Aptera's Solar-Powered Electric Car Shown at CES, Finally Nears Production (motortrend.com) 67
"Engineers have showcased a prototype electric vehicle that can drive for up to 40 miles (64 kilometers) per day using just solar power," reports LiveScience. The production-ready "Aptera Launch Edition" made its first appearance this month at CES 2025, and "also offers up to 400 miles (640 km) of range from a single charge via an electrical output, company representatives said in a statement."
LiveScience describes the vehicle as "lighter and more energy-efficient than conventional EVs, while offering a 50% reduction in aerodynamic resistance," with an energy efficiency rating of 100 Watt-hours per mile (Wh/mile). By contrast, a Tesla Model S (released in 2022) consumes 194 Wh/mile in the city in mild weather and 288 Wh/mile on the highway in mild weather, according to the EV Database. At a maximum range of 440 miles — including 40 miles using solar power and 400 miles using electricity — the Aptera EV may also overtake the current longest-range vehicles in production. The Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+ has a maximum range of 425 miles (684 km), according to the EV Database, followed by the Lucid Air Grand Touring at 410 miles (660 km).
Aptera says it's raised $135 million "through equity crowdfunding" to fund its pre-production progress. "Since its launch, the Company has accepted $1.7 billion in pre-orders with nearly 50,000 vehicles reserved by future Aptera owners in the U.S. and internationally."
MotorTrend writes that "nearly two decades in the making, the otherworldly three-wheel Aptera is headed to production this year as a $40,000, 400-mile EV that can capture up to 40 miles worth of free solar energy every day. Maybe." The California startup made similar promises in 2008, 2009, 2012, and 2022 and yet it has never delivered a single vehicle. Is anything different this time...?
At CES, co-CEO (and one of Aptera's original founders) Chris Anthony told MotorTrend it will take another $60 million to finish the development work, buy the tooling, and build out the Carlsbad, California, assembly plant. "We're still in fundraising mode and we hope that we inspire some people in this beautiful building (Las Vegas Convention Center) to invest in Aptera," Anthony said. "We're trying to raise $20 million in the first quarter of this year. That will basically kick off all the long-lead items to get into production, but it's a $60 million plan to get into volume production." Anthony said the company has already made one of its largest purchases, the molds for the carbon-fiber sheet-molding composite body structure and the fiberglass sheet-molding composite body panels that will be made in Italy. The next $20 million will cover the tooling for the diecast metal suspension arms and the injection-molded interior components...
It would be relatively easy for Aptera to hand build cars in a garage and announce the start of production, but the plan calls for building up to 80 cars per day per the guidance of engineering consultant and YouTuber Sandy Munro, who is an Aptera investor and adviser. "He really helped shepherd the design from what was an early prototype prove-out design into how to make the most manufacturable vehicle ever," Anthony said. The structure is built from just six parts and the entire car has been designed to be put together in a factory with just 12 stations. But that radical simplicity complicates the job at hand right now. In addition to developing the car, the small engineering team also has to create the machine that makes it. Anthony's plan has the factory ramping up to build 20,000 vehicles a year within nine months of starting production at the end of 2025.
Before that can happen, Aptera needs to clear the same hurdle that tripped it up in 2011 and sent the company stumbling into liquidation — the money. "We would love one investor to be so inspired by what we're doing that they just hand us a $60 million check," Anthony told MotorTrend. "But it could be something that's kind of piecemeal over the next nine months to get that $60 million into the company." Are you convinced?
LiveScience describes the vehicle as "lighter and more energy-efficient than conventional EVs, while offering a 50% reduction in aerodynamic resistance," with an energy efficiency rating of 100 Watt-hours per mile (Wh/mile). By contrast, a Tesla Model S (released in 2022) consumes 194 Wh/mile in the city in mild weather and 288 Wh/mile on the highway in mild weather, according to the EV Database. At a maximum range of 440 miles — including 40 miles using solar power and 400 miles using electricity — the Aptera EV may also overtake the current longest-range vehicles in production. The Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+ has a maximum range of 425 miles (684 km), according to the EV Database, followed by the Lucid Air Grand Touring at 410 miles (660 km).
Aptera says it's raised $135 million "through equity crowdfunding" to fund its pre-production progress. "Since its launch, the Company has accepted $1.7 billion in pre-orders with nearly 50,000 vehicles reserved by future Aptera owners in the U.S. and internationally."
MotorTrend writes that "nearly two decades in the making, the otherworldly three-wheel Aptera is headed to production this year as a $40,000, 400-mile EV that can capture up to 40 miles worth of free solar energy every day. Maybe." The California startup made similar promises in 2008, 2009, 2012, and 2022 and yet it has never delivered a single vehicle. Is anything different this time...?
