As Aptera will get nearer to manufacturing, I’ve been pondering so much about the place I’m going to take mine to push it to its limits. I believe that is an important part of telling the story of the primary 1,000-mile rated EV, and it offers us a preview of what’s going to be potential as battery know-how improves and lengthy vary EVs finally grow to be extra widespread. So, this concept for an extended EV trek I’ve provide you with isn’t simply an Aptera story, however one thing we’ll be capable to be taught from about the way forward for EVs normally.
Whereas issues like London to Beijing or Alaska to Chile are potential, I gained’t have weeks or months to commit to this sort of a visit with out some critical sponsorship. As a substitute, I made a decision to see what the wildest factor I may do in North America would seem like, to maintain it practical and one thing I may pay for out of my very own pocket.
In a nutshell, what I’m taking a look at doing goes from the southernmost level within the continental US to the northernmost driveable level in North America.
Earlier than you look too laborious on the map, remember the fact that that is solely a preliminary plan. I let A Higher Routeplanner do principally no matter it needed from Florida to southern Canada. Between the prolonged vary of the Aptera (round 600-700 miles on the freeway) and the OK availability of DC quick charging stations up that far, you might select nearly any route you’d need.
The opposite caveat is that the app doesn’t know what the ultimate state of affairs will likely be on charging stations for an Aptera. It’s apparently going to have a Tesla plug, however how briskly it might cost at a Supercharger is an unanswered query at this level. For one thing just like the Alaska freeway, it will in all probability be a good suggestion to have a CCS adapter and a transportable EVSE for RV park use, together with a splitter to press two 30-amp RV park stalls into service to cost EVs.
However, alongside this preliminary route, that might solely be mandatory at two factors in Alaska. There’s quickly going to be a J-1772 station at one of many in a single day stops, and a lot of the remainder of the freeway is roofed with DCFC already (not less than sufficient to accommodate a automobile with that sort of vary).
So, as you possibly can in all probability see, even a activity like driving from the southernmost level within the continental US as much as the northernmost level a automotive can drive to isn’t a giant deal should you’ve acquired a automobile with 1,000 miles of EPA vary. I nonetheless assume it must be carried out simply to indicate folks that EVs have evaporated one more excuse, although.
Earl Is The Worst, & I’m Additionally The Worst. So, I Have To Go to Earl.
I’m not going to lie, Ohio has by no means me sufficient to pack up the household and drive out that means. I’m positive there are individuals who can inform me all about Ohio’s cool stuff, however both means, any alternative to go to the Earl of Frunkpuppy in Ohio is gone. However, he’s in Alaska now, so if I’m going to be up there, it is sensible to satisfy up and plot our imply tweets about Elon in particular person, proper?
However severely, although, I’ve already been speaking about visiting Earl and his household up there, and can in all probability try this so long as he’s nonetheless residing up there.
Epic journey!
— 🐶Earl of FrunkPuppy🐶 (@28delayslater) September 1, 2022
On the return journey, I actually don’t assume I’ll need to drive all the way in which again, so I’m more likely to simply use the Alaska Marine Highway System, often known as the Alaska Ferry. That’s one other a kind of “bucket checklist” objects that I’d need to match into an Alaska journey. This is able to give me a fairly good likelihood to take a look at extra of coastal Alaska, and get some pictures of the Aptera in these locations alongside the way in which.
As soon as again within the Decrease 48, issues would return to being routine and straightforward once more, so there’s not a lot to put in writing about there.
Issues I’ve Thought Of So Far
Being a desert dweller, and given how far north I’d wish to journey, I’m positively doing this in the summertime. I don’t assume the highway as much as the North Slope is even open throughout winter, and that looks like a dumb way to die even when it have been open.
I’d actually like to do that journey independently with out a assist automobile, however I believe I’d want to hold instruments, spare tires, and different issues for security that is likely to be an excessive amount of for an Aptera to hold. I in all probability gained’t be capable to determine how all that works out till I’ve one, sadly. However, I’ll in all probability do extra articles as I get nearer to the ultimate planning about what emergency provides I can match inside it.
I do know I’m going to want to extensively analysis each charging spot, particularly as soon as I get into areas the place there aren’t DCFC stations inside cheap vary. I’ve seen some movies and articles by individuals who’ve made the journey, and displaying as much as discover {that a} plug isn’t what they anticipated or issues are damaged is widespread. I’m in contact with a few individuals who’ve carried out this, and I’ll be getting quite a lot of data from them because it will get nearer.
May This Turn out to be An Final EV Check?
One of many final automotive accomplishments for EVs has been the Cannonball Run from New York to Los Angeles. As charging has gotten sooner and batteries acquired greater, these instances have been shrinking. The latest document I’m conscious of was set in a Porsche Taycan, which is the fastest-charging commercially-available EV proper now.
As infrastructure improves and EV know-how improves, the time it takes to go from the Southernmost to the Northernmost will shrink. I don’t assume anybody’s going to have the ability to do it in a single sitting, however with the ability to do it with none L2 charging stops could be an important accomplishment that neither automobile or infrastructure is ready to accomplish at the moment.
Featured picture: A screenshot from ABRP displaying a preliminary journey route.
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