For anyone looking at this now, flexible modules are available now at nearly 400Wp but only 7 or 8 kg. I guess still need a support material, but can be much lighter!
Great to see this, a decade ago! Solar panels, batteries and motors are constantly being improved, I wonder what you could do with today's technology. My Desktop PC a few years ago came with 1 TB of memory - now you can get the same memory on a micro-SD card to out in a phone. I feel that we will eventually get all-solar powered bikes that can run even in the UK - except on very cloudy days.
You’re absolutely right, you could make this so much lighter and more powerful today and the technology’s constantly improving so there are even better things to come :)
Rider position on a bicycle is a balance between comfort and power. They are meant to pedal, so when you aren't pedaling the position qickly becomes uncomfortable. Look at how much different the position is on a scooter for example. Regardless, I'm pretty impressed. Probably gained a good deal of efficiency but running the juice right to the motor vs. charging a battery.
Imagine 1,272KM on 12Kw of power in 9 days. That's over 100 km/Kw. That's pretty incredible. this was done 7yrs ago, imagine what we should be able to do today with better hardware. But instead we use more Kw getting to work and back then they did crossing the entire desert. Giant heavy steel box on fat high friction tires was good enough for my parents, it's good enough for me.
Honestly I'm sceptical. This video cuts a lot and shows only tiny bit of the reality. First of all there is so much dust there you have to clean panels regularly. Second there is so much wind it slows you down a lot. Imagine constant 12m/sec wind against you. Third notice he has no bags on him. Not even water. Any additional weight will slow him down and cut down range he gets. Last but not least, you can't have free energy that much from this small panel. It cannot power your bike enough while you are using electric motor. So you have to stop for few hours in order battery to fill up. That's not practical and better just to use electricity from someone's house.
Hi Dilyan, I really did do this. My brother followed me with a transit van which I’d sleep in and which had the food in it. Then each day we’d start from where I finished and I’d go as far as I could each day. The motor in the bike is 180W and the panel gives up to 220W. It’s a 55 cell panel meaning it gives around 26V at max power so there’s no need for a battery in between. The wind is pretty constant direction in the part of the world (they’re the same “trade” winds that people use to sail across the Atlantic). And the are in a South Westerly direction. So they’re either across the bike or coming from the back left. If you would like any more info I’d be very happy to supply it and we have a few other videos up of practising with it in case you’re interested.
And just on the dust, I didn’t actually notice much dust there. We did have a spare panel in case the first one broke. I think we put that on on the last day and the only difference I remember between that and the one we used for the other days is that the stickers on it weren’t faded.
Lovely idea and congrats for the success! Who would have thought that a bicycle trip in the middle of the desert could look so damned-right claustrophobic, hey? Lol
Next time try a trailer with rotatable bungee supported solar panel. well done, I could almost see this becoming a usable vehicle if we had better weather in the UK but wouldn't work in winter.
So today in labs we have 50% efficienct panels In 10 years we will have those 50% panels availiable for customer That will make a panel with the same size as the one you used have *2.5 more watts That means 500 watts power With a decent battery fpr stability this will be very very practical
Not sure why so many people want you to go alone without a support vehicle??? Very strange 🤔 the journey is not about survival, its about a solar powered bike
@@offgridsolaruk843 - I didn't indicate or intend with my comment that no support vehicle had anything to do with survival. Its about The vehicle in this video is fossil fueled for one and then there's the achievement and concept of completing it with the solar panel(s) on the bike being the only thing that are responsible for taking the rider and all supplies to the destination. I had the thought watching this again that a recumbent might be a better idea with more panels arranged in a slightly turtle shell shape allowing for a quicker journey, a lower centre of gravity and more sun protection but with all the supplies that may be needed, the design in this vid may be better but with 4 additional smaller panels (in panier setups on front & back) to allow for more power and a bike trailer with all supplies on the back and possibly another solar panel on top of the trailer.
theduderski maybe a small wind turbine could have produced a little more power to boost speed as well. Maybe mounted on the front area of the bike. We’re building a solar scooter, highly influenced by Marissa Muller’s cross country solar bike adventure. Considering all the ways to capture the natural energy that is all around us, including the possibility of making an “electricity producing shock absorber” that would be installed in place of the seat springs, as well as SunPower solar cells mounted possibly to a bike trailer, and as mentioned, possibly a small wind turbine to produce a few extra watts of charge power for the batteries. Considering Realrace.com wind turbine generators, here on you tube, however not sure if he makes a smaller version of his generators that wouldn’t weigh to much for mounting to an electric scooter 🛴
Very well done guys! That looks like a good idea, perhaps some of the parts could be strengthened and improved upon by 3D printing a carbon fiber onesie of it with a more streamlined design, to help with airflow......maximize control... It is so inspiring to see people around the world taking the lead in innovation where our SUPPOSED leaders TOTALLY FAIL us. Humanity is much more adaptive that the public is lead to believe.
