He wanted a true solar vehicle, so he built Solar Bear, an open-source trike with panels for a body

For anyone frustrated that solar-powered vehicles still seem more concept than reality, one DIY builder just offered a compelling counterexample. 

In a post shared on Reddit, the builder revealed "Solar Bear," a homebuilt, open-source recumbent trike that uses solar panels as part of the vehicle's body and produces power while on the move.

What's happening?

The maker said they built the trike because they wanted a vehicle that was truly solar-powered, writing in a comment: "I wanted to buy a solar vehicle ... but I could not find a true one ... so I built one!"

Built for city transportation, the vehicle combines assisted pedaling with a 250-watt continuous motor that reaches a top motor speed of 25 kilometers per hour (15.5 miles per hour). The Reddit post says Solar Bear is about 2.5 meters (8.2 feet) long, 1.45 meters (4.8 feet)  wide, and roughly 55 kilograms (121 pounds) without a driver, and it carries 520 watts of solar panels plus a 256-watt-hour battery.

Commenters quickly mixed praise with technical questions, asking about both the design and how practical it would be in real-world use. The builder described the concept with straightforward goals: "Use solar panels as trike's body," "Produce its own energy," and "Transport people inside cities." The project is shared under an MIT License.

One commenter joked, "Congrats on beating Aptera to producing a solar vehicle," while another added, "Love the dragonfly doors."

Why does it matter?

Solar Bear turns a clean-energy idea into a working personal vehicle. Rather than waiting for a major automaker to perfect solar mobility, this builder created a functional prototype that reimagines small-scale transportation.

Electric vehicles can help drivers save on fuel costs, and they often require less routine maintenance than gas-powered vehicles. A lightweight electric trike brings those advantages into an even smaller urban format, where short trips can be among the most expensive and inefficient miles to travel in a traditional car.

In the Reddit summary, the maker reported essentially unlimited daytime range in summer. If a vehicle can generate some of its own energy while traveling, that could reduce charging needs and make local transportation even cheaper.

What's being done?

The creator has made it possible for others to study and potentially build on the work. In addition to describing the project as open source, they later wrote in the comments that the "CAD source code is here," directing interested makers to the design files.

Open-source projects can lower the barrier to experimentation. Not everyone will build a solar trike from scratch, but sharing the plans helps hobbyists, engineers, and commuters envision what smaller, cleaner personal vehicles could look like.

There are already realistic ways to get started — from e-bikes and e-trikes to making your next car an EV. Even if a solar-powered commuter is not in the cards, switching away from gas can still mean lower fueling costs and less maintenance over time.

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