On Thu, 15 Feb 2024 15:15:45 -0800 (PST), Fred Bloggs
<bloggs.fredbloggs.fred@gmail.com> wrote:

>'Aptera has created an EV that harnesses the power of the sun to charge itself, eliminating the need for plugging in and charging stations.'
>
>I can't believe they mention this vehicle and 100 MPH in the same sentence. Looks iffy at even 50 MPH.
>
>https://cyberguy.com/automobile/sci-fi-solar-ev-never-needs-to-plug-in-for-recharge/

They have raised $133 million. Not bad.

On 16/02/2024 00:29, john larkin wrote:
> On Thu, 15 Feb 2024 15:15:45 -0800 (PST), Fred Bloggs
> <bloggs.fredbloggs.fred@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> 'Aptera has created an EV that harnesses the power of the sun to charge itself, eliminating the need for plugging in and charging stations.'
>>
>> I can't believe they mention this vehicle and 100 MPH in the same sentence. Looks iffy at even 50 MPH.
>>
>> https://cyberguy.com/automobile/sci-fi-solar-ev-never-needs-to-plug-in-for-recharge/
>
> They have raised $133 million. Not bad.

They claim earlier in the article that the motors can do 0-60mph in 4s.
The body shell will be light, the batteries and passenger(s?) less so.

A few paragraphs further down it claims 0-100mph in 4s which might be a
bit risky in something which looks more like a three wheeler flimsy toy.

40 mile daily commuting range might work OK in the semi tropics where
there is a decent amount of sunshine and sunny days.

One problem with al modern cars is that they have become so electronics
based that even a trivial bump can cause a huge bill. More so with ones
that have batteries in hidden compartments in the chassis subframe.

--
Martin Brown

On 2/16/2024 7:03 AM, Martin Brown wrote:
> On 16/02/2024 00:29, john larkin wrote:
>> On Thu, 15 Feb 2024 15:15:45 -0800 (PST), Fred Bloggs
>> <bloggs.fredbloggs.fred@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> 'Aptera has created an EV that harnesses the power of the sun to
>>> charge itself, eliminating the need for plugging in and charging
>>> stations.'
>>>
>>> I can't believe they mention this vehicle and 100 MPH in the same
>>> sentence. Looks iffy at even 50 MPH.
>>>
>>> https://cyberguy.com/automobile/sci-fi-solar-ev-never-needs-to-plug-in-for-recharge/
>>
>> They have raised $133 million. Not bad.
>
> They claim earlier in the article that the motors can do 0-60mph in 4s.
> The body shell will be light, the batteries and passenger(s?) less so.
>
> A few paragraphs further down it claims 0-100mph in 4s which might be a
> bit risky in something which looks more like a three wheeler flimsy toy.
>
> 40 mile daily commuting range might work OK in the semi tropics where
> there is a decent amount of sunshine and sunny days.
>
> One problem with al modern cars is that they have become so electronics
> based that even a trivial bump can cause a huge bill. More so with ones
> that have batteries in hidden compartments in the chassis subframe.
>

My Chevy Volt's charge controller had to be replaced under warranty at
70k, BGA solder joint cracking issues, for whatever reason known to be
particularly problematic on the 2017 MY.

New England's "high-quality roads" probably didn't help.

On 16/02/2024 15:31, bitrex wrote:
> On 2/16/2024 7:03 AM, Martin Brown wrote:
>>
>> One problem with al modern cars is that they have become so
>> electronics based that even a trivial bump can cause a huge bill. More
>> so with ones that have batteries in hidden compartments in the chassis
>> subframe.
>>
>
> My Chevy Volt's charge controller had to be replaced under warranty at
> 70k, BGA solder joint cracking issues, for whatever reason known to be
> particularly problematic on the 2017 MY.
>
> New England's "high-quality roads" probably didn't help.

Old England's roads are full of potholes too :(

They only really fix them when someone breaks an alloy wheel on one!

Road maintenance is typically yellow spray can paint around the hole and
about 2 years for someone to actually fill it in (unless a damage claim
occurs and then it is fixed within a couple of weeks). Even so it is a
bodgit and scarper job stamping down some wet tar mix into a wet puddle.

We got lucky - one of our local roads was used for the start of "Tour de
France" in Yorkshire a few years back and so that route got properly
repaired to avoid catastrophic accidents.

https://cyclethedales.org.uk/tour-de-france/#

It would have been very bad to see the peloton crash and burn on TV the
first bit of semi-derelict road they encountered.

--
Martin Brown

On Fri, 16 Feb 2024 15:50:19 +0000, Martin Brown
<'''newspam'''@nonad.co.uk> wrote:

>On 16/02/2024 15:31, bitrex wrote:
>> On 2/16/2024 7:03 AM, Martin Brown wrote:
>>>
>>> One problem with al modern cars is that they have become so
>>> electronics based that even a trivial bump can cause a huge bill. More
>>> so with ones that have batteries in hidden compartments in the chassis
>>> subframe.
>>>
>>
>> My Chevy Volt's charge controller had to be replaced under warranty at
>> 70k, BGA solder joint cracking issues, for whatever reason known to be
>> particularly problematic on the 2017 MY.
>>
>> New England's "high-quality roads" probably didn't help.
>
>Old England's roads are full of potholes too :(
>
>They only really fix them when someone breaks an alloy wheel on one!
>
>Road maintenance is typically yellow spray can paint around the hole and
>about 2 years for someone to actually fill it in (unless a damage claim
>occurs and then it is fixed within a couple of weeks). Even so it is a
>bodgit and scarper job stamping down some wet tar mix into a wet puddle.
>
>We got lucky - one of our local roads was used for the start of "Tour de
>France" in Yorkshire a few years back and so that route got properly
>repaired to avoid catastrophic accidents.
>
>https://cyclethedales.org.uk/tour-de-france/#
>
>It would have been very bad to see the peloton crash and burn on TV the
>first bit of semi-derelict road they encountered.

The two classic functions of government, the reason for taxes, were to
ensure public safety and to maintain the roads. They don't do that
much any more.