en.Wedoany.com Reported - Aptera recently completed solar charging tests for its solar electric vehicle, verifying that the vehicle can self-charge using built-in solar cells, achieving a peak power generation of 4.6 kWh. The company stated that this level of power generation can be achieved by repositioning the vehicle during the day to capture more sunlight; even when stationary, the power generation met the company's solar targets. The test demonstrated the feasibility of curved solar panels and customized charging controllers in real-world conditions.
Achieving a daily solar range of 40 miles is a more challenging goal. To convert 4.6 kWh of daily power generation into 46 miles of range, the vehicle must meet its design target efficiency of 100 watt-hours per mile, equivalent to 10 miles per kWh. For reference, conventional electric vehicles on highways currently achieve an efficiency of about 3 to 4.5 miles per kWh. Aptera aims to achieve this through extreme streamlining and lightweight design, with its clean teardrop-shaped body helping to reduce air resistance at high speeds, while its three-wheel layout and lightweight construction minimize rolling resistance.
The company recently released coast-down test results measuring aerodynamic drag and rolling losses. During the test, the vehicle took over three minutes to decelerate from 60 mph to a complete stop and maintained uphill rolling on the track. Aptera plans to conduct third-party validation tests in July, followed by full range tests by engineers, driving from a fully charged battery to 0% to confirm actual efficiency. If the driving cycle tests confirm the 100 Wh/mile target, the solar range claim will be validated.
The significance of achieving this goal lies in the fact that many electric vehicle users lack home charging capabilities and rely on DC fast charging, which is costly and inconvenient. An affordable model capable of charging all day via solar power in apartment parking lots or on the street could help drive the adoption of electric vehicles.
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