CNET
Solar Electric Cars: More Fact Than Fiction
A holy grail on par with the nuclear cars of years past, solar electric cars don’t claim to do all their driving powered by the sun, but maybe all the driving you really need. 0:00 Solar cars 1:03 Lightyear 0 Solar EV 3:18 Sono Sion Solar Car 5:26 Aptera Solar Vehicle 8:15 Is a Solar…
CNET
Checking Out the Afeela Prototype
Tech reporter Abrar Al-Heeti got the chance to check out the Sony x Honda Afeela prototype at TechCrunch Disrupt. Here’s what she found inside. #techcrunchdisrupt #sonyafeela #sony #honda #cars Subscribe to CNET on YouTube: Never miss a deal again! See CNET’s browser extension 👉 Check out CNET’s Amazon Storefront: Follow us on TikTok: Follow us…
CNET
Unboxing the PlayStation 5 Pro
We got our hands on the PlayStation 5 Pro. Let’s unbox it and compare it to the PS5 and PS5 Slim. #ps5pro #playstation5 #playstation #gaming #unboxing Subscribe to CNET on YouTube: Never miss a deal again! See CNET’s browser extension 👉 Check out CNET’s Amazon Storefront: Follow us on TikTok: Follow us on Instagram: Follow…
CNET
A Helium-Filled Cell Tower in the Sky
We visited Sceye’s hangar in Roswell, New Mexico to learn about the company’s High Altitude Platform System (HAPS), which is designed to provide internet services to underserved communities and conduct Earth observation with partners including NASA and USGS. Read more on CNET.com: Launching Balloon-Like Infrastructure for the Stratosphere 0:00 Intro to Sceye’s HAPS 0:39 What…
Nvidia Rises, Silicon Valley Faces Election Divide | Bloomberg Technology
Donald Trump’s Potential Silicon Valley Impact
Kamala Harris’ Potential Silicon Valley Impact
-
Science & Technology4 years agoNitya Subramanian: Products and Protocol
-
CNET4 years agoWays you can help Black Lives Matter movement (links, orgs, and more) 👈🏽
-
Wired5 years agoHow This Guy Became a World Champion Boomerang Thrower | WIRED
-
People & Blogs3 years agoSleep Expert Answers Questions From Twitter 💤 | Tech Support | WIRED
-
Wired5 years agoNeuroscientist Explains ASMR’s Effects on the Brain & The Body | WIRED
-
Wired5 years agoWhy It’s Almost Impossible to Solve a Rubik’s Cube in Under 3 Seconds | WIRED
-
Wired5 years agoFormer FBI Agent Explains How to Read Body Language | Tradecraft | WIRED
-
CNET5 years agoSurface Pro 7 review: Hello, old friend 🧙
Toph Law
August 7, 2022 at 4:00 am
As always, I greatly appreciate your regular breakdowns on EVs & their potential future ubiquity, Brian.
Perhaps the industry needs to include electric range in “mpa” (or miles per amp) along with total battery capacity & full-sun solar charging capacity (amps per hour instead of watts per hour; or also converted to miles per amp)… unfortunately the solar numbers will be ridiculously small when compared to their mpa rating which is not something car makers would probably want to advertise today. Marketing departments like big numbers. 😀
Oh well, looking forward to your next take on our electic future!
PS: it would be great if you revisit an old tech that’s been around for a while but never caught on in the consumer markets…. “whatever happened to hydrogen fuel cells”?
m
August 7, 2022 at 4:54 am
Solar can be an addition, but never the answer to EVs.
Jorg Jorgensen
August 7, 2022 at 7:34 am
Who suggested it was?
Kenneth Segovia
August 7, 2022 at 6:04 am
I really like the Aptera. In Texas, the 1,000 mile range model comes in mighty handy.
EpicConspiracy
August 7, 2022 at 6:26 am
Elon literally said on joe Rogan solars cars are decades away.
Jorg Jorgensen
August 7, 2022 at 7:33 am
They are set to deliver the first Apteras at the end of the year.
EpicConspiracy
August 7, 2022 at 7:38 am
@Jorg Jorgensen and then You’ll never hear of them again because the tech doesn’t make sense today 🤣. It doesn’t work as advertised
Michael May
August 7, 2022 at 4:37 pm
@EpicConspiracy User name checks out.