At CES, co-CEO (and one of Aptera's original founders) Chris Anthony told MotorTrend it will take another $60 million to finish the development work, buy the tooling, and build out the Carlsbad, California, assembly plant. "We're still in fundraising mode and we hope that we inspire some people in this beautiful building (Las Vegas Convention Center) to invest in Aptera," Anthony said. "We're trying to raise $20 million in the first quarter of this year. That will basically kick off all the long-lead items to get into production, but it's a $60 million plan to get into volume production." Anthony said the company has already made one of its largest purchases, the molds for the carbon-fiber sheet-molding composite body structure and the fiberglass sheet-molding composite body panels that will be made in Italy. The next $20 million will cover the tooling for the diecast metal suspension arms and the injection-molded interior components...
It would be relatively easy for Aptera to hand build cars in a garage and announce the start of production, but the plan calls for building up to 80 cars per day per the guidance of engineering consultant and YouTuber Sandy Munro, who is an Aptera investor and adviser. "He really helped shepherd the design from what was an early prototype prove-out design into how to make the most manufacturable vehicle ever," Anthony said. The structure is built from just six parts and the entire car has been designed to be put together in a factory with just 12 stations. But that radical simplicity complicates the job at hand right now. In addition to developing the car, the small engineering team also has to create the machine that makes it. Anthony's plan has the factory ramping up to build 20,000 vehicles a year within nine months of starting production at the end of 2025.
Before that can happen, Aptera needs to clear the same hurdle that tripped it up in 2011 and sent the company stumbling into liquidation — the money. "We would love one investor to be so inspired by what we're doing that they just hand us a $60 million check," Anthony told MotorTrend. "But it could be something that's kind of piecemeal over the next nine months to get that $60 million into the company." Are you convinced?
After all this TikTok stuff I needed a good laugh (Score:4, Funny)
That isn't a car, it's a Bird scooter with a body kit.
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It is a hobbyist kit to build a special-purpose vehicle, just like there are hobby kits to build your own airplane.
I expect it can probably travel a bit farther if the weight of the solar installation is removed, but it is an interesting niche thing.
Maybe someday we can see Ambassador Gibson smash one in the next edition of Mad Max - "The Old Fart Returns", who knows?
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Solar cells are not heavy! The weight is the backing, glass and metal framing. If you've played with solar, you'd know this. My modern roof panels are about 40lbs each and it's again not the cells because I've used cells-- they are super fragile.
This car has custom solar cells they claim to have hardened somehow. The backing is carbon fiber or fiberglass which IS the car itself so only their glass replacement is the significant added weight. I don't expect it to amount to much... I doubt it weighs as much a
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I'm not saying they are heavy, I'm saying they are an unnecessary weight, considering the range extension.
To your question - I have flexible panels that have worked for 6 years now, cheap junk, lots of scratches (I use them as foldable shades on a patio) and no appreciable decrease in power output.
Re:After all this TikTok stuff I needed a good lau (Score:4, Informative)
Where I am with my typical usage I could run on solar only for over most of the year with the occasional charge in the peak of winter.
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It can do better if the panels are on your roof and charge it.
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Then just bark at the moon.
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Really? /s
How so?
Care to explain?
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Is it "worth it"? Since it has three wheels it will be licensed as a motorcycle. That means the driver needs to have a motorcycle endorsement on their license, paying motorcycle insurance (which might be cheaper in some states so maybe not a downside), wearing a helmet while driving, and having another vehicle for when there's more than a single passenger or the weather involves snow or something that makes driving a motorcycle unsafe or uncomfortable.
You'd only plug it in during the peak of winter? You'
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Plugging it in for cabin heat is what you would do in really cold climates. Here it only goes down about 0C so it should be warm enoug
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I did see a photo of it and I saw three wheels. I've seen other three wheeled cars featured before on TV shows and such where there was always a mention of potentially needing to wear a helmet depending on local laws because they were not legally cars. I did a bit more searching on this and found some clarity:
https://aptera.us/aptera-myths... [aptera.us]
Myth #2 â" Aptera is a Motorcycle
Because Aptera has three wheels and is technically classified as an auto-cycle, many people wonder whether theyâ(TM)ll have to have a special license or wear a helmet to drive Aptera.
The vast majority of states do not require a helmet and most only require that you have a regular driverâ(TM)s license. You can check your local laws for clarity. Plus, Apteraâ(TM)s classification as an auto-cycle comes with a few potential bonuses, like full-time access to the HOV lane, less expensive auto insurance, and more.
Okay, so not a motorcycle. This reminds me of seeing one of those motorcycle build shows where one of the people on the show didn't have a motorcycle license but wa
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They've been teasing this concept for many years and have gone bankrupt at least once and "relaunched" the concept a couple more times. It's a 3 wheeled "high tech" tuktuk. I don't see how this makes it as a going concern.
Best,
First look isn't encouraging. (Score:2)
Just looking at it - no cargo capacity, I don't believe the solar charging claims, and when I see three wheels I assume they're skirting safety regulations by registering it as a motorcycle.
All for a base of $40k, which is around what I can get a much better-performing more traditionally-styled EV for.
Re:First look isn't encouraging. (Score:5, Informative)
Just looking at it - no cargo capacity,
You didn't look very hard, then. It has 25 cubic feet of cargo space; enough to fit a bicycle inside the car.
