Comments by "N. Bruce Nelson" (@n.brucenelson5920) on "The Wall Street Journal" channel.

  1. Yes. I have one on order and I live in Iowa. I only expect 20 miles of range or so from full solar, but it should more than meet my needs.
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  2. This is a great question. The answer will depend, but the r value of the Aptera cabin is far higher than most car bodies due to the foam sandwich construction. It will be a win-win for most of us. The same insulation will increase battery range even if you only charge from a plug.
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  3.  @tomasmarvina9699  Tomas, it isn't all about how much power is produced. A big part is how much power is needed to drive the vehicle. Even in Iowa, the full solar Aptera will more than meet my daily driving needs, including occasional trips to Des Moines and Kansas City. This is because at EPA highway cycle speeds it uses less than 100 watt hours per mile. Cybertruck would have to have a solar array several times as large to supply its needs, and of course it doesn't.
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  4.  @tomasmarvina9699  I can assure you it exists. I had a ride in the Luna prototype. I am sure the Cybertruck exists, too. Both companies are dealing with the same supply chain issues. In spite of having greatly more resources, Aptera is likely to beat the Cybertruck into production. Aptera is moving very quickly. Remember that it took Tesla 6 years to deliver their first Roadsters, and that was a relatively simple EV conversion of the Lotus Elise. Aptera has been designed from the beginning to do well on the FMVSS part 200 crash tests, even though not required to by the class it is in. It has front and rear crumple zones, air bags, seat belts, and an F1 style passenger safety cage. There are many design elements that come together in reducing the power requirements for exciting performance compared to Tesla designs. While supply chain recovery can't be precisely forecast, nor how smoothly the beta testing will go in validating parts and design elements, there is still a good chance that Aptera will be shipping the first production vehicles before the Cybertruck, even though they were announced around the same time.
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  5. The advantage of solar on the vehicle is that I can take it camping and reach places that I would not otherwise have the battery capacity to reach. The power added through solar will easily pay for the $900 cost of the full solar upgrade, even as far North and as cloudy as Iowa where I live. and even with less than1/2 the solar range I might get in San Diego.
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  6. A plug kit and a DC inflator will repair most punctures. I have used them successfully in over 400,000 miles of motorcycle travel for both my bikes and cars.
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  7. The Aptera foam sandwich body has a much higher r value compared to most vehicles. The climate control system can bring the temperature to a comfortable level before you return.
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  8. Damage will not necessarily greatly reduce the power output, but they can be easily replaced in the event of damage, or technical improvements.
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  9. They do share this information, and publish a solar insolation chart that tells you how much you can expect. In San Diego, you can gain as much as 4,4 kWhs. In my area of Iowa it is more like 2 kWh. Look at the charts they publish for your own area.
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  10.  @asadyousaf2834  Very much so. An Aptera with full solar starts at $26,900 before incentives.
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  11.  @fanfare100  Actually, I was too high by $100. The base price is $25,900. Adding the solar roof and the rear hatch adds $900 to the cost of the vehicle. The solar hood and dash are included in the base price.
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  12. Not efficiently. Just plug it in at night. It will gain 13 miles of range per hour plugged into a standard 110 volt 15 amp outlet.
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  13.  @youxkio  Could be, but studies show that vacuum infusion panels in general are less flammable than conventional layup methods. This is likely to be a minor concern even compared to to other FG bodied vehicles.
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  14. The Aptera solar cells will likely add less than 3 lbs to the weight of the car, perhaps a 1/100th % reduction in range. House mounted solar cells may be a great option and the 100 kWh battery may add value for increased V2G storage at a bargin price. However, the energy collected by full solar is still likely to be enough to pay for itself even in Iowa over the life of the vehicle and will allow camping trips to places that otherwise couldn't be reached, if you plan to use your vehicle this way.
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  15. Do you have a phone charger that can supply 4,000 watt hours per day?
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  16. Even In Iowa, where I live, the $900 cost of full solar is likely to to pay for itself in energy savings over their life, and expand the utility of the vehicle for camping trips.
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  17. With an EPA range of up to 1,000 miles, I would say you can go on a "very long drive" - certainly longer than the average ICE vehicle.