Marcin Karwiński
August 7, 2022 at 6:48 am
Guess what we need is for Ford to make a mass-production solar-capable new model T, say branded as solarT, with these blueprints as base, and in the traditional all-black design to hide those solar panels of the whole body better… Heck Ford can even use the famous quote about possible colour variations available for the end consumer 😉 Though nowadays, these just might be different variants of the black colour, from matte through metallic to pearlescent with different blacks and hues… They certainly can do it and could arrange for a huge fleet of black colours – eg. Bentley, though it’s a luxury level and pricing brand, offers I think more than 10 blacks every year… Or for other mass-production huge company to take this approach in their design/product stack but retain the large production volume leverage to keep the prices down.
V C
August 7, 2022 at 7:52 pm
Hahaha Ford.
Silva Antonio
August 7, 2022 at 9:28 am
For me APTERA without a doubt! The Lightyear is too expensive, the Sono Sion it’s ugly, and for last Aptera that is magical!
Telegram via CNET1
August 7, 2022 at 10:18 pm
⬆️ Add up I have something for you”’
mp3lwgm
August 7, 2022 at 11:13 am
The Aptera auto-cycle cannot fit a contemporary 1000 mi battery (100 kWh). Do your research!
Joseph Wall
August 7, 2022 at 11:29 am
Another thing about the Aptera, or any other future extremely lightweight electric vehicles, is that they’ll charge just fine with a regular outlet, like 100 miles overnight. The battery is small, and doesn’t need an at-home level 2 charger to get usable range. And once you’ve done your commute and it sits in the parking lot, you get maybe another 5 or 10 miles while you’re working. That’s a 110 mile commute done off a regular 110v outlet at home on the cheap, something unachievable with a Nissan Leaf, or any of the other nearest price competitors, all of which would require you to install a level 2 charger or at least have a usable dryer outlet somewhere to do even an 80 mile commute, which you might not be able to do if you don’t own the property. This opens the car up to being bought by suburb renters and the rural poor, and might just be a step up out of poverty for some. Think about it like this; If your car payment is about the same as any other decent new car, but you’re outlaying practically nothing in fuel and very little in maintenance, you’ve just divorced yourself from oil and could potentially be saving hundreds of dollars per month. That kind of savings can compound if you were to use that money wisely. Especially if you’re doing a commute like mine which has cost me on average about $350 in gas alone. I could do that commute in the Aptera for about $30 or $40 per month with my utility cost. Even if I have to pay to replace the entire battery in 8 years, it’ll still be like half of what I would have spent on gas to go the same distance. That’s a lot of money to someone making like $45k/yr who has to commute long distance to affordable housing (I’ve driven 200k miles over 7 years, only commutes, no vacations or road trips).
You hit the nail on the head with the prepper community interest, but I think it goes further. A lot of people just want to unshackle themselves from unscrupulous profiteers. Here’s a vehicle you can buy that’s incredibly cheap to maintain compared to a gas powered car because it has far less moving parts, so once you buy it, it’s not a money pit like a regular car, and it doesn’t take gas so that’s another bill gone, and it’s hyper efficient to the point where it charges on a 110v so it’s not even gonna be a strain on the grid or your power bill, so it’s sustainable. If this thing had existed 7 years ago when I bought my current car and I bought it instead, I’d be like $50k richer right now, and that’s if I only just put the cash in a savings account and did nothing useful with it. Something to think about.
David Mulabi
August 7, 2022 at 11:45 am
Wow, you cant even mention the tropical countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America and Australia with abundant, all year sunshine where these cars can be a big hit? 👎
Anh Nguyen
August 7, 2022 at 12:49 pm
Exceptional report on ev and sev .
Aptera is probably leading the pack with the most efficient energy per mile operation, only if Aptera can actually in production.
Looks to me, the future belongs to solar powered vehicles. With the possible advances such as Perovskite solar panels, day to day commute of 100 miles could be totally free.
Aptera has such a promising and advance design concepts, just wish it can overcome the initial production hurdle. If it can, it is the only name you talk about daily in a few years in the sev space.
DylValentine
August 7, 2022 at 2:35 pm
They’re cool but so many of these projects are just typical investor traps.
MechmanGetrieb
August 7, 2022 at 2:46 pm
Nice, excellent assumption! I´m locking forward to the Sion.
I hope they make it on the road in 2023.
Aptera is also a cool car but less useful here in europe I think.
Due to its length and width it will have problems in narrow street ´s and it only fits 2 people.
The lightyear will be interesting with th e next model that is said to cost 30000€
gliderwithoutmotor
August 7, 2022 at 2:46 pm
Dale, Elio, all fraud……….
Homer Simpson
August 7, 2022 at 2:48 pm
Aptera should put 4 mini propellers blades in the 4 corners of the vehicle and make this a flying vehicle.