Tip for the next solar trip. Mount a (semi-)flexible solar panel on an adjustable frame and try to also use it as a sail whenever the wind blows from the right direction.
GREAT IDEA!!!!!!! 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼. If I may offer an idea or two, in case you want to try Death Valley. Raise that panel be 3-4” so that the infrared heat isn’t on top of your head, allow more air flow. Air flow, that blue mounting bar need to go or altered. Instead of one panel mounted along the axis or spine of bike, mount 2 panels against or 90 degree to the spine of bike, increasing the watt or volts or amps, go faster.
That’s great. I have been searching this type of innovation and found it. I would like to understand the some configuration of your bike like; Motor watt, panel configuration and lastly did you use battery or it’s directly solar to motor? Overall from your ride, how was the performance from solar power to motor, comparing to battery operated motor. Thanks in advance.
180W 24V motor, 220W “24V” panel (55 cells in series) directly connected to the motor. No battery. Power was fine when sun was high in the sky. Otherwise a bit less power than normally from a battery. Hope this helps!!!
Would it be possible to build something like this, but in a three or four wheel configuration with a bucket seat? This way the ride is more comfortable.
Comfortable but probably more expensive. A touring bike could fix a fair bit of the comfort problems. Those bike focus on stability and comfort (at the cost of speed) and is their intended purpose.
Why not a recumbent design? You never see recumbents powered electrically. Wouldn't that be a lot more aerodynamic? Granted he wouldn't be as visible but you could put highly reflective stickers on the back, sides and front to make him more noticeable. Surely it would be a lot more comfortable. By not exerting force downwards on the pedals more pressure is on his rear end as well.
I really liked this. Green energy is always awsome. If this isn't a patent could you please give me some information about the components you used to build this? I would love to build one if I can. Thanks alot
This isn't patented. It's a 240W solar panel with 55 cells wired in series (5x11). The bike is a standard electric 24V 180W bike. Then you just remove the batteries and wire in the Solar panel. The most difficult thing is actually the frame. That's steel tubing and wood.
@@aktsolar Just one more question please, did you park this bike under the sun to charge the battery everyday before setting off, or was the panel charging the batteries while you were travelling? Thanks.
Great work man specially ride in that hot weather conditions I was also thinking about this idea. You must work on it further more like ergonomics solar panel shape so that it is more airodinamic and also give you shade in sun, install a sturdy stand so it doesn't fall , regeneration and storage of power so it can be used in night time, manufacture this and sell it to hot weather countries because it is a better option than electric bikes, I hope you will consider my suggestion.
Thanks a lot Amit, I think your suggestions are really good and the technology for this (particularly Lithium batteries and lighter more efficient solar panels) is getting better and better. Could you maybe develop your own solar bike and demonstrate and market it?
Instead of making a "rigid" solar panel can't you make it flexible and then turn it into some kind of a wind-turmbine shape that way you can get both wind and solar power at the same time.
Poor suspension system to minimize bicycle weight, will make the bumpy roads stress the neck, back. Will cause headache and tremendous physical stress. But it is a pioneering exercise. May be next time it will make more efficient batteries and will be comfortable ride.
I don't see the advantage of removing the chain? Just being able to peddle along would increase your speed, especially uphill, even if just peddling at a leisurely pace. Also adds stability as you'll be able to control the bike better.
Thanks for this. Yes, we did this many years ago. I was looking for a charity that you could trust. And I thought Oxfam was one of the best respected charities. This was before the recent scandal and I’m not sure I’d choose Oxfam now. Also I’d ideally like to give any money to local people on the ground. I’d be very grateful if you have any suggestions. Thanks again for the comment, Simon
+AKTSolar The Chap ridin the bike looked like Lawrence of Arabia at the end there,, Good Job... Take what you learn and REDESIGN your bicycle to make it lighter and much more comfortable for the rider...
It's not special trip because your travel NOT ALONE, you just travelling together with your team / friend, so this very long trip is not a challenge. I will proud of you if you make a long journey ALONE / Single Fighter/ Survivor. Riding on the solar bike batteryless, it will be amazing if there are a survival trip alone in the great desert, Sahara.
