Id like to see if other reservation holders agree. But I see a ton of use out of having a electric outlet in the trunk to charge electronic gear while driving to other locations and for when camping. Its also neat that items placed in the trunk can be accessible from the front seats, like a small laptop. It would be nice to have my electronics charging in my travel bag while stored in the trunk. Even to keep essential electronics on like a fridge during a house power outage. Do others agree a plug in the trunk is a must? Can Aptera accommodate this request of a typical 120v 15amp circuit or two 120v 15 amp circuits 0:-). This would provide plenty of power for my laptop and a electric hot stove when camping. the entire car would make a really nice solar backup for a small scale off grid home. I really really hope there is a plug or 2 in the trunk! If not please please add the option. For those ordering the 100kwh models, that would make a lot of sense to get more use out of the car in a utility sense.
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They've written in the FAQ spreadsheet that 120 volt AC will be provided. They haven't said where the plug will be located. A central location like the center console makes sense to me. (https://www.aptera.us/forum/aptera-tech-questions/all-of-your-questions-answered )
I go hunting and fishing in late Fall. Tough macho man that I am, I use an electric blanket to keep warm in the tent as I sleep on top of an inflatable mattress under a thick comforter ( best sleep you will ever have). But, they even sell 12V electric blankets and Christmas lights. Considering they say you can run a home for 2 or 3 days on the car's battery, the ability to run a few simple items at 120V at a campsite is a really nice option. But, the 120V can be supplied by an aftermarket inverter, and I agree with your comment on all of the conversion losses.
I'm no engineer, but given the Apterae require so much less energy/battery, I can see this idea going South quickly, even for the 1000 miles range version. Yes, there are possibilities of using such a converter/connector, yet based on battery storage alone, it will likely be better off as an aftermarket item for marginal use. I would rather use the smaller across the board battery pack's energy in a much more efficient manner than converting it to 120 volts to further convert to whatever, like a laptop's adapter which will convert it (again) and spoil even more energy down those conversion lines. Wouldn't even think about using in place of a generator . . . and camping is better off with fire for cooking, heck, even a propane grill/stove combination is more efficient, and properly insulated coolers for days of ice without any energy usage at all. This is how I already can do this easily with my Prii. :-)
While adding an inverter was absolutely trivial in my own EV conversions, integrating one into an Aptera would require tapping into its HV system, addition of contactors and control circuits, safety interlocks, physically locating it and mounts for that installation, addition of wiring, re-doing all the weight and cg analyses, etc., all under various regulatory constraints. As an engineer, you understand the entire process from system design through integration into production for such a module. Why not just carry a 12v->120vac inverter? I personally prefer the Hyundai Ioniq 5 approach of an external module attaching to the bi-directional dcfc port (something that's been available on CHAdeMO cars for ten years) - why burden the Aptera with this additional complexity?
I agree with this idea, and I think it could be offered as an option, and I also agree that this would be a relatively simple addition. I don't want to see Aptera distracted from delivering a car to market, but the idea of providing a variety of power options makes sense. AT the very least, they could build a generic power panel that could be replaced with alternative panels in the future by popping it off and plugging a different one in with greater capability.
In the FAQ someone replied:
Regarding "I hope Aptera will install a 15-20 amp 12V receptacle.": Currently line 426* of Aptera's FAQ Spreadsheet says "there will be at least one 12V outlet", & 15A seems to be pretty standard.
As an engineer I don’t see this as any extraordinary measure to implement. if there were a cost hurdle per say that is why I suggested as an option “power pack“ option or something. I think this addition would be well within their abilities.
While this is a nicety, I don't want the Aptera design team diverted from their main task, that of producing a functional vehicle. Aptera does not have infinite resources, and even something this simple requires a huge effort in order to integrate into a production design. I, for one, will settle for a simple stripped FWD vehicle that I can actually own and drive ASAP. I'm too old to wait much longer.