Search Results for: cybertruck

Why Doesn’t Tesla Put Solar Panels on Cars?

Automotive, Electric Vehicles, Tesla /
tesla car solar hood mockup

Many people purchase a Tesla in the hopes of reducing their carbon footprint. In reality, the energy that charges the electric vehicle is often generated by less than environmentally friendly fuels. It begs the question of why the world’s top producer of electric vehicles and a pioneer in solar energy systems have not combined the two. Tesla does not put solar panels on cars because there is not enough surface area on a standard electric vehicle to generate sufficient power. Many electric vehicles come with solar panels, but they provide little to no benefit, barely getting a few miles of travel time after hours of charging. With a lack of practicality, this concept is one that just will not happen unless serious developments in modern solar panels are made. The impracticality of solar panels on the electric vehicle itself has been addressed by Tesla in the past. Read on to learn why solar panels and your Tesla are not that compatible. Solar Panels on Cars Is Inefficient When generating solar power, more area exposed to the sun equals more energy generated for later use. Cars, especially electric cars, are compact. They are often kept in a garage or under a carport. Their exposure to the sun is little to none unless they are driving or parked on the street. Keep in mind they need direct solar exposure too. There were talks back in 2017 to put panels on the Tesla Model 3. The way the system was proposed to operate would see a convertible solar panel unfold from the trunk to cover the electric vehicle when parked. This increase in surface area would definitely generate more power, but the practicality was called into question. Some problems include: Deployment times could be inconvenient The panel could take up too much space in more enclosed areas The power generated would still be very limited The panel would add to production cost The panel would be another concern for maintenance Elon Musk has gone over the glaringly obvious drawbacks of solar panels being installed onto the electric vehicle itself. For an extra twenty to thirty miles of range versus all of the time, energy, and resources needed to develop this system, the ends do not justify the means. Tesla has pointed to these obstacles many times before. The best systems that exist today in other electric vehicles generate enough power to drive less than two miles after eight hours of charging. As you can see, this is an impractical idea that just will not happen until panels can produce much more output. Tesla’s Solar Roof and other systems are viable options for those seeking clean energy. Are There Panels on Larger Tesla Vehicles? In 2021 people will potentially see the first generation of solar panels on a Tesla vehicle. Elon Musk has hinted that the tonneau cover on the Cybertruck could be covered with solar panels. He’s also mentioned the possibility for additional fold-out solar panels. These would likely come from the sail pillar store area on the side of the bed. The desire to have an efficient, solar-powered vehicle is there, but the yield is not enough for any substantial generation. This feature will add around 15 miles of range a day without having to be folded out from the trunk every time you park. The fact that you can leave the electric truck alone and simply charge the battery, coupled with its larger size, makes it a much more practical option for carrying solar panels. However, do not expect any major charging. This increase is minimal and will not be anywhere near the amount of power needed to charge the entire battery. The same can be said for Tesla’s largest electric vehicle, the Semi. When you do the math, you will see that even on this electric vehicle, with a plethora of surface area from the trailer and large cab, your yield is lackluster. While there is an increase in output with these larger vehicles, it simply is not enough for self-sufficiency. It does not hurt to add some panels with the available space for some increase in efficiency as long as realistic production costs can be maintained. There will always need to be a dedicated charging station for these electric vehicles. Why Are Companies Putting Small Panels on Electric Cars? There is unused space on electric vehicles. Some companies, Tesla included, are beginning to toy with the idea of adding smaller panels to increase efficiency. Despite the minimal increase in the longevity of your daily range, companies are experimenting with the concept of solar systems on electric vehicles. In most cases, you will not see an electric vehicle that can charge its battery to 100% from these panels, but they will give you some increase in range if they receive good amounts of direct solar exposure. If these additions do not alter the production cost in a bad way, then some charge is definitely better than no charge. The problem comes when consumers and manufacturers want a self-sustaining solar mounted system on the vehicle. Maximizing unused space can be beneficial, but only on a limited scale. Could You Mount Enough Solar Panels for a Tesla? As mentioned before, the surface area and a large number of panels are key to an efficient solar energy system. On an electric vehicle, even the largest ones, there is not enough surface area to meet the demands of the impressive battery, which is exactly why Tesla has shied away from using solar panels to charge their vehicles in the past.  With the Tesla Model 3, you would need somewhere in the neighborhood of 50 kilowatts to fully charge the battery. To generate that much power, you would need around 200 panels and a whopping 4,000 square feet of surface area with excellent solar exposure. You would also need an inverter. Doing this would triple the weight of the vehicle. Inverters usually weigh 40 to 60 pounds. 4,000 square feet of solar panels would