How did you wire the solar panel to the motor, I've been told you can't do it directly, did you go through the battery's, or use some sort of inverter.
Hi, you can wire panels directly to motors as long as you match the voltage and power correctly. So for this we used a 55 cell solar panel (5x11 cells) all wired in series. This produces up to 27V 220W at maximum power which worked very well with this "24V" "180W" motor. I hope this helps, Simon
Hi there, The top speed was 55 kmph but that was down a very long straight hill with no wind and was rather dangerous. The average speed was about 20 kmph and on the flat the top speed was about 27 kmph in the middle of the day. Minimum speed would have been about 5 kmph up hills. Generally I stopped at the end of the day when the speed got down to about 10 kmph. Do ask if you have any further questions, Simon
I completely agree. Only danger being a recumbent bike might be it’s more difficult for vehicles to see you. Although with a massive solar panel above your head that’s less likely to be a problem :)
awesome brother I liked your design. probably i'd also build something like this after I complete my 12th grade, of course with your permission. may I know what that was in the frame? that box to where the electricity comes from the solar panel also may I know the specifications of the panel and the motor? please also what was the top speed you hit?(approximate)
+SriHari Bharadwaj Hi there, I'm not sure about the box exactly. It's the same box that came with the electric bike. All we had to do was remove the original 24V batteries and then feed the panel directly into where the batteries used to feed into.
my parts list was this.. (but i also use a battery so that i can ride in low light conditions, the solar panels keep the battery topped up and drive the motor, using MPPT controller you get maximum watts from the changing light so that when driving under trees etc you dont lose power) Im using 48v lithium battery (about 5ah), 450w controller, 500w motor and 3x 100w flexible panels to give me 300w of solar.. In theory my range will be unlimited (as long as the suns shining) What you need to make a solar car/bike.. Brushless motor Controller (that matches the volts of your battery pack.. ie 24, 36 or 48v) Battery of some kind (or several in series to required voltage).. MPPT solar regulator (to charge batteries and run motor) Solar panels (flexible 3mm thick ultra light is best and now quite cheap) Electric throttle (twist or thumb drive) Electric brake levers Bike wheels and parts Some basic welding for frame.. Some electrical wires.. Basic electrical knowledge.. (ie: know how to wire up DC batteries to things, volts x amps = watts etc)
@@moayadsalih3563 hi there. I built 2 prototypes which were basically the front of an drift bike with a motor and solar panel on the back. I did lots of testing and was able to increase distance a lot of sunny days.. 3 years later I redesigned the whole project to be mountable on any hardback mountinbike. I now use the center bike frame to hold solar panels and also on the carrier. I'm using a 48v 750w tongsheng middrive motor.. 6ah 48v lithium battery.. a 48v mppt solar controller and around 50w of 18v solar panels on parallel. I never have to plug in my bike to charge. I just park it in the sun. I'm developing a kit for people to make their own for any electric bike. For more info email awakekiwi(at)gmail(dot)com
Why on earth didn't you use a recumbent trike to mount that on? Even on a budget you could've used a cheapo regular trike and put a recumbent seat on, would have been so much safer and comfortable.
Raise the steering wheel up higher so your not so hunched over That would definitally help and get rid of the solar panel frames! those things add tons of weight! get some lightweight flexible solar panels you will have a lot more efficiency that way and comfort!
I've cycled in the heat in Mexico and motorcycled Spain-Senegal so the idea of a sunshade that generates power appeals to me, but doesn't it make it unstable in gusts/sidewinds? Is it a practical long-term viable proposition? Lessons learned?
N Nicholson Yes, it is quite practical. Having the panel horizontal meant it wasn't too unstable in gusts - as you can see when trucks go past. Nowadays you could also use a much lighter panel and also have a more powerful motor. So definitely practical. Key lesson learned: sort out a more comfortable seat!!!
How many watts is that solar panel.How many watts do it has to be atleast to charge a electric bike or scooter.Say if the electric scooter or bike battery is dead can the solar panel keep the battery charged to where you can keep riding ??
The panel is 220W with 55 cells in series giving a Voltage at max power of 26.9V. And yes a solar panel - even a much smaller one - say 30W - can be used to charge a battery or keep a battery topped up. I hope this helps, Simon
+The_ Pentaquark. You're right - maybe we should rename it Solar Freewheeling across the Sahara because it is free in every sense :) Thanks for the idea!!!!
