Searching for an ebike to pull a trailer with at least 2 solar panels?

[Tom in Kingman]

Greetings, I am looking at a multitude of options for my very first E-bike. I have grandiose plans with zero knowledge. I want enough power to pull a trailer with at least 2 solar panels mounted on top so as to keep the batts charged along with the batteries and some prospecting equipment. The trailer will be about 8 feet long. I am thinking solid tires all around and a front wheel motor.

 

[Anton]

You've probably already found answers to your question, but I thought I'd point out that it might be best to use a rear wheel motor rather than a front wheel motor. I think you'd run into traction problems with a front wheel motor when towing uphill on rough surfaces.

 

[Atavar]

I hate to burst your bubble but solar panels are not going to keep your batteries charged while riding.
Even if you have two 200 watt panels (which are huge) they are going to have to be both facing directly at the sun both compass and elevation to get anywhere near their capacity.
According to the display on my bike I consume 700 watts to travel at 20mph with no trailer.
Also keep in mind that solar panels are quite fragile and can be damaged easily by shock and vibration.
If what you want to do was feasible you would see solar trailers everywhere you went.
Solar panels can be very useful for charging (for hours) while stopped.
I wish you every success. Keep us posted.

 

[addertooth]

The other not-mentioned factor is large panels act as a sail, and can flip the trailer over. They are best used for stationary charging if they are large.

 

[major masingil]

Greetings, I am looking at a multitude of options for my very first E-bike. I have grandiose plans with zero knowledge. I want enough power to pull a trailer with at least 2 solar panels mounted on top so as to keep the batts charged along with the batteries and some prospecting equipment. The trailer will be about 8 feet long. I am thinking solid tires all around and a front wheel motor.

Wondering what equipment/ weight you'd be towing in your trailer? I don't think it would be practical to expect that your trailer would be able to support enough panels to keep you fully charged while you ride, but you could certainly extend your range. You could be recharging while you prospect. A lot of your questions can't be answered until you place some range and weight boundaries. If you're serious about this, don't skimp on battery. Overbudget for your range requirements due to the unknown nature of the terrain you'd be riding in.

They make flexible solar panels which you could lay flat on top of your load to help with the sail effect addertooth mentioned. I dont't know what the biggest wattage flexible panels are, so you would need to look into that and do some math. You could also deploy higher wattage panels when you arrive and orient them for maximum charge effect. You'll need to carry some sort of charge controller and/or inverter to hook up to the panels and recharge your batts.

Towing will put a big drain on your battery. It would be wise to consider multiple batteries or a reserve one. You'll want your trailer to have good ground clearance, be nimble, and be loaded to balance with your bike. May want to think about 2-wheel drive and extended range ebikes. It won't be cheap to do it right.