CT Companion vehicle - model 2, Aptera or other

Tinker71

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If you really want to be environmentally friendly or economical then you won't be driving your CT by yourself for commuting long distances without a load or need for a truck. While relatively efficient and potentially clean, the energy used by the CT on a per single passenger mile basis is much higher than a model 3 and probably triple that of an Aptera. This energy could be better used elsewhere. The CT also won't be cheap to drive, tires and insurance being major ticket items. The price of electricity should also be going up. Utah is currently $.10/kWhr. I could also see us paying for roads on metric ton/1000kM basis at some time and abandoning the road tax system. That would be the right way to do it anyway.

Personally I think the guys driving the big fancy trucks to the office are tools. I got rid of my truck for that very reason and use trailers and our Toyota Sienna for occasional camping and heavy work type stuff.

Now in my perfect world we would have a CT and small BEV. The ecobox would be used as much as possible and either my wife or I would drive it depending on who had the longest drive with out the need for the CT. But I am married to a strong willed gal. She hates swapping vehicles because she always is missing something. She has made if very clear she will be choosing her next vehicle by herself. I am pretty sure it won't be an Aptera. Most likely a small to mid sized SUV ice (plug in hybrid if I am lucky or if very lucky maybe the model y will come way down in price and she might spring for that.) So I guess I will be that guy driving a truck everywhere when he really doesn't need to or I will need 3 vehicles for 2 drivers. (assuming my young adult children actually leave the house we currently have 6 vehicles around)

So the question is what will be your companion vehicles if any?
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Crissa

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Well, if you have to have dino juice, look into a plugin like a RAV Prime. It has been getting great reviews. You want one that's able to do 100% electric for most things, otherwise it's just extra complications without as much benefit.

But I'm going for an Aptera. It'll be light enough and as efficient as my motorcycle, but comfortable for longer runs. It'll park reasonably in urban areas, and be warm and dry in inclement weather.

If I need an SUV, I'll have the Cybertruck. Might was well optimize, right?

-Crissa
 

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If you really want to be environmentally friendly or economical then you won't be driving your CT by yourself for commuting long distances without a load or need for a truck. While relatively efficient and potentially clean, the energy used by the CT on a per single passenger mile basis is much higher than a model 3 and probably triple that of an Aptera. This energy could be better used elsewhere. The CT also won't be cheap to drive, tires and insurance being major ticket items. The price of electricity should also be going up. Utah is currently $.10/kWhr. I could also see us paying for roads on metric ton/1000kM basis at some time and abandoning the road tax system. That would be the right way to do it anyway.

Personally I think the guys driving the big fancy trucks to the office are tools. I got rid of my truck for that very reason and use trailers and our Toyota Sienna for occasional camping and heavy work type stuff.

Now in my perfect world we would have a CT and small BEV. The ecobox would be used as much as possible and either my wife or I would drive it depending on who had the longest drive with out the need for the CT. But I am married to a strong willed gal. She hates swapping vehicles because she always is missing something. She has made if very clear she will be choosing her next vehicle by herself. I am pretty sure it won't be an Aptera. Most likely a small to mid sized SUV ice (plug in hybrid if I am lucky or if very lucky maybe the model y will come way down in price and she might spring for that.) So I guess I will be that guy driving a truck everywhere when he really doesn't need to or I will need 3 vehicles for 2 drivers. (assuming my young adult children actually leave the house we currently have 6 vehicles around)

So the question is what will be your companion vehicles if any?

So...why have one vehicle when you can have two? What about all the wasted energy going into the production of having a second vehicle at the house while one vehicle just sits around? Seems wasteful. I've always used my truck for everything. It's my commuter, camper, work, grocery getter, road tripper vehicle. I don't have to pay for twice the insurance or pay for a second vehicle.
 
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Ogre

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So...why have one vehicle when you can have two? What about all the wasted energy going into the production of having a second vehicle at the house while one vehicle just sits around? Seems wasteful. I've always used my truck for everything. It's my commuter, camper, work, grocery getter, road tripper vehicle. I don't have to pay for twice the insurance or pay for a second vehicle.
Can’t speak for everyone here, but there are 2 of us and we often need to be different places so we’ll have 2 vehicles regardless.
 


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If it's just 1 person driving both cars, I think you've got your math wrong. 1 car is better than 2 as far as efficiency goes. If you really want to be efficient and you're a solo driver, buy 1 car.

But my wife and I often need to be in different places at the same time as she's a doctor and I'm a vintner. So I'll be taking the truck and she'll be in the model 3.
 

jhogan2424

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This may sound a little self centered but I am not buying a CT to be environmentally friendly or economical. I am buying it exclusively because of the utility and coolness of it. Environmentally friendly and economical just happen to be positive side effects of the design to me.

Not to say that I don’t care about being environmentally friendly, because I do. It‘s just not high enough on my list to influence a major purchase such as a truck.
 
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Ogre

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This may sound a little self centered but I am not buying a CT to be environmentally friendly or economical. I am buying it exclusively because of the utility and coolness of it. Environmentally friendly and economical just happen to be positive side effects of the design to me.
Musk was talking about how this year was an inflection point and this IMO is a sign that is the case.

