Aptera Reboot - Improved

[Isaac Zachary]

Every gear, CV joint and bearing the driveline has to go through is going to cause a loss to friction.

This becomes even more pronounced the more efficient the rest of the car is. A car that needs 20hp to maintain 60mph and is losing 0.2hp to the driveline has a 1% loss. But a car with basically the same driveline parts that needs only 5hp to maintain 60mph now has a 4% driveline loss.

[Isaac Zachary]

Well I guess I won't be able to get an Aptera. Their site says it's "capable down to -20 degrees Fahrenheit." What about when it gets to -40 degrees?

[rmay635703]

Originally Posted by Isaac Zachary

Well I guess I won't be able to get an Aptera. Their site says it's "capable down to -20 degrees Fahrenheit." What about when it gets to -40 degrees?

Though I haven’t seen it since my 3rd year in College we had a real -40F, my old 2wd 1982 Diesel Suburban with its dual 1200cca batteries was the only one to start (took a good 5 minutes)
Wierd having it barely idle with the pedal to the floor blasting smoke like a freight train, got to jump start a bunch of failed gas cars before leaving for my “craft job” Friday.

Last year we had an entire month with lows below-20F measured right on the north side yard.

Guess the Aptera is limited to 10 month service with a backup?

I guess that is what is good about the Volt, despite leaving it sit days without charging I’ve never had a battery too cold plug in to warm, car just starts the gasser and runs pure hybrid below -15F

[Isaac Zachary]

Originally Posted by rmay635703

Though I haven’t seen it since my 3rd year in College we had a real -40F, my old 2wd 1982 Diesel Suburban with its dual 1200cca batteries was the only one to start (took a good 5 minutes)
Wierd having it barely idle with the pedal to the floor blasting smoke like a freight train, got to jump start a bunch of failed gas cars before leaving for my “craft job” Friday.

Last year we had an entire month with lows below-20F measured right on the north side yard.

Guess the Aptera is limited to 10 month service with a backup?

I guess that is what is good about the Volt, despite leaving it sit days without charging I’ve never had a battery too cold plug in to warm, car just starts the gasser and runs pure hybrid below -15F

My 1985 VW diesel did great here in the middle of winter. Of course, I also had a 1,500W block heater and would plug in at work too. It could be -40° outside where I parked the car and yet the engine would be warm enough that the glow plugs wouldn't even turn on.

I like the Volt concept. I kind of wish I had one as it's a car that makes a lot of sense in so many ways.

[Piotrsko]

Originally Posted by Isaac Zachary

Well I guess I won't be able to get an Aptera. Their site says it's "capable down to -20 degrees Fahrenheit." What about when it gets to -40 degrees?

Might be the lower limit of heat and defrost on the heat pump A/C. My super efficiency mitsubushi home heat has a -14f won't effectively function limit.

Apparently the same issue Tesla has last couple of weeks.

[samwichse]

Originally Posted by Piotrsko

Might be the lower limit of heat and defrost on the heat pump A/C. My super efficiency mitsubushi home heat has a -14f won't effectively function limit.

Apparently the same issue Tesla has last couple of weeks.

It's not going to have a heat pump for heat, only resistive.

Yes, this makes no sense for a car designed for hyper-efficiency.

[rmay635703]

Originally Posted by samwichse

It's not going to have a heat pump for heat, only resistive.

Yes, this makes no sense for a car designed for hyper-efficiency.

Makes sense for a small highly insulated cabin for weight/cost savings

Plus They probably figure no one will drive these in snow and the heat will run for the socal folks when it’s 60F

What is dumb is the AC likely wouldn’t weigh much more with a couple valves to run 2 way though the heat/cooling surface needs to grow internally and externally
To have an effective heat pump, one wonders how much “effectivity” is lost if you just valve and run traditional AC in reverse without the upsize?

Funny part is that the Aptera fails on weight being rather portly, their body capsule isn’t any lighter than if it were steel from what I can tell but also likely much stronger than needed.

Maybe they will surprise and cut some weight or maybe they are quoting the 100kwhr variety?

[Piotrsko]

Actually most 4way valves just weigh a couple ounces more than a 2way so not a big weight gain. A can of soda drank hurriedly adds more load.

Resistive heat? You gotta be pooping me.

[redpoint5]

I've asked several times what % cost increase it is to have a heat pump instead of AC only. It doesn't seem like it would be more than like 10% as far as I can figure.

[Piotrsko]

Iirc, it was a $100 more for the fancy valve for the ranger AC

I obviously said heck no that's too expensive