Foldable Solar Charger for Electric Scooters

A portable photovoltaic module designed to recharge e-scooters and micro-mobility devices anywhere — no socket, no range anxiety, just the sun.

Solar Energy for the Last Mile

Years ago, well before portable solar went mainstream, an idea took shape inside MR WATT: a solar panel light and compact enough to live in a backpack, yet powerful enough to top up the battery of an electric scooter. Micro-mobility was booming in city centres, but every e-scooter still depended on a wall socket — and on the grid. We wanted to cut that cord.

So we designed and built a foldable photovoltaic module for exactly that purpose: high-efficiency monocrystalline cells laminated onto a rugged, flexible textile backing that folds flat like a wallet and opens into a full solar array. Lay it on the ground, angle it to the sun, and the scooter charges while you rest.

Engineered to Fold, Built to Last

The panel is built from 18 SunPower Gen6 monocrystalline cells — each rated about 7 Wp and laser-cut into quarters, for 72 quarter-cells in total — distributed across 6 folding segments. Folded along its hinged segments, it keeps a large active surface in a full-black package that closes flat and is easy to carry.

The full-black array delivers around 119 Wp at 36 V, dimensioned to charge electric-scooter batteries directly off-grid. Open it measures 540 × 1200 mm and folds down to just 540 × 180 mm — small enough to slip into a backpack or stow under the deck.

Where Solar Mobility Makes the Difference

Daily Urban Commuting — Top up your scooter at home, at the office or in a park and set off with range to spare — no socket required.
Last-Mile Delivery — Keep delivery scooters rolling between drops with a charge that travels with the rider, not the wall.
Tourism & Rentals — Solar charging points for scooter rental fleets in resorts, campsites and car-free zones.
Rural & Off-Grid Areas — Recharge where the grid is weak or absent — mountain villages, trails and remote getaways.
Camping & Van Life — Bring your scooter along and recharge it straight from the sun at the campsite, silently and fuel-free.
Emergency & Blackouts — Keep your scooter — your backup transport — ready to roll even when the power is down.
Shared Fleet Solar Hubs — Off-grid charging islands for shared-scooter fleets — drop them in parks, transit stops and districts no cable ever reached.
Events, Festivals & Expos — Silent, generator-free charging for demo fleets and staff scooters at fairs, festivals and outdoor events.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this panel only for electric scooters?: Yes — this module is engineered exclusively to charge electric scooters. The lithium battery pack of an e-scooter is protected by a BMS (Battery Management System) that only accepts a charge when the incoming voltage is high enough, which is why the array is built around a 119 Wp / 36 V output rather than a low-voltage USB source.
Why does it run at such a high voltage (36 V)?: Because of the BMS inside the scooter's lithium battery. The BMS blocks charging unless the panel voltage exceeds the pack's working voltage, so the module is designed to deliver 36 V in sunlight — enough to satisfy the BMS and push current straight into the battery, with no wall socket.
Can it charge phones, power banks or USB devices?: No. This is a dedicated 36 V scooter charger, not a USB power source — its voltage is far too high for 5 V USB electronics. It is purpose-built for a single job: keeping an electric scooter rolling off-grid.
How long does it take to charge a scooter?: It depends on the sunlight, the battery capacity and its state of charge. In full sun the 119 Wp array provides a steady top-up that extends range and keeps the pack alive off-grid; for faster, continuous charging we can size a larger custom array.
Is the module weatherproof and durable?: The full-black cells are encapsulated in a UV-stable laminate and the panel is splash-proof, built for outdoor use with reinforced folds for daily transport. It is not meant to be submerged, but it withstands sun, dust and light rain.
What happens on cloudy days or in winter?: We won't oversell the sun: like every solar panel, output drops when the sky turns grey. The module still harvests useful energy on bright overcast days and recovers fully in clear conditions — it simply works hardest exactly when you are most likely to be outdoors. And if your use case lives in cloudier climates, we can oversize the array to compensate, so a winter sun still gives you a meaningful charge.
Can it keep charging while the scooter is parked?: That is the whole idea. Unfold it wherever you stop — a trailhead, a campsite, the office balcony — and it tops the battery up while you do something else, so you ride back with more range than you arrived with. Instead of hunting for a socket, you let the sun quietly chip away at range anxiety in the background.
Do you also design and build solar modules for electric bicycles?: Yes — custom photovoltaic modules for e-bikes are one of our specialities. E-bike packs run at their own voltages (typically 36 V or 48 V) and have their own BMS, so we design the cell layout, output voltage, dimensions and folding pattern around your exact bike and battery.
I have an e-bike or micro-mobility project — are you interested?: Absolutely. Whether it is e-bikes, scooters or another micro-mobility vehicle, tell us the battery voltage, capacity and the space available, and we will engineer a foldable or fixed module to match — from a single prototype to series production. Get in touch and let's design it together.