Aptera Motors – Record Breaking 1,000 Mile Electric Range!

Automotive, Electric Vehicles /
aptera motors 1000 miles range electric vehicle

“The world’s most efficient solar/ electric vehicle is now available for pre-order” per Aptera’s website. Aptera was originally founded in 2005, but subsequently liquidated by 2011. In 2019, the original co-founders decided to reform the company. The Aptera is a 3-wheeled vehicle. Similar to the Polaris Slingshot, it is classified as an “auto cycle” or even a motorcycle, depending on where you live. In the United States, the Polaris classification varies state to state. The same will likely be true for the Aptera. The overall design of the expected 2021 model is similar to the design the company originally came up with over a decade ago. Most noticeably, the headlights have received an update. In my opinion, the new “blade” headlight design takes some styling cues from the Tesla Cybertruck. A larger, and much needed overhaul is within the interior. Much more modern technology can be found throughout the inside of the vehicle. First Ever, Never Charge Solar Vehicle Aptera describes their automobile as the first never charge solar vehicle, but this comes across very misleading. At least in my opinion. Regardless whether you plug in or are able to capture energy from the sun, the vehicle still needs to be charged. They state that depending on your driving habits, you may never need to charge. The vehicle will accept 110 volt charging. Currently, there doesn’t appear to be any mention whether it will support charging beyond 110 volts. The Aptera design is ultra lightweight and super efficient. Custom Aptera’s So far it appears potential buyers will order a “Custom Aptera” unless they were able to reserve a limited edition version, which will cover in the next section. The range options determine the base price and are as follows: 250 miles $25,900 400 miles $29,800 600 miles $34,600 1,000 miles $44,900 Aptera Options At the time of this writing, these are the options Aptera lists on their website and how much they cost: SafetyPilot $1300 Enhanced Audio $600 Camping Kit $600 Pet Kit $300 Off-Roading Kit $1000 SafetyPilot: This is Aptera’s autonomous driving feature and likely very similar to Tesla’s AutoPilot. They mention the Aptera will drive itself to your location with Level 2 autonomy and includes facial tracking, lane keep, adaptive cruise, and emergency braking. Level 2 autonomy is defined as partial automation. This is a standard developed by the SAE International, it is a 0-5 scale with Level 0 No Automation at the bottom end on up to Level 5 Full Automation. No manufacturer has yet achieved Level 5. Waymo and Tesla may be the closest. Enhanced Audio: With the enhanced audio, you’ll get an extra three channels of sound. It’s supposed to add sound depth and a subwoofer provides what Aptera describes as accurate and deeper bass response. Camping Kit: With the Aptera camping kit, you get an integrated tent and rear awning. It includes tail cover and step stool for easy entry, but no actual images or additional information is available at this time. Pet Kit: This package includes a pet divider and accessories including water bowl, bags, and rear cover and ladder. Off-Roading Kit: I’m sure this one will be fairly mild. I wouldn’t expect anything for hardcore off-road, maybe some fairly maintained gravel roads. According to their website, Aptera claims this package will be provide more ground clearance and tougher wheel covers to allow you to go off-road. Again, no further information or images at this time. There’s no mention on how the additional ground clearance is obtained, whether it’s with upgraded suspension components or merely larger diameter tires. Pre-Orders For just $100 you can place a reservation for an Aptera. If you use my Aptera referral code, you can save $30 off your reservation for a total of just $70. This Aptera Promo Code will save you some green, simply follow the link and click “Reserve Now”. Limited Edition Aptera Paradigm and Paradigm+ On December 4th Aptera announced the availability of pre-orders for their vehicles, including two limited edition models. Although they didn’t seem to mention the quantities available. The Paradigm (400 mile range) had a price tag of $29,900. Jump up to the Paradigm+ (1,000 mile range) and the price tag increases to $46,900. These limited editions were sold out in less than 24 hours, but you can still order a “custom” Aptera. With the limited edition models, the features include Enhanced Audio, Full Solar, and Special Interior Upgrades. The full solar includes cells on the hood, roof, and rear hatch. Aptera Circa 2009 Here’s a video from Jay Leno’s Garage back in 2009. It definitely shows how far technology has improved. Jay mentions “finally, a true 100 mile electric vehicle”. Fast forward 11 years and it Aptera now claims ten times that range on the top end model. That’s quite impressive in my book. It certainly makes me wonder how EV’s will evolve in the next 10 years. Many expect the cost of batteries to drop. What other technology improvements will we possibly see? Summary This is another small electric vehicle company, but this one is starting up again for the second time. With 2021 just around the corner, we won’t have to wait long to see if they can make it into production. For more information, be sure to checkout the Aptera Motors website: https://www.aptera.us/ Don’t forget, you can use my referral code to save $30 off your reservation. That brings the total down to only $70 to reserve an Aptera.

