Tesla has an interesting idea in the works. One of the largest problems with EVs, at least for the outdoorsy types, is the lack of charging "off-grid." Traditionally, solar power has been the answer. But charging large batteries with the help of the sun isn't easy. Even charging a small 1860mAh (the kind you might find in a small rechargeable phone charger), can take hours.

Still, it appears Tesla is working on a towable solar charger of sorts. However, we should note that like the Tesla robot, this is not a final product. It's something of a design concept, at least according to a reported conversation with a Tesla employee. The unit itself made an appearance at the IdeenExpo in Hannover, Germany, alongside a Tesla Model Y.

We'll get to "Y" that Model Y was there in a moment. For now, the charger. By all accounts, this looks to be a very straightforward idea. There are extendable solar panels that fold into a smaller body, which can also tilt. The trailer it sits on comes with some degree of stabilization, as well as some storage. We imagine that's where the charging gear is kept.

What's not clear is deployment. Will this product (supposing it goes anywhere) store its charge in a battery? Or will it feed directly to the car? The most logical is the first of those rhetorical questions, and we imagine the battery sits low in the trailer, much like Tesla's cars.

Frankly, it's a clever solution, especially with storage worked in, for long road trips. With a charger on the back of your car, you'll need to plan less for your trip. Sounds good to us. Of course, this way, you also know your car's energy is coming from the cleanest source of free energy we have access to: Sunlight. Reportedly, it'll also include Starlink satellite internet.

For now, we'll have to wait and see if anything comes of this. However, Tesla did also offer a look at its new structural battery pack. The pack was sitting in a Model Y, filled to the brim with new 4680 batteries. Unlike the solar trailer, this is already in production.

Tesla has started integrating these newer, more cost-effective batteries this year, and cars with them are already on their way out of the factor. While IdeenExpo is more of a "job fair" for Tesla, we'd like to see the charging station come to fruition, rather than stay a concept. That's the kind of innovation that made Tesla, and the company needs more of it now.