Jonathan Leonard
August 7, 2022 at 3:14 pm
This commentator says “when the electric goes down everything electric goes down”. This is not necessarily correct. Battery or fuel back up can make up the difference for a time.
darthsirrius B
August 7, 2022 at 3:21 pm
I would absolutely buy a Sonos if they were going to sell them in America. Since they aren’t, I preordered an Aptera.
I live in an area where it’s sunny enough, that I may legitimately never have to charge it, though more likely maybe only a couple of times a YEAR.
平和
August 7, 2022 at 6:31 pm
Brian Cooley is just such an amazing presenter, keep it up!
Rich Rodriguez
August 7, 2022 at 7:12 pm
I look forward to my all-wheel-drive 400 mile range Aptera Roadster with enhanced Sound-system, and driver assist package.
Charge on!
Robert D
August 7, 2022 at 8:44 pm
Suddenly, the top level of the parking garage has the coveted spots.
Edgar
August 7, 2022 at 8:57 pm
Now, if they came with hail insurance, that would make them more attractive to keep outside in Texas.
MJRTensepian
August 7, 2022 at 9:18 pm
4:45 the actor/commercial production crew who have never used a chop saw before.
rudyrudell
August 7, 2022 at 11:07 pm
The fisker ocean will also have a solar roof, solar cars are the future and I look forward to the ocean in 2022 the next (affordable) lightyear 2 in the future and the aptera in 2023 to come out in the USA!
ABC EFG
August 7, 2022 at 11:22 pm
I like solar car. In case I lost in the desert I still able to charge my car.😅
Joe Mel
August 8, 2022 at 12:07 am
I live in Toronto, and i can’t stand the idiots driving around with their very loud “RALLY CARS”, like Subaru’s, Honda’s, Mitsubishi’s,.. or the European sports cars. They are sick.. riding around 1 am – 4 am, don’t they know that people are f*** sleeping. The cops are useless, they don’t give them tickets. So bring on the Solar wicked cars, i’m all for it.
John Collins
August 8, 2022 at 12:34 am
With enough range you can actually absorb the occasional long trip. With 1000 miles of range and 40 miles/day of solar charging I think I’d basically never have to plug in, pretty compelling.
evo lve
August 8, 2022 at 3:06 am
Have preordered two Apteras. My son & I are looking forward to owning/driving them soon!
JustWasted3HoursHere
August 8, 2022 at 6:02 am
Sadly, I seriously doubt the Lightyear 0 will survive. Not at that price with that limited (for that price) range. I’m sure they will sell some, but I just can’t see them selling enough of them to survive as a company for very long.
John Yves
August 8, 2022 at 6:11 am
Aptera is my choice…I just ordered one…
James Loehr
August 8, 2022 at 11:13 am
I think aptera has the right formula. Ultra lightweight,ultra aerodynamic. With newer battery tech and newer solar tech that 40 mile range will only grow to possibly 80 to 100 miles a day later on. Which would mean a car that’s truly green and doesn’t tax the grid at all. We don’t need to spend billions upgrading the grid if we just design cars to be ultra efficient like the aptera. We need to use aerodynamic light weight design as a basis for all vehicles. It would make cars not only safer but less expensive to drive aswell. Also with its simple design also faster and easier to produce in large quantities. Further making transportation cheaper. I think these companies have the right idea and other ev makers, designing cars to look like the cars of the past and present, have the wrong idea. Efficiency is key to a all electric future. Not untold billions on upgrading the power grids to handle inefficient heavy vehicles.
Samuel Desire
August 8, 2022 at 12:12 pm
More fiction than fact.
djbillgates
August 8, 2022 at 2:19 pm
You haven’t showed the Fiska Karma that is way better
Sherwin Facun
August 8, 2022 at 4:22 pm
Lightweight might be the key to range, but maybe not in safety. Unless they’re using some high end material (which would probably make it more than a 30k car)
N. Bruce Nelson
August 9, 2022 at 12:42 am
Aptera is using high end materials, which include Kevlar and carbon fiber in an F1 passenger safety cage, and hemp in the designed in crumple zones. It is designed to do very well in FMVSS crash tests.
Anita Ana
August 8, 2022 at 4:35 pm
Mrs Charlotte is legit and her methods works like magic I keep on earning every single week with her new strategy.