Why Do Tesla’s Weigh So Much?

Automotive, Electric Vehicles, Tesla /
tesla weight

Many people are surprised at just how fast Tesla’s are, but perhaps equally as impressive, is the amount of weight the have to move to do so! For anyone new to electric vehicles, you might be shocked at the curb weight of a Tesla (or any other EV). We’ll cover the topic of how much a Tesla weighs, pros and cons of the weight, and variables dependent on the vehicle configuration. When compared to internal combustion engine vehicles of similar dimensions, a Tesla will certainly weigh more. This weight is mostly in the battery packs. If you’ve ever lifted a traditional 12v car battery, you’ll immediately notice how heavy batteries can be for their size. Compared to equally sized lead acid batteries, lithium ion batteries (which are used in the Tesla battery pack) are only 1/3 of the weight. A Tesla battery pack is made up of small, cylindrical battery cells that are a part of a module. These battery cells are similar to ones you would find in laptop computers, only a whole lot more of them. The Tesla Model S and X us 18650 cells in 16 modules and the Model 3 and Y use 2170 cells in 4 modules. How Much Does a Tesla Battery Pack Weight? The older Tesla 85 kWh battery pack weighed in at 1,200 pounds. With the Model 3 Long Range, the battery pack weighs 1,060 pounds. Now, let’s compare that to gasoline. A gallon of gas was 6.3 pounds. An average car gas tank is around 15 gallons which comes out to 94.5 pounds when full. Up next, we’ll take a look at the weight of the current Tesla lineup. Over the years, Tesla has offered various sized battery packs. For a short while, they offered a 40kWh battery pack in the Model S. Tesla discontinued it back in 2013. Today, only the 100kWh battery pack is available on the Model S and X. Tesla has offered 60, 70, 75, 85, and 90 kWh packs for the Model S. Today, the 100 kWh pack is standard on both the Model S and Model X. Previous battery packs available on the Model X included 60, 75, 90 since it debuted in 2016. The 60 kWh pack fell way side similar to the 40 kWh pack on the Model S, enough demand wasn’t there. The Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus has a 54 kWh battery pack. On the Model 3 Long Range variant, there’s a 75 kWh battery pack. Tesla Weight This is the weight of the current lineup: Lowest Weight Highest Weight Model S 4,815 lbs (Long Range Plus) 4,929 lbs (Performance) Model X 5,437 lbs (Long Range Plus) 5,498 lbs (Performance) Model 3 3,582 lbs (Standard Plus) 4,065 lbs (Long Range AWD and Performance) Model Y 4,416 (Long Range AWD) 4,416 lbs (Performance Depending on the year and model, a Tesla battery pack makes up approximately 30% of the entire vehicle weight. Unless technology drastically changes or there’s demand for much shorter range