Aptera Reboot - Improved

[freebeard]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

But nuuuooo, we need EVs with 1000 mile range, solar panels, and frickin lasers.

Plasma actuators.

[blownb310]

Originally Posted by Isaac Zachary

And like Redpoint5 said, you can drive for 16 years on $1,500 worth of electricity or solar panels at 10,000 miles per year.

I don't understand why people think that these investments have to pay for themselves. What about Corvettes? Children? A nice steak dinner? Do those investments and expenses pay for themselves? More than likely, no.

It's important to understand that buying an Aptera is a unique, positive and enjoyable experience to me. Comparatively, I'd much rather be out a few bucks on that than say, scratch off lotto tickets.

If you will only consider the solar package based on cost, it probably isn't for you. Did I have to buy a new long range EV three years ago? No. It would have been cheaper to keep my 3 cylinder Geo Metro running for another 10 years? Yes, but I chose to upgrade.

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by blownb310

I don't understand why people think that these investments have to pay for themselves.

It's important to understand that buying an Aptera is a unique, positive and enjoyable experience to me. Comparatively, I'd much rather be out a few bucks on that than say, scratch off lotto tickets.

I'm not implying that financial considerations are all that matter, only pointing out opportunity costs.

One way to do that is to mention how many miles could be driven on $1,500 of household electricity.

Another way might be to point out the battery could be, say, 12 kWh higher capacity for the $1,500. That's about 120 miles more range.

There's an infinite way to spend $1,500. For some, their preferred way would be to have a dinky 700 watt solar panel on a car that's rarely oriented well towards the sun. Rather than it being preferred for practical reasons, it's simply the price for bragging rights. I'm fine with that.

[Isaac Zachary]

Originally Posted by blownb310

I don't understand why people think that these investments have to pay for themselves. What about Corvettes? Children? A nice steak dinner? Do those investments and expenses pay for themselves? More than likely, no.

It's important to understand that buying an Aptera is a unique, positive and enjoyable experience to me. Comparatively, I'd much rather be out a few bucks on that than say, scratch off lotto tickets.

If you will only consider the solar package based on cost, it probably isn't for you. Did I have to buy a new long range EV three years ago? No. It would have been cheaper to keep my 3 cylinder Geo Metro running for another 10 years? Yes, but I chose to upgrade.

There doesn't have to be a payback period, but it does help justify the cost.

@redpoint5 keeps saying that $1,500 worth of solar panels on a car are nothing more than a bragging right. If that's the case, most everything that costs money must be a bragging right. A $30,000 vehicle is in itself an oportunity cost.

In a city a bus pass costs what? some $100 per month. So $1,200 per year. Over 10 years that's $12,000. A new car will lose some $25,000 of worth in that same time period, if not more. That also doesn't include what was spent on interest, insurance, fuel, maintenance and taxes/tags.

But if you own your own car you don't have to wait at a bus stop for several minutes every day. With solar panels that could potentially keep you from having to also purchase and install an EVSE or be stuck waiting at charging stations as often.

Although I could plug my Leaf into a 120V outlet at work during the winter, I often would plug in to a public charging station which was 13 minutes walking one way during the summer. My job at the time didn't require more than some 10 miles of driving per day at the very most. The place I rented did not have any sort of plug on the outside of the freakin building until I eventually installed an EVSE myself (without an electrician and without landlord permission, in a place where she couldn't see it). If I remember correctly, the EVSE cost me some $600. I no longer have the EVSE and did not make any money from losing it. A solar panel would have made so much more sense in my opinion.

But no, driving an ICE that hardly ever gets to running temperature every single day because the town is only 5 miles wide is apparently my best option unless I want to pay $2,000 or more per month in rent or move to another part of the country.

What would work best in my opinion and circumstances is a cheap solar powered EV of some sort that does not need a plug and an ICE for long distance travel, or a plug-in hybrid with solar panels. I'm am very tempted to put solar panels on the Prius and add a bigger battery and do an EV only button mod and drive around town with that.

[redpoint5]

Delete. Source provided bad math.

[oil pan 4]

Solar package is stupid. Solar panels belong on south sloping roofs.

[Isaac Zachary]

There are a lot of things you can call stupid.

AWD is stupid. It belongs on vehicles that actually go off road in very low traction scenarios.

Touch screens are stupid. I don't think they belong on cell phones, much less on cars.

Pickups are stupid. What's the point of having an exposed cargo bed that's a hernia making 4ft off the ground?

EVs in general are stupid. Enormous batteries belong on solar and wind farms not in vehicles that cost more to have a limited range that can take hours, and in some cases days, to "refuel."

[redpoint5]

Seems we're closer to being on the same page than I previously thought.

[blownb310]

Originally Posted by oil pan 4

Solar package is stupid. Solar panels belong on south sloping roofs.

Then don't buy that package. Nobody cares what you think anyway.

[redpoint5]

I do, though I prefer reasons over statements.

Reasons can be convincing, whereas statements are only useful in knowing which side one stands.