I think a great idea for Aptera would be a winter weather package. This could include a heated steering wheel, heated seats and windshield and if possible a heat pump. Heat pumps are more efficient. I’d be willing to pay more since I live in the Midwest. People in the south and southwest could skip this option.
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Yes, Skipped here🥵
Given the energy costs for heating, even up north I'd not bother; I just get a cover for the steering wheel or wear gloves. A nice clever cover made from something fuzzy and warm would be more green.
Heated seats sure are nice... maybe better than heating the cabin? I'm used to not even using the heater already but the seats I use for a few minutes.
One would think the air conditioner could be run both ways...
Never had to worry about heat "down here" but... are there good heated driving gloves" out there?
@Len not that I know of - I've only noticed big heated snow mobile gloves. I think up here most people would feel like wimps using normal gloves with heaters in them.
The only real problem in cars is fog and frost on the windshield.
Heated seats are said to be more efficient in the Volt than heating the cabin. I can't verify as mine doesn't have them.
I would recommend Aptera to make a decent winter package. I believe if you make the Aptera to Spartan it will not speak to a brought enough audience. The whole concept is already efficient enough. Heated seats, steering wheel and front windscreen will not make a big dent in energy use but will provide great comfort.
Heated seats and steering wheel save me a ton of range. I almost never have to run cabin heat or wear gloves. Directly heating the windshield would be another energy saver over using heated air, although doing that without heater element lines would be the challenge.
The first Toyota RAV4 EVs had a heated front windshield without any heating element lines. Most of the windshield was electrified. I don't know what technology was used, but this was in the late 1980s.
Putting my vote in for a cold weather package, including heated seats and front & back glass. Don't need a heated steering wheel.
I barely arrived back home at -31C with 4KM remaining on the battery and Siri screaming at me to find a charging station NOW! This was a leisurly @40 km trip to town with my 2012 Nissan Leaf 24KW EV. Hyper mileing all the way back and arrived at my door with the interior heat off for the last 15 minutes. It's very reminiscent of riding on my snowmobile, but I wouldn't actually take that thing out at -31 if I could help it. Having heated seats and steering wheel is an essential option that I'll need in my Aptera.
I asked if Aptera would like me to beta test their car up here in Yukon Territory, Canada and give them some real world data about the challenges of extreme negative temperatures. I hope they take me up on the offer.
Give me serious DC power and I'll just go buy heated seat covers... USB is too weak.
I will certainly want to drive it all 4 seasons as well. Concerns are: battery cold weather performance, windshield heat for deicing/defogging front windshield, durability & care of windshield as I know I will need to scrape ice, passenger cabin heat. I frequently see weather as cold (like today -5F and can get down to -20F but only a few days of the year). Traction control. wheel base - important for stability on ice at highway speeds (I found that the newer VW beatles due to short wheel base, feel like you are driving a snake on icy roads and I would never rent or buy one again with bad roads!) Other concerns is charging in winter time, what kind of current draw can be expected on 120VAC outlet? Is it limited to less than 15Amps so it doesn't overheat wiring or trip circuit breaker?
I can wear a warm coat and gloves so to me, just keeping the window free of fogging and icing over from freezing rain or snow is very important safety item. Heated steering wheel is a luxury I can forgo to conserve battery power.