vehicles, these numbers likely won’t change any time soon. The Tesla Cybertruck is scheduled to go into production late 2021. It will have 3 variants, a single, dual, and tri-motor version. While Tesla currently hasn’t listed in specs for the vehicle weight, it has been estimated the truck will weigh over 5,000 pounds and could even break 6,000 pounds for the dual and tri-motor versions. However, I could see it weighing more. Depending on the options, an F-150 can weigh 4,500 pounds and tip over 5,000 pounds. Factor in enough battery cells for the Tri-Motor version to get the estimated 500+ miles of range, I can see the Cybertruck really tipping the scales. We’ll also go through some of the pros and cons of all that weight. Let’s take a look at that now… Potential Additional Tesla Weight Wheel and Tire Weight While Tesla’s website doesn’t indicate an increase in weight for various wheel options, there’s likely an additional weight (usually the larger you go). For the Tesla Model X Performance, selecting the 20″ rim estimates 341 miles of range. Jumping up to the 22″ Jumping up to the 22″ Onyx rim on the Tesla Model X will drop your estimated range down to 300 miles per charge. That’s a difference of 41 miles between the 20 and 22″ wheel! On the Model S Performance, the 19″ Tempest rim shows an estimated 387 miles of range. Jump up to the Sonic Carbon Twin Turbine wheels and the range drops to an estimated 334 miles. That’s an even larger difference of 53 miles per charge compared to the Model X. Tesla currently does not show any range differences for the Model 3 and Y wheel configurations, however, similar to the S and X, some differences in range are likely. Wheel Weight or Aerodynamics? While weight could be a factor between wheel sizes and designs, aerodynamics can also play a part. Car and Driver did a test with and without the Model 3 Aero Wheel covers. They found that keeping them on provided a 3.4% range increase at three different speeds. This yields up to 10 miles of range increase. Reducing Weight for Racing (Tesla Seat Comparison) Many of those who race at the drag strip or other locations will trim weight from their vehicle any way they can. If that means lighter components such as carbon fiber body panels or removing back seats, trim pieces, and a passenger seat these components are frequently taken out. With the Model X offering 5, 6, or 7 passenger seating, the 6 and 7 passenger versions will add additional weight as well. Advantages of Heavier Tesla Weight With what they refer to as a skateboard design, the battery pack is placed within the vehicle chassis. This provides a very low center of gravity which can significantly reduce vehicle roll and improve handling, especially in the corners. Tesla vehicles have very evenly balanced weight distribution as well. The Model S has a weight

