GoSun launches solar charging box

GoSun, a company dedicated to solar energy applications, recently launched a blockbuster product: a solar charging box for electric vehicles. This product not only charges electric vehicles while driving, but also unfolds to cover the entire roof of the vehicle when parked, significantly improving charging efficiency.

The charging box looks like an ordinary roof box, weighs about 32 kilograms and is only 12.7 centimeters high. The top of the box has a 200-watt solar panel that can provide limited charging for the vehicle, equivalent to the level of solar panels equipped on ordinary RVs.

However, the real highlight of this product is its deployable design. When parked, the charging box can be unfolded, covering the front and rear windshields of the vehicle with solar panels, increasing the total output power to 1200 watts. By connecting to the vehicle’s charging port, it can be charged directly using solar energy. GoSun claims that the product can remain deployed in wind conditions under 50 km/h, while the closed charging box can withstand vehicle speeds of up to 160 km/h.

While not a replacement for high-speed charging stations, the charging box can add approximately 50 kilometers of range per day to an electric vehicle under ideal conditions. In practice, this translates to an average daily range increase of 16 to 32 kilometers. While this limited increase in range is significant, it remains practical given that the charging process requires no additional effort and allows for charging during parking. For users with daily commutes between 16 and 50 kilometers, it’s entirely possible to meet their daily charging needs solely with solar power.

However, the charging box is expensive, with the current pre-sale price being $2,999 (note: currently about RMB 21,496). GoSun said the product may qualify for the U.S. federal government’s residential clean energy tax credit policy, but it needs to be integrated into the home energy system.

GoSun plans to start shipping pre-assembled charging cases this year, which can be installed in just 20 minutes. The company says the product is designed to be installed permanently but can be easily removed when needed.