In the context of the energy transition and the promotion of active transportation, electric bicycles (e-bikes) have become widely adopted for short urban trips. However, their use in long duration, self-supported cycle touring remains limited, particularly due to restricted or nonexistent access to electrical charging. This thesis evaluates the potential of integrating mobile photovoltaic (PV) power generation into an e-bike system to support long-distance travel in full autonomy.
The primary objective is to design and assess, following an engineering design approach, a PV system integrated into cycle touring practice. A solar electric vehicle simulation tool was developed in Python, notably relying on the PVlib library and a systematic management of meteorological data. The model combines a simplified representation of vehicle dynamics with PV power generation modeling in order to analyze energy performance and identify the dominant design parameters.
Two reference routes were studied: one with low elevation gain and one with significant elevation gain, allowing for relative performance comparisons. The proposed concept consists of a solar trailer integrating 0.966 m² of PV, a 792 Wh battery, and a maximum assistance power of 500 W, adding 20.37 kg to the system. In comparison to a cyclist riding without any assistance, this solution increases average speed by a factor of 1.47 on flat terrain and 2.31 on hilly terrain. The electrical assistance contribution reaches 182 % and 204 % of the cyclist’s standalone energy output on flat and hilly routes, respectively.
Sensitivity analysis shows that total mass and PV surface area influence performance by roughly one order of magnitude more than battery capacity and maximum assistance power. Mass is more critical on hilly terrain, whereas PV surface area is more influential on flat terrain. Despite limitations related to motor, battery, and control function modeling, the results demonstrate significant potential for solar-assisted e-bikes in autonomous cycle touring and provide a reusable methodological foundation for future work.
| Date | 24 Jun 2026 |
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| Original language | French |
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| Awarding Institution | - École de technologie supérieure
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| Supervisor | Daniel Rousse (Supervisor) |
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Tétrault-Leclerc, M. (Author),
Rousse (Supervisor),
24 Jun 2026Student thesis: Master's thesis › Master in Engineering: Engineering