If you’ve ever heard of the Cannonball Run, your mind probably goes straight to the famous 1981 film or the real-life records of people driving from New York to Los Angeles in the fastest time possible. It’s a race that’s all about speed, with record times hovering around 25 hours and 39 minutes, averaging a blazing 125 miles per hour. Clearly, the words “slow” and “Cannonball” don’t belong together, right?
However, it’s worth noting that there are other variations of Cannonball runs, as the outright speed record is currently unofficial and illegal to surpass. These unofficial variants include the Electric Cannonball, Diesel Cannonball, Double Transcontinental, Motorcycle Cannonball, and Semi-Autonomous Cannonball. These different categories allow anyone to create their own Cannonball challenge and set a record that others can attempt to beat.
While legal challenges like max MPG runs can be sanctioned by authorities like Guinness, outlaw speed runs remain untouched even by them. These runs reside in a different world where rules are bent, and the focus is solely on pushing the limits of speed.
The Rise of Solar Cannonball
A relatively new addition to the Cannonball family is the Solar Cannonball, also known as the “Cannonball Sun.” The first attempt to set a solar-powered record from New York to Los Angeles was made in the summer of 2021. Unfortunately, this initial effort fell short due to mechanical and electronic failures, leaving the solar car stranded in Indiana, over 2,000 miles away from the finish line.
Undeterred, another EV enthusiast named Joe Kliewer decided to take on the challenge using a different strategy – a regular production EV. Instead of building a custom solar vehicle, Kliewer opted for a Tesla Model Y. To increase the car’s solar capabilities, he added a 5 kWh battery pack in the trunk, which he charges with portable and lightweight solar panels that generate 6.4 kilowatts of power. This buffer pack then charges the Model Y through a portable EVSE.
If you’re curious about Kliewer’s setup and his solar-powered journey, check out the video Munro Live made about the trip.
Kliewer’s Plan and Challenges Ahead
Kliewer’s plan for the journey involves charging up using solar power, driving to the next stop, and setting up the solar panels again for another round of charging. He intends to camp at the charging sites while his vehicle replenishes its energy from the sun. Kliewer estimates that the entire trip will take him 20 days to complete.
On the first day of the journey, Kliewer departed from the Red Ball Garage, a traditional starting point for Cannonball runs. He deliberately chose to drive slowly in New York and the other eastern states, intending to reach Shenandoah National Park in Virginia as his first stop. The initial leg covered a total of 330 miles, relying on a single charge. Kliewer decided to avoid using Autopilot or FSD Beta to minimize energy consumption but utilized a combination of the two for easier driving at slower speeds.
Although Kliewer fell slightly short of reaching the campground, he utilized the vehicle’s buffer battery, which he had charged ahead of the trip, to overcome the final hill and successfully make it to the campground. The buffer battery added an additional 5% charge to the Model Y, ensuring Kliewer’s progress was not hindered.
I’ve reached out to Joe to get updates on his progress, and will continue to follow his journey. Stay tuned for more detailed information and feel free to share any questions or comments you may have about the trip.
The Role of Planning and Technological Innovations
While Kliewer’s plan appears solid, one must remember the old saying that “no plan survives first contact with the enemy.” The use of solar power introduces a range of potential challenges, including clouds, unexpected shade, wind problems, and unforeseen energy consumption. These factors can accumulate and lead to delays, potentially extending the estimated 20-day trip to over 30 days.
Notably, Kliewer relies on Tesla’s built-in trip planning software for route guidance. Although Tesla’s software is renowned for its excellent trip planning capabilities, it primarily caters to conventional speeds and the availability of the Supercharger network. Thus, Kliewer faces challenges as he adapts Tesla’s software to accommodate his unique requirements.
Considering these obstacles, I recommended that Kliewer explores using A Better Routeplanner (ABRP) for this unconventional endeavor. ABRP allows users to set custom parameters such as speeds, account for additional weight, and create personalized energy use profiles based on real-world data. Utilizing ABRP could have potentially facilitated Kliewer’s completion of the first leg without relying on the buffer battery for the last few miles.
The Future of Solar Cannonball
If Kliewer possesses the patience and endurance to complete this arduous journey, his 20-day record is likely to be broken in the future. Advancements in vehicle efficiency, larger solar arrays, and innovations like the Aptera’s charge-while-driving capability could significantly reduce travel times in the coming years. As solar technology continues to improve, we can expect even faster records to be set.
Although this may initially appear as a whimsical endeavor, the Cannonball challenge serves as a catalyst for technological advancements in the industry. Setting records pushes individuals to discover new possibilities that they may not have explored otherwise. Just as the moon landing led to a myriad of inventions benefiting daily life, this new solar-powered challenge is likely to foster innovation and positive changes in the automotive industry.
