Even here at CleanTechnica, there’s a lot of skepticism about solar-powered cars. The obvious problem, of course, is that solar power just doesn’t generate enough power per square foot of surface area to get a lot of power out of the top of a car. As one well-known automotive engineer on YouTube explains, there’s a lot working against it.

A growing number of shops and suppliers are getting into the business, with used but good first-generation LEAF batteries now available for as little as $1000. People with an older LEAF can even get newer 62 kWh packs to get over 200 miles of range in the oldest LEAFs.

Véhicules Électriques Simon André, a shop in Quebec, recently put the battery pack from a LEAF Plus in an older 2015 LEAF, increasing the range to an indicated 231 miles | 371 kilometers. Originally, the 2015 LEAF came with a 24 kWh pack, and had an EPA range of 84 miles | 135 kilometers. By swapping in the 62 kWh pack, the range is almost tripled.