Stranded in the Atacama Desert: How a Tesla Model X Overlander Used Solar Power to Survive an Energy Crisis in Chile

The Atacama Desert in northern Chile is widely recognized as the driest non-polar place on Earth, a vast and unforgiving landscape where high altitudes, relentless winds, and extreme temperatures challenge even the most rugged internal combustion vehicles. For Sandro van Kuijck, an Oregon-based adventurer and content creator, this arid expanse became the site of a critical survival test for his modified Tesla Model X. While traversing the length of the Americas, van Kuijck found himself stranded on the shoulder of the Pan-American Highway, just kilometers short of a charging station, necessitating the deployment of a custom emergency solar array to prevent his vehicle from becoming a permanent fixture of the desert landscape.

This incident serves as a high-stakes case study in the evolving world of electric vehicle (EV) overlanding—a niche but growing movement that seeks to prove long-distance, off-grid travel is possible without fossil fuels. The ordeal highlights a dual reality: the current limitations of charging infrastructure in developing regions and the unique, self-sustaining potential of electric propulsion when paired with renewable energy harvesting.

The Expedition: From the Arctic to the Andes

Sandro van Kuijck’s journey began three years ago at the northern terminus of the Pan-American Highway in Tuktoyuktuk, Canada. Operating under the YouTube channel "EverydaySandro," his mission was to drive his Tesla Model X, nicknamed "Beluga," to the southern tip of the world in Ushuaia, Argentina. By the time he reached the Atacama Desert, van Kuijck had successfully navigated through 13 countries, covering tens of thousands of miles across diverse terrains, from the frost-heaved roads of the Yukon to the tropical humidity of Central America.

The vehicle used for this expedition, a Tesla Model X, underwent significant modifications to transform it from a luxury suburban SUV into a self-contained overlanding rig. To maintain the vehicle’s aerodynamic efficiency and factory aesthetics, van Kuijck kept the exterior mostly stock, with the notable exception of high-durability all-terrain tires. Internally, however, the "Beluga" features a custom-built slide-out kitchen, an induction cooktop, a refrigeration unit, and a pressurized water system.

Central to the vehicle’s off-grid capability is a secondary electrical system designed to power these living amenities. This "house" system consists of a 2 kWh EcoFlow Delta 2 portable power station fed by a custom 287-watt solar array mounted directly onto the vehicle’s hood. While primarily intended to power the refrigerator and electronics, the system was designed with a "lifeboat" function: the ability to trickle-charge the Tesla’s main high-voltage traction battery in the event of a total energy failure.

Chronology of a Desert Energy Crisis

The crisis began as van Kuijck departed the city of Calama in northern Chile. After utilizing a Copec fast charger to reach a 95% state of charge, the adventurer set out toward his next destination. However, the unique geography of the Atacama presented obstacles that traditional range-estimation algorithms often struggle to calculate accurately.

The route involved a significant ascent to an elevation of approximately 3,000 meters (nearly 10,000 feet). Climbing requires a massive expenditure of energy to overcome gravity, a factor compounded by the Atacama’s notorious headwinds, which can exceed 50 kilometers per hour. These environmental factors caused the Tesla’s energy consumption to spike far beyond the vehicle’s predicted averages.

As the vehicle progressed south of Calama, the mathematical reality of the situation became clear: the Tesla’s onboard computer reported 37 kilometers of remaining range, while the nearest charging station was 42 kilometers away. Faced with the prospect of the vehicle shutting down in the middle of a high-speed highway lane, van Kuijck opted for a controlled stop on the shoulder to assess his options.

The Physics of Emergency Solar Charging

Upon stopping, van Kuijck deployed his emergency solar protocol. In the intense, high-altitude sun of the Atacama—which boasts some of the highest solar irradiance levels on the planet—the 287-watt hood-mounted panels began generating between 180 and 200 watts of usable power.

The data from this experiment provides a sobering look at the scale of energy required by modern EVs. A Tesla Model X battery pack typically holds between 75 and 100 kWh of energy. At a charge rate of 200 watts, the vehicle was gaining roughly 1 to 2 kilometers of range for every hour of sun exposure. While this rate is functionally useless for standard travel, it served a vital mechanical purpose.

