Trial 2 Is Live — Meet the Five Riders Taking the Solar eBike Cover Further Than Ever
- Fritz
- Jul 28
- 4 min read
Real Rider Stories · solarebikecover.com
The units are packed. The courier is on the way. And five Australian riders are about to put the most advanced version of the Solar eBike Cover through its paces across four states.
Trial 2 is live.
This is a significant moment for SOLEV. Trial 1 gave us three extraordinary riders — a gold prospector, an eTrike enthusiast, and a backcountry hunter — who tested the DC output version in conditions most eBike riders never encounter. Their feedback shaped everything about what comes next.
Trial 2 takes it further. A new AC output system. A backup battery for low-light stability. A more rigorous sizing and compatibility check. And five riders whose use cases cover more ground than we've ever tested before.
What Trial 1 Taught Us
Before we introduce the Trial 2 riders, it's worth a moment on what got us here.
[Steven Palmer] — a gold prospector from The Vines WA — charged two eBikes completely off-grid for ten days at Starvation Bay. No generator. Just sun. "It will save me taking the generator."
[Ken Lew] — an eTrike rider from Seaford SA — discovered something we didn't design for: the panels shading his battery from the South Australian summer heat. "The panels protect the eBike from the sun. That's a big plus."
[Robert Hunter] — a hunter from Rocky Camp SA — tested the system ahead of a week-long expedition in the Victorian High Country. Dual batteries, 30kg backpack, mountain terrain. "Plugged the charger in and it's working perfectly."
Three riders. Three states. Three completely different use cases. All pointing to the same conclusion: the concept works. Now we make it better.
The full story of what changed between Trial 1 and Trial 2 — the switch from DC to AC output, the backup battery, the improved sizing process — is in [From Trial 1 to Trial 2 — why we changed from DC to AC].
Meet the Trial 2 Riders
Sama — South Australia
Sama is an adventure rider with long-distance ambitions. The Solar eBike Cover goes on her bike as she pushes further into SA's remote terrain — exactly the kind of rider the AC output system was built for.
Heather-lee — Queensland
Heather-lee rides rail trails and scenic routes through Queensland. Her testing will give us real data on how the Solar eBike Cover performs across a typical Australian leisure and fitness riding context — the kind of riding that represents the majority of the eBike market.
James — Western Australia
James brings the Solar eBike Cover back to WA — the same state where Steven Palmer ran his Starvation Bay trial. Western Australia's long distances and abundant sunshine make it one of the best possible testing environments for in-situ solar charging.
Nigel — Queensland and Victoria
Nigel runs an eBike hire and touring business in Queensland and Victoria. His is perhaps the most significant trial of all — a commercial operator testing whether the Solar eBike Cover works not just for one rider, but as part of a fleet operation. If it works for Nigel, it works for every hire and tour operator who wants to offer solar-charged eBikes to their customers.
Darren — Queensland (DC Trial)
Darren is testing something different. As a daily commuter in Queensland, he's running the DC output version of the Solar eBike Cover — a parallel trial that continues our development of the DC system for use cases where AC output isn't the right solution. His commuting pattern gives us valuable data on how solar top-ups perform in an urban, high-frequency riding context.
What's Different in Trial 2
AC output via the rider's own charger — the biggest change. Rather than connecting directly to the battery via DC, Trial 2 units feed the rider's original eBike charger. This means universal compatibility — Bosch, Shimano, Bafang, Yamaha, every brand — without needing to match voltage or battery protocol.
Backup battery — Trial 2 units include a small backup battery that stabilises power output and bridges brief overcast patches, keeping the charging session running smoothly rather than dropping in and out when clouds pass.
Sizing and compatibility check — every Trial 2 rider provided their handlebar-to-rear-rack distance and charger specifications before dispatch. Getting the fit right from day one means better data and a better experience.
175–235W via SunPower silicon cells — the same high-efficiency cells that performed through overcast in Ken's South Australian trial, now delivering AC output compatible with every eBike brand.
The Units Are on Their Way
As of today, the Trial 2 systems are in transit. Five riders across SA, QLD, and WA are about to unbox something that's never been tested in their conditions before.
We'll be sharing their stories as they come in — first rides, first charges, first discoveries. Just like Steven, Ken and Robert before them, these riders will shape what the Solar eBike Cover becomes.
Follow the Journey
The best way to follow Trial 2 as it unfolds:
Read the Trial 1 stories — [Steven Palmer's outback WA story] · [Ken Lew's eTrike discovery] · [Robert Hunter's backcountry adventure]
Follow us on Instagram — @ft.solev for updates as riders check in
Join the waitlist — Trial 2 is now full, but the waitlist is open for the production launch and future trials
👉 Join the waitlist at solarebikecover.com
🇦🇺 Australian owned & designed · As seen at Eurobike 2025 · Patent pending
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