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  18.  @loodog555  I live in Iowa, and with small town life, my daily driving needs are also low. I should be able to get my full requirements from solar, including the occasional round trip to Des Moines or Kansas City. And I will probably get an average of 20 miles or less per day due to living so much further North and more cloudy weather. Full solar is still a no- brainer for me. I will only need to plug in on long trips.
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  19.  @loodog555  I don't think this is accurate. Even here in Iowa where my solar insolation is about 1/2 what it is in San Diego, the full solar is likely to meet my daily driving needs plus the occasional trip to Des Moines or Kansas City.
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  20.  @kieranhamaguchi68  It is not just surface area. The energy use of the vehicle also plays a big role. Apteras' panels are a bit above average at around 22-23 % efficient. They are also light weight. It depends on your use case, but taking the panels along with the vehicle will let me camp in places that I wouldn't otherwise have the range to reach, and with climate controlled comfort when we get to our location. Of course the great efficiency of the vehicle itself compared to other BEVs is a major factor as well.
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  21. Because it is not vaporware. I rode in one before Thanksgiving, and the acceleration and handling were thrilling to experience first hand..
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  22.  @vic321344  Why continue to spout nonsense? In addition to the roadworthy prototype I rode in, it was parked next to two others I saw when I visited. No cardboard. Your counterfactual fantasies are the only vaporware here. There are now beta models in validation testing.
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  23.  @vic321344  No, I rode along with Daniel Morris, while he drove, What i rode in was no "backyard constructed motorcycle" but a fully roadworthy autocycle alpha prototype on public roads. You seem to not be able to pay attention.
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  24.  @vic321344  No, there won't be a production ready prototype until the beta validation tests are finished. By the way, no one "wrenches together" composite construction. You really don't seem to have a clue. Also you cant do simple math. Aptera only reformed and started on this design in 2019. That year til now does not equal 11 years to any honest, sane person. Not to call you names, but think about what you say before you write.
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  25. The Aptera cabin is made of composite foam sandwich with a much higher r value than conventional cars. The amount of AC needed will be far less than vehicles with conventional construction. There are indeed some overstatements - such as the EPA highway range calculations which are fairly unrealistic for setting expectations for what average drivers will achieve. This comes from the government. The expectations for Aptera seem to be panning out now during the beta validation testing. My expectation for Iowa is about 1/2 the solar range for the San Diego area, but since I live in a small town in Iowa, it will still likely meet my daily driving needs plus the occasional trip to Des Moines or Kansas City - all from solar.
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  26. True. I tend not to let layers of dust collect on my car in any case.
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  27.  @tomasmarvina9699  The actual crash tests won't happen until they have production intent vehicles available for testing later in the year. Since the submission is voluntary, we don't know how fast the government will move on the testing, either. There have been many virtual crash tests performed, which are now so good that the government now often accepts the results in lieu of actual ones. Aptera hopes to publish the results before shipping starts.
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  28.  @vic321344  Agreed.
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  29.  @vic321344  34 square ft. can do the job depending on where you locate it. The panels Aptera are probably using are known to produce around 680 watts according to the manufacturer.
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  30. Most have not announced their suppliers yet, but from the information available so far, I am betting that Aptera will be using Maxeon Solar Technologies cells.
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  31. With the smallest battery pack having a 25 kWh capacity and a less than 100 watt hour consumption at EPA highway speeds, this would never be the case. With that size battery you would fill it in less than 1/2 an hour of charge time plugged into a 50 kW DC charger anyway. .
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  32. Everyone should do their own due diligence. Yes. Research the history of this car. You will find that the company is on its second attempt. The founders lost control of their company to a Detroit insider the first time they tried with the support of major investors in a board coup. He ended up liquidating the company, returning the preorders, and paying off the vendors. The employees got severance. The only ones who lost money were the investors who kicked the founders out of their own company. Both of the original founders went on to found successful companies, one took a lithium battery company public as CEO. In 2019, they bought the rights to Aptera out of liquidation and restarted with a completely new design. In the long history of the company, there has never been a hint of fraud around the founders or their associates. It is still a risky project. It is a fact that few companies are successful doing what Aptera is trying to do, but they have a rapidly growing preorder list, and are making good progress to offering a quality vehicle at an attractive price.
