Solar cycling: a new sport
People sometimes ask me: why don’t you charge the battery at home with solar energy and then cycle without panels? But you also don’t ask a sailor: why don’t you use an electric boat and then charge the battery at home with a windmill? Like sailing, solar cycling is a sport where the challenge is to maximize the speed by the wind respectively solar energy.
The Maxun One solar bike has a small lightweight battery as a buffer, just enough for a few kilometres. The one that best balances between battery power and solar power is the fastest.
Solar cycling for dummies
- Departure with a charged battery
- Keep the motor power and solar power in balance
- During a pause, turn the PV panels towards the sun
- Prior to a pause you may use extra energy
- Take sunny roads rather than shady roads if possible
- A lower speed requires less power, even uphill
- A little extra pedalling saves a lot of energy
