Self-charging solar cars may be answer to electric vehicle problems - ABC15 Arizona in Phoenix
Self-charging solar cars may be answer to electric vehicle problems
Aptera Motors set out to design the world’s most efficient form of transportation.
“We found out if you add solar panels, you can get really useful daily charge range just from the nuclear generator in the sky,” said Chris Anthony, CEO of Aptera Motors.
The first commercial solar car is an electric vehicle at base but adds on the solar panels to trickle charge the batteries anytime the sun is out, giving drivers the convenience of never having to plug it in for daily driving.
“We use a quarter of the energy per mile that an average EV, giving us great range of 1,000 miles plus on our average battery pack,” said Anthony.
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That range would get Arizonans from Phoenix to Flagstaff about 6 to 8 times.
The car might look compact.
“We start with aero dynamics that’s why we have a unique shape but also gives us unique utility. There is a lot of interior room we’ve got tons of storage in the back. You can camp in the back of the Aptera and throw some mountain bikes in too,” said Anthony.
Affordability is part of the package too. The first edition goes for about $35,000 but the base model that gets 200 miles of solar capabilities only goes for $26,000.
The project is impacting Earth one solar car at a time.
“It is a responsible use of our resources. We think with better engineering we can use our petroleum products better. We can use our electrons better and we can harvest energy better all around us. Especially from the sun,” said Anthony.
With more than 47,000 preorders already in place, expect to see the Aptera solar car on the road in 2025.
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Related Knowledge Center: ENERGY BASICS: solar
Declining costs and government encouragement have resulted in a rapid increase in solar energy production in the United States over the past 10 years, although solar’s share remains small: 1.6 percent of all electricity generation in 2018. That rapid growth is projected to continue.