Solar-Mobility is the open community for solar-powered e-bikes, trikes, campers and everything else that moves on sunlight. Browse real builds, share yours, go further.
Community builds
Planes Sunseeker II – First Solar Plane Across the Alps Long before Solar Impulse, one man was quietly flying solar planes he had built himself. Eric Raymond, a hang-gliding pioneer from California, founded Solar Flight and… 
Boats FährBär – Berlin’s Solar Ferries In Berlin you can take a solar ferry with a normal public transport ticket. Since 2014 four catamarans called FährBär ("ferry bear") have been crossing the… 
3 Wheels Emil Barbut – Solar Velomobile on The Sun Trip 2021 Emil Barbut (United Kingdom) took part in The Sun Trip 2021, the long-distance adventure on solar-powered bikes held since 2013. The machine is a solar velomobile.… 
2 Wheels Jean-Claude Trouche – An Azub Six Recumbent with Enviolo Hub Jean-Claude Trouche built his first electric bike to commute 15 years ago. When his knees started to hurt at 60, he built a more powerful one.… 
2 Wheels · Trailer Stéphane Bertrand – Solar Bike on The Sun Trip 2018 Stéphane Bertrand (France) took part in The Sun Trip 2013, The Sun Trip 2018 and Sun Trip Tour 2017, the long-distance adventure on solar-powered bikes held… 
3 Wheels CalSol Zephyr – Berkeley’s First Win After 27 Years Not every solar race crosses a continent. The Formula Sun Grand Prix is a track race: for three days, college teams drive as many laps as… 
Boats TU Delft Solar Boat – Flying Over Water on Hydrofoils A boat that flies sounds like science fiction. On a solar budget of a few square metres of panels, though, it is a necessity. Water creates… 
5+ Wheels Spirit – The Solar Rover That Lasted 20 Times Longer Than Planned We already have Opportunity on our site, so it is time to give its twin the attention it deserves. Spirit (officially MER-A) landed in Gusev crater… 
4 Wheels Gaëtane Mathey – Solar Quad on The Sun Trip 2026 Gaëtane Mathey (France) took part in Sun Trip Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes 2026, the long-distance adventure on solar-powered bikes held since 2013. The machine is a solar quad. Gaëtane… How it works
The guide · preorder
Everything you need to build your own solar-powered e-bike: choosing panels, wiring, charge controllers and batteries, explained step by step by the community.
Solar charging, explained
Solar e-bikes, pedelecs, trikes and campers all work on the same idea: a solar panel turns daylight into electricity, a charge controller feeds it safely into the battery, and every hour of sun adds range.
A pedelec only assists while you pedal (in the EU up to 25 km/h and 250 W); most people simply call it an e-bike. A solar e-bike either carries its own solar panel on the bike, the rack or a trailer, or it is a normal electric bike charged with solar power at home. Both ride on sunshine instead of the grid.
For a typical 36 V or 48 V e-bike battery, plan on a 100–200 W solar panel. Either the panel charges the battery directly through an MPPT charge controller with a boost converter, or it fills a small power station and you plug in your normal charger. In full summer sun, a 400–500 Wh battery is full in about a day.
Range depends on capacity in watt-hours (Wh): a pedelec uses roughly 7–15 Wh per kilometre, depending on terrain and assist level. Most e-bike batteries are lithium-ion (NMC); for campers, trikes and trailers many solar builders prefer LiFePO4, which is safer, lasts thousands of cycles and copes well with daily partial charging. Keep the battery cool and never charge a damaged pack.
Lightweight flexible solar panels fit racks, cargo bikes and trike roofs; rigid glass panels give more watts per euro on a solar bike trailer or a camper. Rule of thumb: in good sun, every 100 W of panel adds around 20–40 km of assisted riding per day.
On adventures like the Sun Trip, riders often cover more than 100 km a day on solar power alone: the panel charges while you ride and during breaks, so the battery rarely runs empty. The real gain is independence from sockets – at the campsite, on the mountain pass and on long days off-grid.
Most builds in this community are DIY: a standard e-bike or a conversion kit, a 100–300 W panel, an MPPT controller matched to the battery voltage, fuses and good connectors. Our guide Ride on Sunshine walks you through panels, wiring, charge controllers and batteries step by step.
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Bon voyage
A community of riders and tinkerers driven by a single mission: maximising range through solar energy. From Europe to every continent.
The open community for solar-powered e-bikes, trikes, campers and everything else that moves on sunlight. Browse real builds, share yours, go further.
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