In an EV, a total discharge of the high-voltage battery can lead to a "bricked" state, where the vehicle’s systems, including the 12V battery that manages computers and safety locks, fail completely. By feeding a steady trickle of solar energy into the system, van Kuijck was able to keep the vehicle’s "brain" alive and prevent a catastrophic electronic shutdown while he coordinated a rescue.

Infrastructure Gaps and the Human Element

The incident also exposed the logistical hurdles of EV travel in South America. Despite Chile’s status as a regional leader in green energy, the vast distances between its northern mining hubs and southern agricultural valleys remain a challenge for EV drivers.

Van Kuijck attempted to contact five different towing companies to transport the vehicle the remaining 30 kilometers to a charger. Each company declined, citing the remote location or the specific requirements of towing a heavy electric SUV. During this period of isolation, the vehicle’s "house" battery eventually depleted, leaving the traveler in a precarious position as night approached in the desert.

The situation took a turn when a local road construction crew, working on a nearby section of the Pan-American Highway, noticed the stranded Tesla. In a display of "overlander solidarity," the crew allowed van Kuijck to connect his vehicle to their industrial diesel generator. While the generator only provided a modest 6-amp trickle charge, it was sufficient to maintain the battery’s state of charge and provide enough power for the vehicle’s climate control and communication systems.

Eventually, through a network of friends met earlier in the journey, van Kuijck secured a tow truck. The 30-kilometer transport to a Copec fast charger in Calama cost $135 USD. Once connected to the grid, the Tesla began pulling power at a rate of 36–40 kW—a fraction of the 250 kW speeds seen at Tesla Superchargers in North America, but enough to fully restore the vehicle’s mobility within two hours.

Analysis of the Chilean EV Landscape

Chile is currently at a crossroads regarding its transportation future. In late 2024, Tesla officially entered the South American market by launching its first Supercharger stations in the Santiago region. Furthermore, in early 2026, a partnership between Tesla and Copec (Chile’s primary fuel and energy provider) was announced to expand high-speed charging access across the country’s main service corridors.

However, as van Kuijck’s experience demonstrates, the "charging desert" remains a reality in the north. While the Copec Voltex network has grown to over 90 fast-charging locations nationwide, the density of these stations in the Atacama region is still insufficient to account for the high energy demands of heavy, loaded vehicles facing steep grades and wind.

Moreover, van Kuijck noted a software-related challenge: his vehicle’s navigation system, programmed for North American markets, struggled to recognize Chilean charging infrastructure. This forced him to rely on third-party apps and manual calculations, increasing the margin for error in a region where a single miscalculation can lead to being stranded.

Broader Implications for Sustainable Travel

The story of the "Beluga" Tesla highlights a fundamental shift in how travelers perceive fuel and energy. In a traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle, running out of fuel in a remote desert is a terminal event without external intervention; the driver is entirely dependent on someone else delivering a physical liquid.

Conversely, an EV offers a "closed-loop" potential. While van Kuijck’s current solar setup was only sufficient for a 1-2 km/hr trickle, it demonstrated the principle of energy autonomy. If the vehicle had been equipped with larger, deployable folding solar blankets—a technology currently being refined by various startups—he could have theoretically generated 20–30 kilometers of range per day, allowing for a slow but steady self-rescue.

Chile has committed to a mandate that would see only zero-emission light and medium vehicles sold in the country by 2035. For this goal to be realized, the infrastructure must move beyond urban centers and into the challenging geographies of the Atacama and Patagonia. Van Kuijck’s ordeal serves as a reminder that the transition to electric mobility is not merely about the vehicles themselves, but about the resilience and reach of the networks that support them.

As van Kuijck continues his journey toward Ushuaia, his experience in the Atacama remains a landmark moment for the EV community. It underscores the necessity of over-preparing for environmental variables and highlights the burgeoning role of solar power as the ultimate "spare tire" for the electric age. The lesson for future explorers is clear: in the world’s most extreme environments, the sun is not just a source of heat, but a vital, albeit slow, lifeline to the civilized world.