Solar powered electric vehicle system and method

1. A solar-powered bike comprising:

a body defining a length extending along a central axis X and having a front end, rear end, top, bottom and opposing sides, the body further defining a cavity;

a pair of wheels including a front wheel at the front end of the body and a rear wheel at the rear end of the body, the wheels disposed in parallel and coincident with the central axis X;

a first and second solar panel assembly disposed respectively on the opposing sides of the body and having symmetry about the central axis X and covering at least 90% of the respective sides of the body;

a handlebar assembly that extends from the top of the body proximate to the front end with the handlebar assembly including a stem extending from the top of the body with a pair of handlebars extending from the stem, the handlebar assembly configured to turn the front wheel for steering of the bike;

a seat on the top of the body proximate to the rear end;

a first and second electric motor disposed within the cavity of the body between the first and second solar panel assemblies and respectively associated with and configured to respectively rotate the front and rear wheels;

one or more electric batteries disposed within the cavity of the body between the first and second solar panel assemblies, the one or more electric batteries configured to power the first and second electric motors and to be charged by electric current generated by the first and second solar panel assemblies, wherein non-electric power sources, including liquid fuel power sources, are absent from the bike; and

folding panels on opposing sides of the body of the bike that are rotatably coupled at the body a rotatable coupling, the folding panels configured to be folded up toward the body and adjacent to the solar panel assemblies on opposing sides of the body for riding the bike and configured to be folded downward away from the body and the solar panel assemblies, the folding panels comprising a reflective material that reflects sunlight onto the first and second solar panel assemblies on opposing sides of the body with a reflection factor of greater than 80%, the folding panels defining respective reflective surfaces that have a surface area greater than 50% of a surface area of the respective first and second solar panel assemblies.

2. The solar powered bike of claim 1 , wherein the first and second solar panel assemblies are rotatably coupled on opposing sides of the body of the bike via rotatable couplings, wherein the first and second solar panel assemblies are configured to assume a folded-down configuration suitable for riding the bike with the solar panels assemblies disposed against the body of the bike, and wherein the first and second solar panel assemblies are configured to assume a folded-up configuration suitable for solar charging of the bike while the bike is stationary, the folded-up configuration including the first and second solar panel assemblies rotated away from the body of the bike.

3. The solar powered bike of claim 1 , further comprising a third and fourth solar panel assembly disposed respectively on the front end and rear ends of the body of the bike.

4. The solar powered bike of claim 1 , further comprising baseboards extending along the bottom of the body of the bike on opposing sides of the body, with the baseboards extending away from the body generally parallel to the ground and creating a planar shelf, the baseboards comprising a reflective material that reflects sunlight onto the first and second solar panel assemblies on opposing sides of the body with a reflection factor of greater than 80%, the baseboards defining respective reflective surfaces that have a surface area greater than 20% of a surface area of the respective first and second solar panel assemblies.

5. The solar powered bike of claim 1 , wherein one or both of the first and second solar panel assemblies are movable to expose a storage compartment defined by the cavity of the body of the bike, the one or both of the first and second solar panel assemblies being movable by at least one of a sliding mechanism and a rotatable coupling.

6. A solar-powered vehicle comprising:

a body defining a length extending along a central axis X and having a front end, rear end, top and opposing sides, the body further defining a cavity;

a pair of wheels including a front wheel at the front end of the body and a rear wheel at the rear end of the body, the wheels disposed in parallel and coincident with the central axis X;

a first and second solar panel assembly respectively disposed on the opposing sides of the body;

a third and fourth solar panel assembly disposed respectively on the front end and rear end of the body of the vehicle;

one or more electric motor disposed within the cavity of the body between the first and second solar panel assemblies, the one or more electric motors configured to rotate at least one of the front and rear wheels; and

one or more electric batteries disposed within the cavity of the body between the first and second solar panel assemblies, the one or more electric batteries configured to power the one or more electric motors and to be charged by electric current generated by the first and second solar panel assemblies, wherein non-electric power sources, including liquid fuel power sources, are absent from the vehicle.

7. The solar powered vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the first and second solar panel assemblies have symmetry about the central axis X.

8. The solar powered vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the first and second solar panel assemblies cover at least 90% of the respective sides of the body.