How Much Does the Hummer EV Cost? Plus New Specs

Automotive, Electric Vehicles /
gmc hummer ev infinity roof

GMC had their official reveal of the Hummer EV on 10/20/2020. It was initially planned for April 2020, but likely delayed because of the pandemic. We now have details on pricing additional specifications. The Hummer EV is now open for reservations as well. With four trim levels, the Hummer EV starts at $79,9995 at the lower end, while it starts at $112,595 for the top trim package. Each of the next years will see another trim package slated for production. The limited quantity, top end trim package will roll off the assembly line in the Fall of 2021. It doesn’t appear as though we’ll see the base trim package until 2024. Hummer EV Features General Motors has worked on some unique features for the Hummer EV. From the “Crabwalk” to the Infinity Roof. Let’s take a look at some of these features in more detail below. Four Wheel Steering/Crabwalk The crabwalk is an interesting feature and in certain off-roading situations could come in quite handy. It takes advantage of the Hummer EV’s all wheel steering and allows you to drive the vehicle diagonally. It simultaneously angles from and rear wheels to create the diagonal driving feature. Rivian may their tank turn, but the crabwalk may be more useful (and less damaging) to the terrain. Remember to tread lightly! Ultravision Cameras The Ultravision Cameras allow various on-screen cameras to be displayed on a screen at the dash. Not only can this be useful on-road, but certainly off-road in tight areas and trying to navigate obstacles. The underbody cameras would be extremely useful to check for clearance on rocks, logs, and other terrain you’re trying to drive over. Infinity Roof with Modular Sky Panels The Infitity Roof can be removed and stored in the frunk. If it starts to rain, or maybe you’re kicking up too much dust off-road, it’s good to know you can have them stored away. I’d be curious how fragile they are, if there’s a chance of breaking them while they’re stored in the frunk and going through some higher speed, aggressive off-road terrain. Rear Drop Glass GMC is calling the motorized rear window that can go down as Rear Drop Glass. This isn’t a new innovation by any means, but can further enhance the open air experience with the Infinity Roof. Customizable Drive Modes While they don’t seem to go into too many details yet, it appears there will be a highway mode, towing mode, off-road settings, to name a few. Extract Mode GMC calls it Extract Mode. It’s essentially air suspension that lift the chassis nearly 6″. With the added ground clearance, it provides greater off-road ability. Specially Engineered Tires 35″ Goodyear Wrangler’s are specially designed to provide optimum on and off-road performance. GMC mentions the Hummer EV will be 37″ tire capable. This likely means it can accommodate larger tires without any lift. Otherwise, there would likely be an electronic setting to ensure the truck maintains a higher than stock height to avoid rubbing. Body Armor Skid Plates The Hummer EV will have a large skid plate cover the undercarriage as well as rock sliders. Next Gen Super Cruise Hands free driving. Auto lane changes. This is essentially GM’s version of Tesla Auto Pilot. The steering wheel appears to be the same design from GM’s Cadillac line, where it has a camera and a green light to alert the driver if they’re not watching the road frequently enough. Ultium Batteries Dubbed as Ultium batteries, this is GM’s proprietary technology with LG Chem who they have partnered with. It is a Lithium-Ion battery that will be manufactured in Ohio. Hummer EV Charging One of the more noteworthy announcements regarding charging is the ability to charge at 800 volts which would push out 350 kW’s. This equates to charging about 100 miles of range in just 10 minutes. GMC has a link on the Hummer EV page to “Locate Charging Stations”, however, it merely links to a page on https://afdc.energy.gov/ that can be used by all EV owners, including Tesla: Based on this, it appears fairly obvious that GM will expect owners to rely heavily on 3rd party charging options. I haven’t seen any news of how expansive they except their own network to possibly be. Hummer EV Trim Levels and Pricing The Hummer EV is expected to have 4 trim levels. Similar to what Tesla has done with it’s new vehicles, it will have the higher end vehicles available first. It’s reported (or at least speculated) that the top end EV Edition 1 sold out in about an hour and that there may be a very small production quantity that was allocated for this model. Here’s a further break down of the specs: It’s interesting to see the naming convention. From the EV2, EV2X, EV3X, and the EV Edition 1. It seems they may have intentional avoided EV1 by adding “Edition” into the naming. For those not familiar with it, GM produced a vehicle called the EV1 from 1996-1999. These vehicles were leased, never sold out right. GM infamously took these vehicles back and destroyed them despite protests from some owners. The EV1 was a main topic in the documentary Who Killed the Electric Vehicle which was produced in 2006. Reservation Steps Reservation Cost Just like the Cybertruck, the Hummer EV just requires a deposit amount of $100 (USD). Also just like Tesla, this is consistent across on trim levels. Off-Road Specs Interior While GMC describes the Hummer EV interior as “luxury”, the overall design feels a bit boxy to me. Perhaps they’re trying to give a modern spin on previous Hummers, but from the center console to the door trim, and everything in between, there’s a definite rectangular vibe. I would have liked to see a more integrated feel with the screens as well. Despite those critiques, it has a fairly rugged look to match the off-road capabilities of the vehicle with some well thought out storage areas. The overall interior appears quite spacious.

Tesla Model X Range Increase (New Orders Only?)

