US startup Aptera has developed a solar-electric vehicle with a range of up to 1,000 miles on a full battery, which it claims most drivers won’t need to charge.
The Aptera car runs on a mix of solar and electric power, which the company refers to as its Neʋer Charge technology, meaning drivers could complete trips without having to stop for more power at charging stations.
According to the San Diego-based company, the average American drives 29 miles per day. So, depending on where the owner lives and how much they drive, “they may never need to charge Aptera at all.”
Measuring 4.4 meters long, 2.2 meters wide and 1.4 meters high, the three-wheeled Aptera vehicle can accommodate two adults and one pet, according to the company.
While the car can be fully charged using a charging station or cable, when drivers are on the road during the day, solar energy from the sun will keep the vehicle recharged.
This solar technology is designed to store enough sunlight to allow the car to travel more than 11,000 miles per year in most regions.
The company has a calculator on its website that allows people to input their location and the number of miles they drive in a day to determine how many times a year they would need to charge the car.
For example, if you were located in Great Britain and traveled an average of 25 miles per day, you would need to charge the Aptera vehicle with an electric cord approximately 1.46 times per year.
A total of 180 solar cells are integrated into the car’s body structure and can be configured to provide up to 45 miles of range per day.
The company claims this makes its Aptera model the first vehicle that is capable of meeting most daily consumption needs using solar power alone.
“Although the longest-range Aptera can go about 1,000 miles between charges, the reality is that most of our range is 30 miles or less,” the company said.
“For Aptera, 30 miles consumes about three kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity. Now, let’s say your commute is 15 miles each way, let’s assume it’s dark when you drive to and from work,” he continued.
“While parked at the office on a sunny day, your Aptera could recharge around 4.4 kWh, which is much more than it will use that day. You will come home with more load than when you left. That’s how it works, it’s as simple as that.”
Because the car uses less than 100 watt-hours (Wh) per mile for daily travel, it can travel an estimated five times further than other electric vehicles the same size in the solar system.
This is mainly due to its lightweight structure, which is made of a composite material of steel and aluminum.
The car is also made up of four parts instead of the average 300 that make up a vehicle, making it smoother and more cost-effective to produce.
This, combined with its aerodynamic shape, reduces drag to a coefficient (Cd) of 0.13. By comparison, the Tesla Model 3 has a Cd of drag of 0.23.
The car, which is scheduled to go into production in 2021, can go from zero to 60 miles per hour (mph) in 3.5 seconds, with a top speed of 110 mph.
On top of this, it has a two-level range capability, meaning it can control steering, acceleration and braking, but the driver must be behind the wheel to intervene when necessary.
An in-car user interface informs drivers in real time about ways they can conserve energy and extend the car’s range.
In 2013, students at the Eindhoʋen University of Technology revealed what they claimed to be the world’s first solar-powered family car, called the Stella, which later entered a pH๏τoʋoltaic-powered race in Australia.
In 2015, students redesigned the vehicle to run more than 1,000 kilometers on a single charge and produce enough excess energy to power a television or washing machine, thanks to solar panels on the roof and rear.
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