View Single Post
Old 06-10-2021, 11:46 AM   #87 (permalink)
rmay635703
home of the odd vehicles
 
rmay635703's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere in WI
Posts: 3,891

Silver - '10 Chevy Cobalt XFE
Thanks: 506
Thanked 867 Times in 654 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by Isaac Zachary View Post
Engineering Explained on YouTube just did a video in why the solar panels on an Aptera would work, even if you include average cloud cover, etc. His numbers ended up being even a little more optimistic than Aptera's.
Modern types of panels are getting more efficient
with indirect lighting
Lighter
Cheaper

You add them together and they work when your forced to park under the open sky anyway.

Worth it in my book if your willing to pay the premium for expensive electricity.

Hopefully panels on vehicles will arrest the pandemic 12 volt battery failure issue as well whereby your car sits a few weeks and then your buying a new 12v

Quote:
Originally Posted by samwichse View Post
This new promotional video shows the back hatch glassed in like a more traditional car. There are still rear view cameras instead of side mirrors, so I'm assuming they're allowed now... but the hatch is glass? I thought I remember that whole area covered in solar cells. Seems like that hugely reduces the number of cells they could mount on the top of this thing.

It’s an option, base car has a small panel central on the roof, pay extra and you can do the hatch and the hood.
  Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to rmay635703 For This Useful Post:
samwichse (06-10-2021)