#642 can't wait!

[fritzponds]

I'm getting a little too excited for this car. I'm trying to talk the boss into creating a couple ev parking spots with outlets. It's nice to find somewhere to vent about it, though, I think I'm driving my co-workers crazy.

[Yanquetino]

Fritzponds: I am equally obsessive --and I can't even reserve an Aptera yet!

I also spoke to parking services at my work about installing charging outlets in some spaces --since it seems to me that the transition to EVs is inevitable. The reaction at first was that I must be joking :p , and then that I must be nuts. :eek:

I doubt they'll ever follow my suggestion. And if they do, it will only be for a hefty fee. As it is, my employer makes me PAY to park where I work. :mad:

[KarenRei]

Why can't you reserve yet? Because you don't live in CA? I've reserved, and I don't live in CA. The term is "intermediary" :) I have some relatives in California who I'm buying through. Naturally, I'm not going to list the number of my Aptera, since I don't want the company to cancel my order on me ;) Don't know if they would, but I don't want to risk it. All I'll say is that, since my reservation was from before the email posted on this board that they sent out stating all orders would be done by late summer of '09, I know my car will arrive by then at the latest (likely earlier).

Once I get my car, I'm going to contact Aptera and offer to give them data on how well the Aptera handles in a cold environment. You know, help them improve before the officially expand to the rest of the country.

I'm not concerned about maintenance/repair. I know a mechanic who'd love a chance to work on an Aptera, and electrics tend to be quite low maintenance. As for registration, I figure I can just leave it registered in California for a while if there's any problem.

Even though it's a Typ-1e, I don't expect to have any problems getting it back. If it doesn't have the ability to run from an RV receptacle (i.e., so I can spend twice as much time charging as driving and have spots to charge from all the way back), then I'll just tow it home.

[KarenRei]

Oh, and as for charging... let's see how much it'd cost to install an offgrid solar-powered charger. I'll use the insolation values for Birmingham, Alabama in my calculator, just to pick a city.

Batteries: 12 kWh lead-acid@$80/Wh -> $960
2kW inverter@$0.70/W -> $1,400 (if needed)
Structural supports: $600?
Wiring, terminals, cords, etc: $120?
Labor: $1000
12 kWh/day photovoltaic panels -> 500W @ 11% capacity factor -> 4.5kW nominal panel wttage @ $4.20/W -> $18,900
Total: ~$23k

OR

Eliminate structural supports, add in a two-axis heliostat, double the labor, and redo panels:

20 square meters of solar panels (15.2% efficiency, 3000 nominal watts, ~12kWh/day generation, ~17% capacity factor) @ $4.20/W -> $12,600
20 m^2 Heliostat @ $300/m^2 -> $6,000
Total: ~$23k

OR

Let's assume that it's three or four years in the future, and thanks to the CIGS manufacturers, solar price has already fallen to $2/W. Let's repeat the first calculation with $2/W

Total: ~$13k

OR

Let's do everything in favor of the setup: CIGS solar cells at $1/W (i.e., they finally manage to come close to catching up with demand, 5-10 years down the road), no need for an inverter (i.e., the car can take DC straight from the batteries), and all labor done yourself.

Total: ~$6k

So, no matter how you cut it, it'd be pretty expensive. But a couple years down the road, it'll become notably more affordable.

[drivin98]

Or...you could just fold this (http://www.envisionsolar.com/images/pdfdocument/life_port.pdf) into your mortgage.
I think Aptera should team up with a solar company put together financing packages that include the car AND the power source. Tesla has a solar partner (http://www.autobloggreen.com/2007/12/06/evs23-tesla-roadster-sittin-under-a-solarcity-roof/).

[Yanquetino]

We definitely plan to install photovoltaic on our roof in the future. It is all part of our master plan to shift to EV transportation. It would only make sense for a company like Aptera to facility that kind of transition.

However, since SolarCity is run by cosa nostra cousins of Elon Musk, I'll pass on that particular company, thanks. Apparently Tesla is actually suing Martin Eberhard :eek: , which strikes me as petulant, unconscienable, and devoid of any constructive purpose whatsoever. :mad:

[KarenRei]

Imagine if Aptera partnered with Nanosolar ;) Nanosolar likes corporate partners rather than retail. Their CIGS cells are profitable for them to sell at under $1/W. What I wouldn't give to get my hands on some of those!

[fritzponds]

A solar charging station at work would be nice. I just asked for a couple of outdoor outlets to help sell the idea at work. It's a big company so they might like the PR from it, as long as the cost is low. Has anyone heard if Aptera is going with a next generation lithium phosphate or lithium titanate battery(A123Systems or Altairnano). I saw that one of the Auto X-prize teams was creating an SUV with Lithium titanate batteries, very impressive claims. A Typ-1 with next gen lithium cells makes me even more excited.

[KarenRei]

I ran into one article a few months back that said they're going to be using lithium phosphate.

I'm not surprised; AltairNano's titanate batteries currently cost a fortune (about $2/W).