Retired electrical engineer Andrew Mangano completed a journey around Australia in a Tesla Model 3 Long Range to test the feasibility of covering long distances relying primarily on electricity linked to solar power. The journey took 42 days and covered 16,940 kilometres, including 69 charging sessions at a total cost of A$1,649.04, while the vehicle recorded an average efficiency of 149.4 watt-hours per kilometre.
Mangano planned his route using PlugShare and Google Earth, identifying in advance charging locations that had solar panels or were in towns that partly relied on solar power. His goal was to avoid charging at sites powered by diesel generators or the electrical grid when no clear connection to solar power was available.
What did the journey reveal in practice?
The experience showed that having a solar-linked charger does not necessarily mean the journey will be easy. In Western Australia, Mangano encountered repeated failures in the charging network, including chargers limited to 3, 8, or 10 kilowatts, sites damaged by vandalism, authentication problems, as well as failures in cooling systems and backup power sources.
At Billabong Roadhouse, the charger was operating at only 3 kilowatts, while at Ngumban he had to wait more than six and a half hours to go from 19% to a full charge. In Broome, a charger rated at 150 kilowatts was delivering only 2.9 kilowatts. The Balladonia charger also failed completely because the diesel generator was not switched on when battery power dropped, forcing him to continue driving to Norseman with the charge level reaching 6%.
By contrast, he found that the infrastructure in the Northern Territory was in better condition during the section of the journey he covered there. Katherine has a 34-megawatt solar farm with 100,000 solar panels, along with a 3.4-megawatt-hour battery. He also used other sites relying on local solar systems, including a 250-kilowatt facility backed by a battery with a capacity of 191 kilowatt-hours at Overlander Roadhouse, and a 420-kilowatt array of panels at Warmun.
The lessons Mangano draws
- Advance planning: Charging locations should be identified along the entire route, and their status should be checked through PlugShare or by contacting the service operator before arrival.
- Allowing for time and range: Charging at 11 kilowatts can take seven hours, and the duration may be longer at camping sites. Higher speeds and wind also reduce the available range.
- Choosing the vehicle: Mangano recommends a highway range of at least 400 kilometres, preferably 500 kilometres, because the distances between solar-powered sites are considerable in areas such as Western Australia, Queensland, the Northern Territory, and South Australia.
- Carrying equipment: His list included charging cables and equipment rated at 10 and 15 amps, a Type 2 to Type 2 cable, and equipment suitable for some remote locations.
- Preparing for authentication problems: He carried RFID cards for charging operators, particularly Chargefox and AEVA cards, in addition to the Tesla app and a means of connecting to the Telstra network.
Why does this experience matter?
The journey does not prove that every electric vehicle or every remote route can easily be powered with solar energy, but it offers a practical test of the limits of the idea. The main conclusion is that the electricity source is only one part of the equation; charger reliability, maintenance quality, site connectivity, battery capacity, and emergency plans may determine the success of the journey more than the solar panels’ rated capacity.
The list of failures Mangano recorded in Western Australia points to operational limitations that require attention, from faulty cooling pumps in Tritium chargers to failed power units in Kempower chargers and control systems that limit charging speed. Solarlap’s experience therefore remains evidence of technical feasibility, not a guarantee of a consistent or reliable experience for all electric-vehicle users.