Climate control

From Apterawiki

From The Aptera Journey (now defunct)

With the aid of solar power, the Aptera manages to keep its cool, even in the hottest situations. The unique climate control system is always on, which means no more unbearable start ups. Here is how the Aptera multi-zone comfort control system maximizes passenger comfort while minimizing energy consumption:

- Zone 1: Dash and windshield area - Solar heat is removed from the windshield and dash before it reaches the passengers. In a typical vehicle, most of the energy used by the air conditioner is wasted in removing solar heat, not cooling passengers.

- Zone 2: Passenger area - Air-conditioned or heated air is circulated in the passenger seat area to ensure maximum comfort.

- Zone 3: Seat area - Seats are heated or cooled. Passenger comfort has been shown to be dramatically improved by providing heating or cooling directly to the body, at a minimum of energy consumption.

From Gizmag:

The innovative, “always-on” climate control system is powered via solar cells embedded under the roof. The energy generated by the cells is stored in the main batteries and the same amount (or less) is taken out to run the air conditioning. The system has a two-fold benefit as Fambro explains: “By keeping the car always cool we are able to use a much smaller air-conditioner, it weighs less, costs less and takes much less energy. While you are parked or while you are driving the same heat from the solar gain is collected before it actually gets to the cabin and piped out the rear of the vehicle. Because the system runs while you are parked as well, the advantage is that you never get into a car that's more than one or two degrees above ambient temperature, it's always relatively cool.”

Interestingly, as an unintended side effect the process of taking the heat from the solar gain and the electronics and piping it out the back (via two vents positioned beside the license plates) was also found to lower drag as the car moves along the highway.

==ok but if you applied all that energy to the batteries they could last a lot longer, so it isn;t free - wle.