Sunslice Adds Backpack Charger To Its Portable Lineup
On-the-move power chargers have become even more versatile, thanks to Belgian startup Sunslice Solar, which has expanded its product line to include a backpack charger called the Fusion, to accompany the company’s Volta wallet charger and the pocket-sized Photon charger.
The Sunslice Fusion solar charger is a powerful and lightweight device created to power all your wildest adventures, the company says. The sturdy 6 Watt solar panel will rapidly charge any device via the integrated USB port. The back of the panel includes a net pouch to safely hold and charge your phone or power bank battery while you enjoy nature.
The Fusion can easily be attached to your backpack or to your tent using the integrated hooks, the company adds. Waterproof and durable, it will accompany you camping, hiking, backpacking and even to your favorite festival, it says.
The Fusion follows the pocket-sized Photon, touted as ‘the smallest solar charger in the world,” The Photon Light, and the Volta. The company posted a short clip to demonstrate the quality and resistance of its product on Youtube.
The Photon is a solar charger that has “the best power-size ratio in the world, which means that it has the fastest charging speed in the sun regarding their small size compared to their competitors,” according to Henri Gernaey, the managing director of the company. The charger has an integrated 4,000 milliAm/hour (mAh) battery, and Integrated charging cable and 4 Watts of solar power for fast charge input and output.
Strong Photon sales have been driven by the robustness of the product, which is possible thanks to a Belgian craftsman that is using faux-leather for the Photon. Over 1,000 units have been sold via the website since the beginning of sales three months ago. Sunslice expects to triple its numbers in the coming months, Gernaey predicts.
The Photon Light, which the company calls “Photon’s little brother,” is an entry level solar charger, less powerful than the photon but very compact and lightweight. It is composed of a solar card, the Slice, that can connect to the battery thanks to magnetic connections.
The Volta is a smart wallet with an integrated detachable battery which can charge a smartphone up to two times, thanks to a universal cable that can charge every type of phone. The Volta also has RFID protection which will protect your data.
Since the company booted up with a Kickstarter campaign from last year, the company has sold over 1000 of its solar chargers, and has managed to enter over 60 stores in Belgium, according to Gernaey.
Sunslice now has two major retail stores in Belgium, and are currently developing partnerships with more retailers in France, Luxembourg, Germany and in Australia.
The Kickstarter campaign, which ended December 10th 2017, raised €47,000 from over 400 backers, Gernaey says. After changes to the prototype were made, the company raised another €50,000 on January 31st, 2018.
The potential for products like these is massive. According to MarketsAndMarkets, “The power bank market was valued at $7.77 billion in 2016 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 21.2% between 2017 and 2022. The increasing usage of smartphones and tablets, advancements in technology, and electric outage in certain countries are driving the growth of the overall market. The base year considered for study is 2016 and the forecast period is between 2017 and 2022.”
A power bank is a portable charger that supplies power using in-built battery to charge various portable electronic devices, the analyst says. These batteries can be manufactured using Li-ion or Li-polymer technology. The electronic devices that can be charged using a power bank include smartphones, tablets, digital cameras, portable media devices, and laptops. The power bank uses electric power grid or solar energy to charge these devices.
The analysts point to various factors driving the market, including Increasing usage of smartphones and tablets, a decline in price of power banks; increased power consumption of electronic devices due to advancement in technology; and electric outage in certain countries.
Among limits to market growth are continuing improvement in the battery capacity of electronic devices, the poor quality of power banks, and the increasing adoption of wireless charging technology in consumer electronic devices, the analysts say.
Another market report by Future Market Insights keyed to the 2017-2027 time frame, notes that, “The most important part of portable charging units are the PCB board and batteries. Currently, portable charging unit batteries are categorized as cylindrical battery, square aluminum case and polymer battery.”
The analysts also noted that “Portable charging units are available with different number of ports in the market such as one port, two port, three port and four port. Currently, two USB port charging unit holds major market share and this trend is expected to continue over the forecast period.”
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