Autobayng News Team
- This is the world’s first solar tonneau cover designed specifically for the Rivian R1T electric pickup.
- Made by Worksport, a New York-based company, it can send power to an external battery pack that can be fully charged in four hours.
- The external LFP battery can then power tools, appliances or camping equipment.
A New York company called Worksport is now taking orders for a solar tonneau cover designed specifically for the Rivian R1T electric pickup truck. Dubbed the Solis, the hard tonneau packs three individual panels that can output a maximum power of 250 watts in ideal conditions.
Designed and built in the United States, the energy-producing tonneau cover is cool, but it can’t really do much on its own. That’s why its maker is also offering an external battery that can store all the electricity produced by the solar panels. The storage system, which includes an inverter, packs 1 kilowatt-hour of energy courtesy of a lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery. Gallery: Worksport Solis Solar Tonneau Cover For The Rivian R1T
According to Worksport, the R1T-sized solar panels can fill up the battery in roughly four hours, but customers can spend more to increase the external battery capacity. With a full battery, owners can then power tools, appliances or camping equipment through several household outlets and USB ports.
The system was originally announced last year, but the products’ specs have since been slightly downgraded. The solar panels were initially supposed to output a maximum of 650W, and the base battery pack was rated at 1.5 kWh. That said, Worksport sells different variations of its solar tonneau cover to cover additional trucks like the Ford F-150, Jeep Gladiator, Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra.
As a result, the price varies depending on how big the bed is. Because it’s on the smaller side, the Solis solar tonneau for the Rivian R1T starts from $1,999, with an additional $949 needed for the external battery and inverter. Meanwhile, owners of larger trucks can expect to pay as much as $2,499 for the solar tonneau alone.
It’s a cool idea, and it can come in handy when camping for long periods of time away from civilization. That said, it’s worth remembering that the Rivian R1T has its own power export system, which can route energy from the high-voltage battery to several 120-volt outlets. But if there are no EV chargers nearby, any extra power can be a lifesaver. More Electric Pickup Stories We want your opinion! What would you like to see on Insideevs.com? – The InsideEVs team