9. The solar powered vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the first and second solar panel assemblies are rotatably coupled on opposing sides of the body of the vehicle via rotatable couplings, the first and second solar panel assemblies configured for at least one of:

assuming a first configuration suitable for riding the vehicle with the solar panels assemblies disposed against the body of the vehicle, and to assuming a second configuration with the first and second solar panel assemblies rotated away from the body of the vehicle via the rotatable couplings; and

rotating away from the body of the vehicle via the rotatable couplings to expose a storage compartment defined by the cavity of the body of the vehicle.

10. A solar-powered vehicle comprising:

a body defining a length extending along a central axis X and having a front end, rear end, top and opposing sides, the body further defining a cavity;

a pair of wheels including a front wheel at the front end of the body and a rear wheel at the rear end of the body, the wheels disposed in parallel and coincident with the central axis X:

a first and second solar panel assembly respectively disposed on the opposing sides of the body;

one or more electric motor disposed within the cavity of the body between the first and second solar panel assemblies, the one or more electric motors configured to rotate at least one of the front and rear wheels;

one or more electric batteries disposed within the cavity of the body between the first and second solar panel assemblies, the one or more electric batteries configured to power the one or more electric motors and to be charged by electric current generated by the first and second solar panel assemblies, wherein non-electric power sources, including liquid fuel power sources, are absent from the vehicle; and

respective reflective elements on the opposing sides of vehicle having a reflective material that reflects sunlight onto the first and second solar panel assemblies on opposing sides of the body with a reflection factor of greater than 80%, the reflective elements defining respective reflective surfaces that have a surface area greater than 20% of a surface area of the respective first and second solar panel assemblies.

11. A solar-powered vehicle comprising:

a body having a front end, rear end, top and opposing sides, the body further defining a cavity;

two or more wheels;

a first and second solar panel assembly respectively disposed on the opposing sides of the body;

a third and fourth solar panel assembly disposed respectively on the front end and rear end of the body of the vehicle;

one or more electric motor disposed within the cavity of the body between the first and second solar panel assemblies, the one or more electric motors configured to rotate at least one of the two or more wheels; and

one or more electric batteries disposed within the cavity of the body between the first and second solar panel assemblies, the one or more electric batteries configured to power the one or more electric motors and to be charged by electric current generated by the first and second solar panel assemblies.

12. The solar powered vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the body defines a length extending along a central axis X and wherein the first and second solar panel assemblies have symmetry about the central axis X.

13. The solar powered vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the first and second solar panel assemblies cover at least 80% of the respective sides of the body.

14. The solar powered vehicle of claim 11 , including a front wheel at the front end of the body and a rear wheel at the rear end of the body.

15. The solar powered vehicle of claim 11 , wherein non-electric power sources are absent from the vehicle.

16. The solar powered vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the first and second solar panel assemblies are rotatably coupled on opposing sides of the body of the vehicle via rotatable couplings, the first and second solar panel assemblies configured for at least one of:

assuming a first configuration suitable for riding the vehicle with the solar panels assemblies disposed against the body of the vehicle, and to assuming a second configuration with the first and second solar panel assemblies rotated away from the body of the vehicle via the rotatable couplings; and

rotating away from the body of the vehicle via the rotatable couplings to expose a storage compartment defined by the cavity of the body of the vehicle.

17. A solar-powered vehicle comprising:

a body having a front end, rear end, top and opposing sides, the body further defining a cavity;

two or more wheels;

a first and second solar panel assembly respectively disposed on the opposing sides of the body;

one or more electric motor disposed within the cavity of the body between the first and second solar panel assemblies, the one or more electric motors configured to rotate at least one of the two or more wheels; and

one or more electric batteries disposed within the cavity of the body between the first and second solar panel assemblies, the one or more electric batteries configured to power the one or more electric motors and to be charged by electric current generated by the first and second solar panel assemblies; and

reflective elements on the opposing sides of vehicle having a reflective material that reflects sunlight onto the first and second solar panel assemblies on opposing sides of the body with a reflection factor of greater than 80%, the reflective elements defining respective reflective surfaces that have a surface area greater than 20% of a surface area of the respective first and second solar panel assemblies.