot make it to Austin can watch the livestream on X. Musk tends to say more in unscripted settings than he does in prepared remarks, which is the reason this one is worth having open on Saturday.

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Elon Musk

Elon Musk’s Boring Company lands a new Middle East deal, and Nashville is about to get faster

The Boring Company signs Abu Dhabi tunnel agreement while adding more Prufrock machines in Nashville.

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The Boring Company has signed an agreement with Abu Dhabi to study underground transport and utility tunnels across the emirate, adding a second UAE city to its pipeline as it prepares to also scale up tunneling back home in Nashville.

The deal was signed Thursday at the Liveability and Investment Exhibition (LIVEX 2026) by Boring Company President Steve Davis and Maysarah Mahmoud Salim Eid, director general of the Abu Dhabi Projects and Infrastructure Centre (ADPIC), according to the Abu Dhabi Media Office. Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa, chairman of the emirate’s Department of Municipalities and Transport, attended the signing.

Under the agreement, the two sides will assess feasibility, delivery and operating models for tunnels that could carry passengers or utilities. They will also look at Abu Dhabi’s potential as a regional hub for tunneling work. The current phase is exploratory, and no construction commitment or project budget has been announced.

“Abu Dhabi provides an ideal environment to explore the next generation of underground infrastructure solutions, supported by its ambitious growth vision and strong commitment to advanced technologies,”

Davis said. He added that the company wants to assess how tunnels can “expand urban capacity more efficiently, and enable better use of available space.”

The timing lines up with the money, considering last month, The Boring Company closed a $3 billion Series D led by the UAE and affiliated investors, valuing the company at $23 billion, as Teslarati reported. That round came with a commitment to build more than 150 kilometers of tunnel across the UAE, separate from the Dubai Loop pilot already under contract with Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority. That pilot covers 6.4 kilometers and four stations linking DIFC and Dubai Mall at a cost of about $154 million.

Back home, The Boring Company projects in Nashville are also scaling up, with the company telling local NewsChannel 5 that a third Prufrock machine could start digging the Music City Loop in late October. A fourth is also targeted before the end of the year. Two machines are already mining Nashville limestone at the same time, and work is underway on a new launch site for the third.

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The company said it has made more than 300 design and performance upgrades to its original Nashville machine. It is also working with property owners on more than 40 planned stations, with approvals in place for a future Nashville International Airport connection, a downtown station near the Music City Center, and stops at residential towers and the JW Marriott.

Construction on the Music City Loop began the same evening Tennessee and federal regulators approved the project’s lease in February, and the company targeted its first operational segment for late 2026. Back in Las Vegas, The Boring Company has said it plans to double its Vegas Loop station count by year’s end.

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Lifestyle

Tesla FSD changed its mind mid-intersection, and it may have saved a life

Tesla shares dashcam footage of FSD Supervised stopping mid intersection to avoid a T-bone crash.

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Credit: @BLKMDL3/X

Tesla is putting another Full Self-Driving save in front of its 24.8 million followers on X.

On Tuesday morning, Tesla’s main account shared a dashcam clip with the caption “FSD Supervised preventing T-bone crash.” The footage came from an owner posting as TheNewGrid, who described what happened at a stop sign: “I looked at the car coming to the stop sign figured they would stop, my car went, then came to a stop mid intersection as they flew by. Had I been manually driving this would have resulted in a crash.”

The sequence is the notable part. FSD had already started crossing when the other driver ran the stop sign. Instead of pressing on, the car braked hard in the middle of the intersection and let the crossing vehicle pass in front of it. By the owner’s own account, they had made the same assumption the software initially made, that the other car would stop, and would not have corrected in time.

The clip is the latest in a run of safety posts Tesla has amplified over the past several days. On Saturday, the company shared a video from Selling Sunset star Jason Oppenheim, who sold his Bentley for a Model Y and said he was buying Teslas with FSD for 10 of his employees. Ashok Elluswamy, who leads Tesla AI, followed up by writing that Tesla self-driving “reacts to other people cutting into your path with super-human response times.” On Monday, a Cybertruck owner posted footage of FSD moving across three lanes from a red light to clear a path for an ambulance approaching from behind.

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This recent clip also lands a few weeks after Tesla began shipping Automatic Collision Evasion with FSD v14.3.9, a feature that can activate FSD on the driver’s behalf when a frontal collision is imminent or the driver appears distracted. Elluswamy said in September that “even earlier prediction of hazards, even faster reaction time and overall significantly better safety and collision avoidance” are coming with v15, the release Tesla has tied to round the clock Robotaxi operation.

The safety messaging matters beyond social media. Tesla has said FSD Supervised was 4.1 times less likely to crash than manual driving across 100 million kilometers on European roads, and it has been putting those figures in front of regulators. Eight EU countries have now approved FSD Supervised, with Croatia the most recent, but the EU’s bloc-wide vote originally set for October 6 has been pushed to December at the earliest.

FSD Supervised is still a Level 2 system, and the driver remains responsible at all times. Even heavy users find reasons to step in. Teslarati’s Joey Klender, who uses FSD for about 76 percent of his driving, laid out five recurring issues on Tuesday that still prompt him to intervene. Clips like this one show the other column of that ledger: moments where the software caught a mistake a human was about to make.

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