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Aptera Solar EV More Stylish Than Heinlein Steel Tortoise
The Aptera Solar EV is more stylish than Robert Heinlein's Steel Tortoise from Coventry.
(Aptera Solar Vehicle was also on Star Trek!)
Aptera revealed its launch edition featuring an ultra-light composite body with 700 watts of solar cells and a drag coefficient of just 0.13. Also, in each wheel there’s a motor that can get up to 60 mph in four seconds flat. It offers 32.5 cubic feet of rear storage. The Aptera can travel up to 1,000 miles on a single charge and is capable of up to 40 miles of solar-powered driving per day. (Via Fox.)
These vehicles get closer and closer to what science fiction author Robert Heinlein imagined in his 1940 story Coventry; he called his vehicle the Steel Tortoise:
The vehicle he had chosen was... was extremely rugged, easy to operate, and almost foolproof. It drew its power from six square yards of sunpower screens on its low curved roof. These drove a constant-load motor, or, when halted, replenished the storage battery against cloudy weather, or night travel. The bearings were 'everlasting', and every moving part, other than the caterpillar treads and the controls, were sealed up, secure from inexpert tinkering.
Steel Tortoise from 'Coventry' by Robert Heinlein)It could maintain a steady six miles per hour on smooth, level pavement. When confronted by hills, or rough terrain, it did not stop, but simply slowed until the task demanded equaled its steady power output.
(Read more about steel tortoise)
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