"With all-wheel-drive and vectorized torque control, Aptera handles beautifully in the snow and ice. We are designing specifically for a lot of the cold countries that love electric vehicles. The Aptera will have a full climate control system capable down to -20 and up to 125 degrees Fahrenheit. With our sandwich core composites body offering great insulation and a nice heater, it’s very comfortable to drive in the winter."
Hey, Iowa here. When you say down to -20F ... typically there is at least one day a year when it gets at least that cold, and one might still want to run out to get some groceries or some handwarmers or something. So how hard is this limit of -20? Is it car-won't-start bad, or is it just more like 'we can't guarantee that the cabin will be able to get up to room temperature'?
@Seth Harwood Yeah, I'd like to know that, too. I've been out in -40F/-40C in Vermont morning skiing.
They said that they'll be testing them in extreme weather conditions in the coming months once they've got 2 more prototypes built. Videos in the snow were promised.
I'm interested to know the same thing since I'm in Alaska. I have been driving a Nissan LEAF for the past few years and it does "alright"... certainly less range in winter like any EV. My biggest issue with the LEAF is the limited ground clearance and the deep snows, and ice clumps we get around here. I'm hopeful that the off-road package I ordered will give it a bit better ground clearance than my LEAF. And it gets to -40 where I intend to drive so I'm not expecting miracles from the HVAC... just enough to make things comfortable while wearing a parka :-)
@boreal Remember, too, that pre-conditioning the Aptera cabin while it's plugged in might be more beneficial than in most EVs because of the insulative characteristics of the body shell: You might very well stay warmer longer.
Probably as well as any other electric vehicle.
From the FAQ under Performance:
How does Aptera handle in the snow and cold weather?
"With all-wheel-drive and vectorized torque control, Aptera handles beautifully in the snow and ice. We are designing specifically for a lot of the cold countries that love electric vehicles. The Aptera will have a full climate control system capable down to -20 and up to 125 degrees Fahrenheit. With our sandwich core composites body offering great insulation and a nice heater, it’s very comfortable to drive in the winter."
Thanks. Being located in MN, that makes this a good vehicle!
Hey, Iowa here. When you say down to -20F ... typically there is at least one day a year when it gets at least that cold, and one might still want to run out to get some groceries or some handwarmers or something. So how hard is this limit of -20? Is it car-won't-start bad, or is it just more like 'we can't guarantee that the cabin will be able to get up to room temperature'?
@Seth Harwood Yeah, I'd like to know that, too. I've been out in -40F/-40C in Vermont morning skiing.
They said that they'll be testing them in extreme weather conditions in the coming months once they've got 2 more prototypes built. Videos in the snow were promised.
Range will be reduced. How much depends on a number of things.
I'm interested to know the same thing since I'm in Alaska. I have been driving a Nissan LEAF for the past few years and it does "alright"... certainly less range in winter like any EV. My biggest issue with the LEAF is the limited ground clearance and the deep snows, and ice clumps we get around here. I'm hopeful that the off-road package I ordered will give it a bit better ground clearance than my LEAF. And it gets to -40 where I intend to drive so I'm not expecting miracles from the HVAC... just enough to make things comfortable while wearing a parka :-)
@boreal Remember, too, that pre-conditioning the Aptera cabin while it's plugged in might be more beneficial than in most EVs because of the insulative characteristics of the body shell: You might very well stay warmer longer.