AKT Solar love'in the 'lets go and do it' attitude p.s. kinda reminds me of the Ed March (Honda C90) spirit - though perhaps less self-serving i.e. 'OXFAM'
Hi there, Thanks for the question. We were fortunate it didn’t actually overheat. It’s only up to around 220W going into it and it’s very well ventilated with the air around it. So there were fortunately no problems about overheating.
Hi Irfan, I’m not sure what info I can give. This bike used a 180W 24V motor and.a 220W 55 Cell panel wired directly into the motor’s controller i.e. with no battery in between. Basically we replaced the battery with the solar panel. I hope this helps, Simon
I’m afraid I don’t know. This motor is over 10 years old and I’m sure is not being sold any more. You could do a Google search for 200W (or 180W) 24V bike and I’m sure you’d be able to find a suitable motor. Good luck!
@@PTIOfficial8148 Quite late, but in the future, aliexpress if you don't mind it coming from china! Just in case you want hub motors in the future I thought I'd let you know.
seems like it would have been easier to be in like a recumbent style but raised up higher on a trike with the solar panel ontop of a plastic body that is more aero dynamic ... Also if the body was carbon fiber it would be less weight. Good job though.
+Adonai Zedek I agree, we could have made it much better and I like your idea of a lightweight tricycle very much. Do let us know if you progress with it. All the best!!!!!
AKT Solar Will do. Great job with what you did. I have been procrastinating for years on this. I just watched a lady who did the same but bicycling with a carbon fiber bike the 250watt panel on the back of the bike. She was going across the USA. She has a big visor in the front on her rig. An idea would be to have the flexible solar panels on the front visor connected to a rig on the back that is on the outside of plastic aero dynamic fenders on the rear or the panel can flip up for max exposure and go down ont eh sides when not used. No i just need to get the money togther :)
I have built a semi recumbent style bike with a lightweight 3mm thick flexible solar panel roof (rain cover).. im using a 450w controller and 3x 100w flexible panels.. these flexi panels are slightly more efficient than standard solid panels and i can get 300w from 1.5 x 1m roof.. will post some pics and a instructable once ive finished the solar roof.. everything else is done..
im also going to build a small trailer.. (or just use a standard bike trailer) to carry luggage (or an extra passenger).. the trailer will also have a flexible soalr roof to give more power..
AKT Solar Simon if you like the kinda eco thing why not attend the European Shell Eco Marathon at The Queen Elisabeth Olympic Park London - 1st,2nd &3rd July and watch 200 teams from 24 countries battle it out for the most economic car - its free and mind boggling - We have a team in it
Actually no capacitors either - we just matched the voltage of the panel to the voltage of the motor / motor controller and it worked with no charge reservoir in between.
I bet your butt pain is greater than any toothache or anything else in your life 😳😳 Edit: today you have flexible solar plates, you can do a good upgrade!
He's hot and he rides with a long sleeved shirt and black long pants. Brilliant. All he needs is to mist himself down frequently wearing PADDED cycling shorts and no shirt and he'd be much more comfortable. Why no add more panels on each side? Its like this guy has never ridden a bike before.
Yes, it was partly to avoid sun burn and to give at least a little bit of protection in case I fell off. And you’re certainly right padded shorts would have been much more comfortable :)
Hi Mahesh, it’s a 220W panel linked directly to a 180W motor. (That means that when the sun’s shining directly onto the panel it won’t use all the power it can produce.) One other thing to note is the panel uses 55 solar cells in series to produce the right voltage to be connected directly to a “24V” motor. Not sure about the efficiency although I can work it out later (by multiplying the area of the panel in square meters by 220 and dividing by 10).
None at all actually. We used low-tread kevlar tyres from eBay and inflated them to high pressure (all to reduce friction). And, although we had many spares, we never needed to use them.
Hello Hossen, Unfortunately it would not be easy at all to cross from East to West. I'm sure there are roads but the North-South roads are much better as those are the major trade routes. Also it would be very difficult to bypass the most dangerous areas of the Sahara (such as Northern Mali) if you were going from East to West. Do let us know how you get on with your plans though as we'd love to hear more about an adventure such as this. All the best, Simon
@@aktsolar it's not special trip because your travel NOT ALONE, you just travelling together with your team / friend, so it' not a challenge. I will proud of you if you make a long journey ALONE / Single Fighter/ Survivor. It will be amazing, and full salutation.
You're right, we should have done. The reason was I only tested it for about 3km in the UK before going to Africa. If we'd tested it a bit more I probably would have decided to make a seat a bit more like a motorbike - lower, larger and more padded. Thanks for watching!!!!