Automotive, Electric Vehicles, Tesla, Tesla Model X /
tesla model x range increase

Tesla has updated their website highlighting a 371 mile range per charge for the Long Range Plus model. The Long Range Plus previously had a 351 mile EPA rating. The Performance model has also seen an increase, it is now up to 341 miles of range, which is up from 305. This is two fairly substantial increases in range in less than a year. The Tesla Model X range increase for the Long Range Model went from 330 miles late last year to now 371 miles with the Long Range Plus. With this 41 mile increase, it’s nearly half of what the original LEAF had for range. How Did Tesla Do It? There doesn’t seem to be any official announcements yet from Tesla how this increase was obtained. Whether it might be a hardware, a battery chemistry change, or if it may have been improvements to the efficiency within the software. With technology there always seems to be iterative improvements over time. It’s possible Tesla has been able to increase the battery density of the Model S and X cells. I believe the 0-60 times are unchanged, here’s the current specs for both versions of the Model X: What About the Tesla Model S? The Tesla Model S Performance now shows a range of 387 miles from 348. Interestingly, the Long Range Plus remains at 402 miles per charge. Is it possible Tesla hasn’t gotten around to updating it? It’s a bit odd that both versions of the Model X are showing increases, but only the Performance version on the Model S. It’s quite possible Tesla is awaiting an updated number from the EPA. Other Changes? Other than the range increase on both the Long Range Plus and Performance models, there doesn’t appear to be any other changes to the Model X at this time. It’s been rumored that it might be due for a refresh of at least the interior. However, nothing new has surfaced of late. Our 2020 Model X We took delivery of our 2020 Tesla Model X toward the end of December, 2019. At the time, it had an EPA rating of 330 miles per charge. A few months later, via a free over-the-air software update, it was bumped up to 351 miles per charge. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for our estimated range especially after the next few software updates, but I’m guessing we’re maxed out on our range. What’s Next? The new 4860 cells announced during Tesla’s Battery Day back in September appear to be at least 1-2 years away. Will Tesla continue to try and innovate with the current cells? We’ve previously discussed it, but there are people waiting to see a refreshed vehicle from Tesla. Particularly, with the Model S that hasn’t seen many changes since it first went into production back in 2012. With the Tesla Roadster expected to get 620+ miles per charge, the Tri-Motor Cybertruck with 500+, it’s safe to wonder how much more development will be placed on range. At some point there will likely be a plateau. How much range does the average driver really need? Road trips are one thing, but daily driver another. I can see where there will be more focus on longevity of the batteries as well as charging speeds. Tesla was rumored to possibly announce their million mile battery during Battery Day. While they didn’t announce it in September, they might be very close. They’ll likely have plenty of cycle testing not only in a lab, but real world testing as well. As far as charging speed goes, Tesla is currently able to deliver 250 kW’s with their version 3 Supercharging stations. With incremental software improvements charging times have also improved over the years. The goal always seems to be around making charging nearly as fast as filling up at the pump, at least while on the road. Tesla had previously toyed with the idea of battery swaps, but seem to have moved on from those tests. Nio on the other has implemented battery swap stations. Summary I find it exciting to see continued improvements to range and the overall product. The fact Tesla is able to do so much of this with free over-the-air updates is amazing. Your vehicle will be more capable in many areas than when you first purchased it. It’s hard to find any other auto manufacturers today that are doing anything remotely similar. Let’s see what’s next. While it might seem minuscule to some, 20 extra miles of range is no small feat. It would be one thing to add more batteries, but the fact Tesla continues to find ways to squeeze more range from the same size battery pack really showcases some serious innovation. Are You Considering a Tesla Purchase? If you’re looking to purchase a new Tesla vehicle or Tesla Energy product, please consider using my referral code (link to Tesla with my code): https://ts.la/kevin82163 Looking for More Articles on Tesla? Check out our other Tesla posts here: https://fabville.com/category/automotive/electric-vehicles/tesla What are your thoughts on the recent range increase? Leave your comments below.

Rivian Tank Turn – Introducing the 360 Degree Spin!

Automotive, Electric Vehicles, Off-Roading, Rivian /

Rivian shows off their “tank turn” capability on their all-electric R1T pickup truck. The quadmotor system allows independent control of each wheel. Very similar to a tank that can put one set of tracks into reverse, the other set forward, to help control turning, the Rivian R1T is able to perform a true on a dime turn, although not sure how much control you have with it or if part of it is based on a loose surface.