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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.

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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

 


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.

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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.

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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.

 

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

SpaceXAI just launched into your kitchen with their new app

SpaceXAI just powered its first consumer app and it predicts what you want to buy.

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SpaceXAI just made its first move into consumer AI, and it involves your grocery cart. On June 3, 2026, Gopuff and SpaceXAI announced the launch of Go, a Grok-powered shopping assistant built directly into the Gopuff app that predicts what you need before you even start searching for it.

Gopuff is an instant delivery platform that operates more than 400 micro-fulfillment centers across the U.S., delivering everyday essentials, snacks, drinks, and household items in as little as 15 minutes. It is not a restaurant delivery app or a marketplace. It owns its inventory, controls its warehouses, and handles its own logistics, which means it has built one of the most detailed consumer behavior datasets in retail over its 13-year history.

Go combines SpaceXAI’s advanced reasoning, voice, and image generation models with Gopuff’s dataset of hundreds of millions of orders and real-time cultural signals from X to prepare a suggested cart the moment a customer opens the app. It learns each shopper’s habits and automatically builds a personalized cart based on time of day, location, order history, and real-time indicators. Returning customers can check out with a single tap.


Rather than searching for specific items, users can describe a situation like a game-day party or the desire for a healthy breakfast and Go will assemble a cart automatically. It can also predict when shoppers are running low on items like coffee or paper towels and have them packed and delivered in under 15 minutes. Grok voice integration lets users talk to the app in plain conversational language and check out completely hands-free.

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Gopuff co-founder and co-CEO Yakir Gola said: “Today, we believe the greatest friction left in commerce is not delivery or instantaneous access to the essentials customers need. It’s the moment before: the thinking, the deciding, the remembering. We’re combining Gopuff’s demand intelligence with xAI’s frontier reasoning to create an everyday shopping experience that feels like a true extension of you.”

Why SpaceX just made a $60 billion bet on AI coding ahead of historic IPO

The timing carries context beyond the product launch. SpaceXAI was formed after SpaceX completed an all-stock merger with Elon Musk’s xAI earlier this year, folding one of the most advanced AI labs in the world into the same corporate structure as the company preparing what could be the largest IPO in history. SpaceXAI is dipping into consumer-focused AI just as it prepares for its public debut, and while Musk has openly discussed building an everything app, this launch uses Grok to power another company’s product rather than launching a standalone consumer platform. Every consumer-facing deployment of Grok ahead of the IPO roadshow adds tangible evidence that SpaceXAI is not just an infrastructure play but a direct competitor in the AI application layer where OpenAI and Google are already fighting for dominance.

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Tesla saves its passengers again – This time after a 300-foot cliff fall in Malibu

A Tesla Model 3 fell 300 feet off a Malibu cliff and both passengers survived.

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A Tesla Model 3 plunged roughly 300 feet off a cliff on Mulholland Highway in Malibu on Friday morning, May 29, 2026, and both occupants survived. The crash was reported at approximately 7:30 a.m. near the 2500 block of Mulholland Highway, triggering a multi-agency rescue operation involving Malibu Search and Rescue, the Los Angeles County Fire Department, the California Highway Patrol, and McCormick Ambulance.

When first responders arrived, the male driver was outside the vehicle shouting for help while the female passenger remained pinned inside the Tesla. Rescue crews rappelled down the cliffside on ropes to reach the wreckage. A flight medic was lowered by helicopter to begin treating both victims, and the driver was hoisted up to the roadway before crews used the Jaws of Life to free the trapped passenger. Both were airlifted to a local trauma center with moderate injuries despite a remarkable result for a fall that steep.

The outcome is not surprising, considering Model 3 earned an overall 5-star rating from NHTSA in every category and sub-category, and recorded the lowest probability of injury of any car ever evaluated by the U.S. New Car Assessment Program. The absence of a traditional engine in the front of the vehicle creates a longer crumple zone that absorbs impact energy before it reaches occupants, and the battery pack running along the floor gives the car an unusually low center of gravity that reinforces structural rigidity.

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This is not the first time a Tesla has kept passengers alive after going off a cliff. A Tesla Model Y carrying a family of four survived a plunge off a cliff at Devil’s Slide near San Francisco in January 2023, with two adults and two children walking away from a 250-foot fall. That incident drew widespread attention to how the structural integrity of Tesla’s electric platform performs in extreme crash scenarios that most vehicles would not survive.

Tesla Model Y driver who drove off cliff with family attempts to avoid criminal conviction

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NASA’s first human outpost on the Moon starts now – SpaceX on deck

NASA named the rovers, landers, and vendors that will build America’s first Moon Base.

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NASA has laid out its most detailed Moon Base plan to date, describing a permanent outpost near the Moon’s south pole that the agency intends to build over the coming decade as a direct stepping stone to Mars. “The Moon Base will be America’s and humanity’s first outpost on another celestial world,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said, adding that every mission crewed and uncrewed “will be a learning opportunity as we return to the lunar surface, build the infrastructure to stay, and master the skills required to live and operate in one of the most demanding and dangerous environments imaginable.”

The plan is structured in three phases involving both uncrewed and crewed missions to deliver equipment, vehicles, and infrastructure to the surface, with the first three moon base missions targeted to launch before the end of 2026.

Moon Base I, targeting fall 2026, will use Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Mark 1 lander to deliver scientific instruments to the Shackleton Connecting Ridge, the same region where Artemis astronauts will land. Moon Base II will send Astrobotic’s Griffin lander carrying more than 1,100 pounds of cargo including Astrolab’s FLIP rover to begin developing mobility systems on the surface. Moon Base III will carry the Lunar Vertex science mission on Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C Trinity lander to study lunar swirls near the south pole, with ESA and Korean science payloads aboard.

Elon Musk pivots SpaceX plans to Moon base before Mars

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On the rover side, NASA awarded Astrolab $219 million and Lunar Outpost $220 million to build the first phase of Lunar Terrain Vehicles, with both rovers targeted for deployment to the lunar surface by 2028. Astrolab’s crewed rover weighs roughly 2,000 pounds and can reach over 6 mph. Lunar Outpost’s Pegasus rover can operate autonomously or via remote control at over 9 mph. Blue Origin separately received $188 million with an option worth $280.4 million to deliver cargo landers for rover transport.

NASA also confirmed that MoonFall, a mission deploying four survey drones to scout Artemis landing sites, has selected Firefly Aerospace to build the transport spacecraft, with a 2028 launch target.

SpaceX sits at the center of that commercial layer. SpaceX holds the NASA Human Landing System contract for the Starship-derived lander that will put astronauts on the surface under Artemis IV, currently targeting 2028. Before that can happen, SpaceX must demonstrate in-orbit propellant transfer at scale, a process requiring multiple Starship tanker launches to fuel a single mission. Water ice at the lunar south pole is central to the base’s long-term viability, as it can be converted into drinking water, breathable oxygen, and rocket fuel, directly reducing dependence on Earth resupply. That resource loop becomes far more practical if Starship can land and be refueled on or near the Moon itself.

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Elon Musk has publicly stated that Starship V3, which recently completed its first flight, should be capable enough for initial Mars missions. The Moon Base plan announced Tuesday is the infrastructure layer that connects everything between those two ambitions, and SpaceX is the only American company currently contracted to build the rocket that gets humans to either destination.

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