Our story starts with the idea of ​​the perfect means of transport. In March 2020, Niklas asked himself with an empty battery: Why can't I just charge my e-bike with solar energy anywhere and be self-sufficient? Since there was a lockdown at the time, he constructed the first prototype in conjunction with the solar charger from Sunload. The test was successful - you can charge the e-bike while you're riding!

After the successful test, Niklas started CAD modeling a real prototype, a custom-made product. He first approached Simeon with the drawings and the idea, as Simeon already had a lot of experience in metal construction. After four months, the first functional prototype was born. It was still far from being marketable, but Simeon was enthusiastic about the idea and now the two of them worked on the vision.

We kept experimenting and letting our ideas run free. Above all, we wanted more performance. Niklas worked full-time as a strategic buyer and Simeon as a metalworker, so we didn't have unlimited time, but we worked with great dedication on constant improvements.

After five prototypes, we had an affordable, functional, stable solution for the solar e-bike with our steel construction. The problem was that the solar module produced significantly less power when partially shaded. That's why we wanted to have our solar module specially manufactured as two solar modules connected in parallel. Unfortunately, we didn't find the right partner in Germany, but we did find the highly competent company Shine Solar in Hong Kong. Shine Solar is certified according to the special photovoltaic standards IEC 61215 and IEC 61730 and uses the industry-leading, highly flexible cells from SunPower. They are also certified according to the environmental standard ISO14001, health standard ISO45001 and quality standard ISO9001.

While looking for a reliable partner for our module carriers, we came across the company Schink Blechbearbeitung & Metallbau . Schink GmbH & Co.KG is an owner-managed, medium-sized family business based in Bad Rodach. As a specialist for complex sheet metal constructions in steel and stainless steel, they are the perfect partner for our sophisticated products. They meet all of our requirements for precision and quality and actively support us in all design questions.

We now had an outstanding product and were full of enthusiasm to enable people to take unique tours with our solar system. So we went to the notary and founded our own company: Solarride GmbH. The business headquarters with warehouse, office, logistics and production was set up on Niklas Opa's property. Only assembly takes place here, as our strong partners take on the majority of the added value. The SunLight charger, for example, is only packaged in Langenau, thus guaranteeing maximum quality.

After the launch of our Solarride 60 WP version, we quickly realized that we were only compatible with a few e-bikes with the Sunload system and that the limited 60 WP charge with the mVelo leaves a lot to be desired on long tours. That's why we decided to develop our own charger with twice the power, the latest technology, durable components and something that is compatible with the major brands Bosch, Yamaha, Brose, etc. However, since we lacked the know-how to do this, we commissioned an engineering office specializing in solar charging technology and started the complex and cost-intensive development together with the highly competent partner in September 2023.

After intensive development work, a functional prototype was completed that passed all laboratory tests. Now, of course, it still had to be tested in the field and what is better for this than a demanding bike trip with the charger under constant strain. To do this, Niklas packed his e-bike, mounted the Solarride 120 WP version and set off with only our charging technology in his luggage. We were thrilled with the results. The SunLight charger was a world first with its high efficiency, three charging options and high charging power. The last anomalies were now eliminated in the EMC laboratory and we were finally able to start production of our own charger. In addition to the crossing of the Alps, the solar station on the garden shed was also tested permanently from February 2024: Here too, the results spoke volumes, we were able to keep two e-bikes permanently ready for daily journeys and weekend trips. The development was a complete success!

In September, our first batch of chargers was finally delivered and we were able to start selling them. We are now in the process of providing you with first-class charging technology for the next season, so that you can enjoy unprecedented experiences in untouched nature and complete your mobility. But we never stand still and will constantly develop our solutions to achieve our vision.