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  33.  @vic321344  Aptera is in the betas testing phase. However, there are several independent sources such as ABRP and others that have confirmed their numbers. I don't follow Sonos closely but the FAQ on their web site claims less than 10 miles range per day from solar. Why make false claims that are easy to check on. Their figures are in km per week - perhaps you don't have the math to convert.
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  34.  @vic321344  I don't understand your reply. Why are you claiming Sonos is spec'ing double the solar range they actually are? And ignoring the independent calculations of Aptera's solar range?
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  35.  @vic321344  Doesn't explain why you are giving false numbers. Your "wishful thinking" seems to be a fail. The beta vehicles Aptera is testing now are for the purpose of validation, and we will know the results before the year is over.
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  36. Your report on Sonos' solar range claims since you doubled what they actually claim on the FAQ on their web site.
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  37. ​ @vic321344  You are not a reliable reporter. Here is the exact quote: "248 solar cells seamlessly integrated into the body of the car can add 112 km, on average (up to 245 km) per week". Your statement that they "promise 20 miles per day" is clearly a false one. My question to you remains why? Up to is not a promise of what everyone will get.
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  38.  @vic321344  You can not even understand simple English. "Up to" is not a promise of what everyone will achieve, as you seem to indicate. Again you are a sloppy reporter.
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  39.  @vic321344  LOL! Anyone can see what you are trying to do.
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  40.  @vic321344  Just look at the spec sheets of the solar cells Aptera is likely using (Maxeon) and calculate the numbers. It checks out. I have not done this for Sono Motors, and don't know whose cells they are using.
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  41.  @vic321344  "expensive" is relative to the return. Since for most owners the cost delta will more than pay for itself in power savings, it is almost a no-brainer. Even in cloudy Iowa, it will clearly pay back the $900 cost of the full solar option.
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  42. Although many of your points regarding physics are correct, your conclusions are not. Aptera is constructed with a foam sandwich body that has a much higher r/value than usual vehicle construction and the heat gain (or loss) will be far lower than with a standard car. I live in Iowa and will probably only get 20 miles of range per day on the average - far more than I will need in small town Iowa - and enough to support the occasional trip to Des Moines and Kansas City. The cost of full solar is almost a no brainer for many of us.
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  43. The there we are at today will supply me with 15 or 20 miles per day in Iowa - enough for my daily needs and an occasional trip to Des Moines or Kansas City. It won't be for every one, but for many of us it will be cost effective and pay for itself.
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  44. Solar is not the only way Apteras can charge, and the summers, when most people will be driving in the far North anyway, have more solar insolation than average.
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  45.  @m4d_al3x  There are well over 15,000 pre-orders at this point, and going up. Compared to Tesla and other startups they are doing GREAT.
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  46.  @m4d_al3x  Aptera formed in 2019, the same year Tesla announced the Cybertruck. If you compare the time it took for Tesla to bring their EV conversion to market after they were founded, or the progress that Aptera has made towards shipping their first vehicle compared to the Cybertruck, which has been delayed again to 2023, yes. Of course this is not meant to disparage Tesla. It should give you some perspective however to the speed at which Aptera is moving with far fewer resources.
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  47.  @m4d_al3x  Yes, you are right, but check out the recent SEC filing from Aptera and the fact that they just took in a major VC investment. Aptera has plenty of funds to see them to production and a remarkably low cash burn rate. The chances of Aptera succeeding have steadily increased and people who do their due diligence are recognizing it.
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  48.  @skebokvarnsv  And that company was liquidated in 2011 and all its assets sold off. A Chinese company acquired most of it. Chris and Steve repurchased the rights in 2019 and restarted the company with a completely new design.
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  49.  @aussieideasman8498  Lol! Upvoted so more people will see your nonsense and remember it. Of course it works.
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  50.  @aussieideasman8498  How does a Ponzi scheme work when the pre-order holders all got their money back? The fact that both founders were able to start new companies, including a successful public one shows your lie.
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