The Squad, an Amsterdam-based startup’s revolutionary urban vehicle, is about the size of a bicycle: up to four cars can be parked sideways in a normal parking slot. The electric two-small seater’s size is one of the reasons it uses so little energy — it can operate entirely on electricity from a solar panel on its roof on a typical day of city travel. A swappable battery is accessible when extra power is necessary.
The vehicle will be available in 2022 and will cost approximately $6,800. The co-founders previously worked at Lightyear, a business that makes a solar-powered electric automobile for the premium market. The price of Lightyear’s first automobile will be approximately $135,000; however, this will decrease as manufacturing rises.
The new automobile is ideally suited for solar power because it is designed for use exclusively on city streets and has a peak speed of 28 mph. You can accomplish more with your solar energy because the speeds and energy use are lower. The automobile can create enough energy to drive approximately 12 miles in a day when parked outdoors, which is more than an everyday errand requires. Solar power makes the automobile simpler to operate because it doesn’t need to be charged as frequently, and it helps to lessen the demand on the local grid. Because the car’s portable battery can be removed and set indoors, apartment residents won’t have to worry about finding a place to plug in.
Solar power’s fast decreasing cost, which has plummeted over 80% in a decade, makes it possible to cover an automobile with solar cells. The solar panel is about the same size as a typical solar panel found on a home’s roof. In addition, they can be manufactured using standard solar panel technology because they are so similar to commercial solar panels. As a result, we can keep the pricing as low as possible.
In a city like Sacramento, most people ride their bikes for short excursions. However, the business wants to fill a vacuum in places with excellent bike infrastructure or where the weather makes bicycling impossible. In addition, the small size is sufficient for simple errands such as grocery shopping or transporting a child to school.
If a solar-powered car is possible, think about how solar can affect your business. With over 40 years of experience, we at Aztec Solar can help improve your business and get you on the path to a brighter future and a more resilient planet.
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