The fact that the Cybertruck are coming in so competitive with even base trucks that they are appealing to people who don't care that they are environmentally friendly is a milestone.

The Model Y and the Model 3 are extremely competitive with ICE vehicles in their price range, but they are both priced like a BMW or a top end Toyota. The Cybertruck competes with the base F150s (not the very bottom, but pretty close). That says a whole lot.
 

MRTENNANT

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If you really want to be environmentally friendly or economical then you won't be driving your CT by yourself for commuting long distances without a load or need for a truck. While relatively efficient and potentially clean, the energy used by the CT on a per single passenger mile basis is much higher than a model 3 and probably triple that of an Aptera. This energy could be better used elsewhere. The CT also won't be cheap to drive, tires and insurance being major ticket items. The price of electricity should also be going up. Utah is currently $.10/kWhr. I could also see us paying for roads on metric ton/1000kM basis at some time and abandoning the road tax system. That would be the right way to do it anyway.

Personally I think the guys driving the big fancy trucks to the office are tools. I got rid of my truck for that very reason and use trailers and our Toyota Sienna for occasional camping and heavy work type stuff.

Now in my perfect world we would have a CT and small BEV. The ecobox would be used as much as possible and either my wife or I would drive it depending on who had the longest drive with out the need for the CT. But I am married to a strong willed gal. She hates swapping vehicles because she always is missing something. She has made if very clear she will be choosing her next vehicle by herself. I am pretty sure it won't be an Aptera. Most likely a small to mid sized SUV ice (plug in hybrid if I am lucky or if very lucky maybe the model y will come way down in price and she might spring for that.) So I guess I will be that guy driving a truck everywhere when he really doesn't need to or I will need 3 vehicles for 2 drivers. (assuming my young adult children actually leave the house we currently have 6 vehicles around)

So the question is what will be your companion vehicles if any?
I get that you need two cars but you can offset a lot of that if you simply have solar. We have a 3 and and S as well as an old Ram. I plan on getting rid of the Ram and the Model S when the CT shows up. But since most of your charging is at home, solar is a no brainer for the offset of some of that cost.
 

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After I read that back it came out a bit wrong. I edited to clarify.
 


Sirfun

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So...why have one vehicle when you can have two? What about all the wasted energy going into the production of having a second vehicle at the house while one vehicle just sits around? Seems wasteful. I've always used my truck for everything. It's my commuter, camper, work, grocery getter, road tripper vehicle. I don't have to pay for twice the insurance or pay for a second vehicle.
Interesting conundrum, but I agree. Why have more vehicles when all you need is one? Especially if the CT gets to level 5 FSD. Then that 1 vehicle can be shared by the household. My son drives it to the beach, gets out right at the beach(avoiding parking issues) and the CT drives home to be used by my wife to go to the store. Any time during the day, we can combine trips and share the use of the CT. At any point any of us need a ride, we make a call and the CT will come pick us up. We can still drive if we want, but also the CT can drive itself with nobody in it. SWEET!
I agree with the saying. The more stuff you've got, the more you have to maintain.
So, this is part of the beauty of the CT. It's so utilitarian, it will do ANYTHING most of us need. I'm paying for one vehicle, registration on 1 vehicle, insurance, 1 vehicle again. BTW I may get 2 to share between our household of 6, with 1 CT generally being plugged into the house as backup batteries for the solar on our house that produces all the energy for the CT's.
I don't know if/when this reality is possible, but one can dream!!!!
 

Crissa

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Well, different vehicles go different places. I don't want to carry the truck up to the city; there's not room for it and it'll cost at least twice as much to get there.

Just like why I have a motorcycle and a bicycle. Some places are just easier to get to with the right vehicle.

-Crissa
 

ajdelange

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If you really want to be environmentally friendly or economical then you won't be driving your CT by yourself for commuting long distances without a load or need for a truck. While relatively efficient and potentially clean, the energy used by the CT on a per single passenger mile basis is much higher than a model 3 and probably triple that of an Aptera. This energy could be better used elsewhere.
I look at it this way. I have a square meter of yard. One kWh arrives on that square meter per hour on a sunny day. If I do nothing, the kWh gets changed to longwave and delivers 3412 BTU to the planet.

Alternatively I can put a solar panel over that square meter and collect about 220 Wh per hour which I can send to the battery in my CT or whatever. The planet only gets 780 Wh but the other 220 Wh are stored in the car and dissipated as heat when it is driven. Total delivery to the planet: 3412 BTH though some of it deferred.

The CT also won't be cheap to drive, tires and insurance being major ticket items.
While I can get a discount for driving less my insurance company does not charge per mile. Tires, yes, but if you are going to drive something else instead of the CT you'll use the tires up on that too. To save the tyres on the CT you will just have to train yourself to resist the impulse to "leave rubber" out of every stop sign and traffic light. This is difficult at first but I think you will probably be able to control yourself eventually.


The price of electricity should also be going up. Utah is currently $.10/kWhr.
Well you don't want to be driving a BEV on electricity you are buying from someone else if you can avoid it. Among other things it's often "dirty". Recognized you can't always avoid it.



So the question is what will be your companion vehicles if any?
I currently drive an X and have a Rivian on order. Don't know which I'll keep.
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