Tesla owner uses emergency solar to trickle charge after running out of battery in desert

A YouTuber driving a Tesla Model X the entire length of the Americas ran out of battery in Chile’s Atacama Desert — the driest place on Earth — and had to deploy emergency solar panels on the side of the highway to survive.

The whole ordeal, captured on video, is a fascinating look at both the promise and the very real challenges of long-distance EV travel in regions where charging infrastructure remains sparse.

Overlanding the Americas in a Tesla Model X

Sandro van Kuijck, an Oregon-based creator who runs the YouTube channel EverydaySandro, has spent the past three years driving his Tesla Model X — nicknamed “Beluga” — from the northern terminus of the Pan-American Highway in Tuktoyuktuk, Canada, toward the southern tip in Ushuaia, Argentina. Chile marked country number 14 on his solo expedition.

Beluga is no ordinary Model X. Van Kuijck converted the electric SUV into a full-time overlanding rig with a custom slide-out kitchen, induction cooktop, running water, a refrigerator, and a sleeping setup — all while keeping the exterior mostly stock aside from all-terrain tires. Crucially, he installed a custom 287-watt solar array on the hood, feeding a 2 kWh EcoFlow Delta 2 “house battery” that powers his living amenities and, in emergencies, can trickle charge the main battery pack.