Duane Michals
August 8, 2022 at 6:30 pm
美国 美国 美国 美国ကောင်းတယ်
➕𝟏𝟓𝟎𝟑𝟗𝟎𝟖𝟑𝟐𝟑𝟔 美国ကောင်းတယ်
Duane Michals
August 8, 2022 at 6:30 pm
She’s the plug 🔌 tell her I referred you 👆
Erin
August 8, 2022 at 6:32 pm
Anyone who she handles his or her trade for I believe is so lucky
Mike George
August 8, 2022 at 6:36 pm
Yes but do you know I have been paid out today 😇
dawn hain
August 8, 2022 at 6:37 pm
Thanks to you all for your testimonies, it has helped me greatly I thought they were not real but I will now boldly testify her strategy is awesome.
Her trading last week was boom💥.
Stuart Gray
August 8, 2022 at 5:09 pm
Lets just do some quick calculations.
The solar “Power” at the surface of the earth is less than 1300 watts per square meter.
The BEST Solar cells available today at maxed out at about 30% efficiency.
So the MOST you can get (assuming no clouds and the sun directly overhead) is about 390 watts per square meter.
Assuming a LARGE car might have 3 square meters of surface area to use (this is being generous) then the most a car could generate (AGAIN assuming perfect conditions) is about 3X390 = 1200 watts.
If we assume that the car is in direct sunlight all day, you MIGHT get ~10 hours of sunlight for 12,000 kwh.
My Tesla (smaller capacity version) can hold 85kwh.
So under perfect conditions, it would take 85,000/12,000 = SEVEN DAYS under PERFECT Conditions (and my overly generous assumptions above) to charge my car.
Reality means it would take more like TWO WEEKS to charge my car using solar that is *on the car* .
It is not practical even if our Solar Cells were 100% efficient.
ITS A SCAM. Now if you want a MOTOR HOME with deployable solar panels, then MAYBE it would be practical.
Cars just do not have enough surface area.
N. Bruce Nelson
August 9, 2022 at 12:37 am
Your calculations are actually generous regarding the amount of power that is available to Aptera through solar cells Aptera will only be getting round 4200 watt hours per day in San Diego under ideal conditions. However that is good for as much as 40 miles per day or better. Where I live in iowa, I can expect about 1/2 that. What you have overlooked is that Aptera is so efficient that it will use on the order of a 1/3rd the power to drive the same distance as your Tesla. It has less rolling resistance, is lighter, more aerodynamic, and the motors are more efficient. It all adds up. Your lack of looking at the details does not make it a scam.
Bob Hilder
August 9, 2022 at 12:45 am
You do understand that all these solar assist electric vehicles can be “plugged in” to charge right? Also, do you dispute the claim that the Lightyear 0, for example, on a good sunny day in the summer is capable of collecting enough solar over the course of the entire day to drive the vehicle about 40 miles?
Bob Hilder
August 9, 2022 at 1:14 am
@N. Bruce Nelson 1/3rd the ENERGY is probably a better way to say it.
Mika Filtenborg
August 8, 2022 at 6:52 pm
I want a Aptera! 🤩
Jonathan McGaha
August 8, 2022 at 8:32 pm
I’ve got a 1,000 mile Aptera on order. Perfect for me & my drive-all-over-the-place job which takes me to places that have never even heard of a supercharger.
Bill Reynolds
August 8, 2022 at 9:23 pm
This is a great option
Jay Ski
August 8, 2022 at 9:32 pm
The issue with solar cells is that their efficiency drops way off if they’re not perpendicular to the sun. When mounted on a car body or roof that doesn’t tract the sun, that means they’ll almost always be generating far less power than their specs would indicate. Also hub motors sound great in theory but not having the protection of being up in the suspended part of the car may shorten their useful life, as the shock of every bump and pot hole will be “felt” directly by the motor. But that being said, I sure hope Aptera brings something to market that I can buy.
Bob Hilder
August 9, 2022 at 12:37 am
Technically, you are incorrect when you say “The issue with solar cells is that their efficiency drops way off if they’re not perpendicular to the sun.” It is not their efficiency that drops off. Rather, it’s their power. I know this sounds weird but it’s because of the definition of efficiency. I can elaborate if you’d like.
Anh Nguyen
August 9, 2022 at 1:27 am
@Jay Ski,
Valid concerns. For the solar output depending on the incident angles, I am sure Aptera already factored in this effect when they published the solar range. For the inwheel motors, I do not think it is that bad because it is also light weight. Only about 65 lbs. Furthermore, the magnetic field will help keeping center the rotor and absorb some of the shock load. Electric motor either axial or radial flux, will run on magnetic center. But definitely it needs some future improvement.