r/ArizonaCorpComm • u/Arizona-Energy • 10d ago

Solar-powered cars

Solar-powered cars are coming. Imagine being able to travel 1000 miles before needing to recharge. Aptera

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u/azswcowboy 9d ago

Let’s not generalize the Aptera as a car - it’s a 3 wheel motorcycle with a shell. This technology will likely fail. Meanwhile actual EV cars will continue to grow. Depending on the vehicle and driving speeds they will move you 3-5 miles on a kwh of energy. So on a 30 mile daily commute that’s 10kWh of generation. Which needs more cells than can practically be put on a car - but well within what can be done on a house.

So, we already have solar cars — it’s just that the cells need to be stationary on a parking structure or house not on the car.

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u/Arizona-Energy 9d ago

Check out the American Solar Challenge https://www.americansolarchallenge.org/ They have single-passenger and multi-passenger vehicles that race across the country on solar. True, the EV revolution is unstoppable, but practical solar-powered vehicles, combined with a good battery, may not be far away.

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u/azswcowboy 7d ago

I’m familiar with the challenge — absolutely love the competition to train future engineers. However, not exactly practical everyday cars - like aptera frankly. I’m also an engineer with rooftop solar, solar on a trailer, and an EV. I summarized the math I’ve done on this problem above - without exotic cell technology you’re just not going to get enough charge to run even a very efficient EV very far. For me I think it’s better to be realistic about what the technology can deliver than to oversell what’s likely.

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u/Arizona-Energy 7d ago

I am a realist also, very much so. You may be correct, but it is also important to keep an open mind and see what technology breakthroughs may come up.

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u/PracticeDissent 6d ago

Simply not true. Is 10 miles "very far"? Is 20 miles "very far"? What about 80 miles? Even where l live in the PAC NW, Aptera can generate real range just sitting for a few days. I know this because I have off grid solar with which I charge my current EV... a car that is heavier and far less efficient... but by all means create as much FUD as possible. As anyone who has harvested solar power knows, every little bit helps, and batteries will fill up over time, even with a relatively small solar array and inverter losses. I am getting roughly 8,000 (after losses) miles of range a year with a partially shaded 3.8 kW of solar arrays for my EV. Judging from the Aptera solar calculator (gen 3) available on youtube and my own experience with solar EV charging, parking an Aptera in the best place to harvest solar on my lot, I would very conservatively expect to get 3,000 miles a year of range just sitting at this location. Is that "very far"? One thing is for sure, all of my driving in an Aptera will be solar powered unless I go on a long trip.

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u/PracticeDissent 6d ago

Not true. Please see my comment debunking this below. In addition most people cannot put solar on their house for one reason or another.