No. Its a non-starter for practical use. The energy balances are easy to do and its easy to show that this idea has no merit.
Solar card will only exist as one-off university type projects, with slow impractical vehicles that can take one passenger in what is essentially a bicycle frame.
This project was getting some press a couple years ago, its perf specs were slightly better than I expected, but they were also nameplate data. It may have been a paper car at that time, now maybe its real. It all comes down to energy flux - the input limit is maybe 1 kW/m2 insolation X Area X eta (say 25% to be generous) and that is what you have to work with. Then its a parametric optimization (and compromise) of size/area, weight, speed, range, storage cap, frequency of ops, and payload. If it has regen braking that might help.
Not true. In real life. These things are not practical vehicles. Honestly, is easy to prove with basic energy balances. I assume you do energy balances your self. I have done these calcs decades ago, its rudimentary.
First let me say that it CAN exist, the question is, what is it?
- I briefly looked at the specs on the website.
- The key number is 700 Watts, which is the max energy flux to the vehicle from the sun.
- 700 Watts is less that one HP, and over say a 10 hour sun day amount to less than 10 HP-hr of energy which is approx. the amount of energy in 1/2 litre of gasoline.
- The 700 Watts is in line with the initial calc I stated, which is 1000 Watts/m2 (insolation) X 20-25% efficiency X plan view area of vehicle which is maybe 3 or 4 m2. So 700 Watts is fine.
- They state on the website that coefficient of drag is worse than a solar racer but better than a Tesla.
- They state on the website 'Aptera is the first Solar Electric Vehicle that can require no charging for most daily use.' What this is saying is that this really a lightweight BEV and the solar panels are supplementary.
- Bottom line is this is a consume grade 2-seater Solar Racer type deal - basically a three-wheeled bicycle with a hard shell and solar PV panels.
- Its a fine product, but its meant for a really niche audience.
- It isnt, and cant ever be, a general purpose vehicle for mass transport - it is limited by the MAX energy input of 1/2 gasoline equivalent per day. When I say this is going nowhere, or has no chance, this is what I am referring to. As I said I have seen this before, and the basic numbers are easy to do, and its max potential is easy to determine.
Cheers. If you want more energy analysis, I am glad to help.
That is not a very sophisticated analysis. You just verified that their claims are correct. I already knew that (or at least strongly suspected it).
Aptera is clearly a solar-powered electric vehicle (as in the title of the video), which in your first response you said was not possible.
Aptera is also a “ general purpose vehicle for mass transport.” Its main constraint is only having two seats, which I mentioned in the video. Yes, it has a niche audience for that reason, but I already said that in the video.
Your original comment was clearly incorrect. You said:
"Its a non-starter for practical use. The energy balances are easy to do and its easy to show that *this idea has no merit.*
Solar card will only exist as one-off university type projects, with slow impractical vehicles that can take one passenger in what is essentially a bicycle frame."
You have proven yourself incorrect.
Next time, please watch the video before commenting. It is a commenting rule at this site.
People like me have a lot of time on our hands. If I only drive once a week, and it takes four days to charge my car, so be it :)
No. Its a non-starter for practical use. The energy balances are easy to do and its easy to show that this idea has no merit.
Solar card will only exist as one-off university type projects, with slow impractical vehicles that can take one passenger in what is essentially a bicycle frame.
Its all basic math.
Did you actually watch the idea before commenting? It does not appear so.
Aptera already has production-intent vehicles that disprove your supposed “basic math” calculations.
This project was getting some press a couple years ago, its perf specs were slightly better than I expected, but they were also nameplate data. It may have been a paper car at that time, now maybe its real. It all comes down to energy flux - the input limit is maybe 1 kW/m2 insolation X Area X eta (say 25% to be generous) and that is what you have to work with. Then its a parametric optimization (and compromise) of size/area, weight, speed, range, storage cap, frequency of ops, and payload. If it has regen braking that might help.
Not true. In real life. These things are not practical vehicles. Honestly, is easy to prove with basic energy balances. I assume you do energy balances your self. I have done these calcs decades ago, its rudimentary.
OK, then show me the calculations using Aptera’s official specs showing that their production-intent vehicle cannot exist (as they claim).
And I still do not see the slightest evidence that you actually watched the video or studied the specs.
I will look at it this weekend. I do engineering energy analysis all day, every day.
First let me say that it CAN exist, the question is, what is it?
- I briefly looked at the specs on the website.
- The key number is 700 Watts, which is the max energy flux to the vehicle from the sun.
- 700 Watts is less that one HP, and over say a 10 hour sun day amount to less than 10 HP-hr of energy which is approx. the amount of energy in 1/2 litre of gasoline.
- The 700 Watts is in line with the initial calc I stated, which is 1000 Watts/m2 (insolation) X 20-25% efficiency X plan view area of vehicle which is maybe 3 or 4 m2. So 700 Watts is fine.
- They state on the website that coefficient of drag is worse than a solar racer but better than a Tesla.
- They state on the website 'Aptera is the first Solar Electric Vehicle that can require no charging for most daily use.' What this is saying is that this really a lightweight BEV and the solar panels are supplementary.
- Bottom line is this is a consume grade 2-seater Solar Racer type deal - basically a three-wheeled bicycle with a hard shell and solar PV panels.
- Its a fine product, but its meant for a really niche audience.
- It isnt, and cant ever be, a general purpose vehicle for mass transport - it is limited by the MAX energy input of 1/2 gasoline equivalent per day. When I say this is going nowhere, or has no chance, this is what I am referring to. As I said I have seen this before, and the basic numbers are easy to do, and its max potential is easy to determine.
Cheers. If you want more energy analysis, I am glad to help.
That is not a very sophisticated analysis. You just verified that their claims are correct. I already knew that (or at least strongly suspected it).
Aptera is clearly a solar-powered electric vehicle (as in the title of the video), which in your first response you said was not possible.
Aptera is also a “ general purpose vehicle for mass transport.” Its main constraint is only having two seats, which I mentioned in the video. Yes, it has a niche audience for that reason, but I already said that in the video.
Your original comment was clearly incorrect. You said:
"Its a non-starter for practical use. The energy balances are easy to do and its easy to show that *this idea has no merit.*
Solar card will only exist as one-off university type projects, with slow impractical vehicles that can take one passenger in what is essentially a bicycle frame."
You have proven yourself incorrect.
Next time, please watch the video before commenting. It is a commenting rule at this site.