Source: https://aptera.us/how-big-is-a... [aptera.us]
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That's okay, I'll just use my advanced Google-searching skills to find you a demonstration:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?... [youtube.com]
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THINK. don't believe. They have photos of a full sized ladder. and bikes. It's a huge trunk that tapers to a point.
sqft is a 2D area measure not 3D volume measure. Did you pass 4th grade math or science?
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>sqft is a 2D area measure not 3D volume measure. Did you pass 4th grade math or science?
I am awed to be in the presence of someone who has never made an error. Oh, wait, you started that sentence without properly capitalization. I guess you were just being a fucktard, then.
It remains largely useless. A large flat triangle, awesome. Useful volume is, much like the units used to measure it, cubic.
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And just to underline my own point, another typo.
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It'll suit my needs just fine. I put most stuff in the passenger seat anyhow... except when I move a ladder, bike, or some wood and this should do the job better than my car.
Well, I stopped making mistakes in 3rd grade.
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An example is I can fit my OSET motorcycle in my tiny Suzuki Jimny but it won't fit in my Tesla which is much bigger, purely because of the shape of the motorcycle and the shape of the
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Re: First look isn't encouraging. (Score:2)
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How many 50 lb boxes of Kitty litter can it hold? That's all I care about.
If you care about this more than the snow, the answer is 7, +/- depending on how much you weigh or are willing to go over the listed load.
That's not a car (Score:2)
50,000 reserved? LOLs... (Score:3)
The Cybertruck had a 2.5% buy rate from reservations, and that's from fanboys. So 1250 sales at best is realistic. Probably far fewer.
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Cybertruck turned out to be trash and word of mouth spread. Maybe next truck they'll not let Elon actually design it?
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He had his five-year-old kid design it. Hence those amazing lines.
Still prettier and more useful than this Aptera deathtrap.
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The Cybertruck had a 2.5% buy rate from reservations, and that's from fanboys. So 1250 sales at best is realistic. Probably far fewer.
The Cybertruck was polarizing, which meant that there was a high risk of a low reservation conversion rate. The Cybertruck stands in stark contrast to the other Tesla models which all had far higher conversion rates.
The Aptera car is also polarizing, so it's also risky. However, in contrast to the Cybertruck, the Aptera has appealing specs. It's not clear if the car design can achieve those specs or even if the car will ever be built. However, a 40-mile solar charge per day along with a 400-mile range w
LOL three wheel tricycle (Score:1)
Hope it susceeds (Score:3)
The performance specs on the early 3 motor version look impressive, if they are realised in production versions. The efficiency and simplicity does steal a lot from motorcycles.
I suspect sales will be poor in the USA when size seems to be the primary metric of a vehicle, but internationally it could do quite well where small size is often seen as an advantage,
Airplane without wings (Score:4, Interesting)
I wonder if they improved upon airplane design because this looks kind of like a dolphin morphed with a small plane. I bet it's got lower drag than a small plane with a nose like that.
For me, I hardly drive 40 miles in a week. I'll rarely need to plug it in with a whole week in the sun! It'll be odd trying to park in the sun instead of the shade.
I ordered one; I'm sold. wonder how long I have to wait... Hopefully when they ramp up production the price drops. If it sucks like the CyberTruck i'll drop my order.
At least insurance for these kind of vehicles is lower than a car... A Model 3 is not too much more but it can't be repaired (Aptera supports right to repair,) doesn't spy on you, charges little for self driving (more limited self driving for $1k,) has future plans for 1000 mile range. I bet this thing super charges in like 10 minutes? It's a much smaller battery... The electrical system looks interesting and very hackable... it looks like they are running Arduinos all over the place. Not sure I like the idea of knocking on the door to have it open.
I hope it has an ability to add a motorcycle trailer! that would handle most everything I need.
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What's the point of,this thing?
My guess? Conspicuous consumption.
Comparison to a Tesla S is just silly (Score:2)
Come on, this is not a vehicle in the same class as a Tesla S. Saying it is lighter and goes farther is meaningless when you have to leave half of the passengers behind.
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"leave half of the passengers behind."
How many Teslas do you see with more than 2 people in?
Feeling Deja Vu (Score:3)
I've seen this song and dance before. It was called Elio Motors [wikipedia.org]. Elio also tried to startup production on an energy-efficient three-wheeled motorcycle back in 2009. Just like Aptera, Elio built prototypes, got crowd funding, and looked exciting. But Elio couldn't get off the ground with mass-production. It just costs a lot of money to go from prototype to mass-production.
I sure wish it could happen. I'd like it to happen. But I doubt it will.
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Apparently last year Arcimoto went under. They said they weren't, but getting sued for not making payments on leased equipment, and having the company phone lines cut off... not great signs.
Shame, if they'd designed it for a full enclosure and had a winter tire option, I'd have liked to try one of their "FUV" models.
At least the FUV looked like a practical vehicle and had a reasonable price point. Well, reasonable for the consumer. Apparently not reasonable for keeping the lights on at the production fa
"Nearing production"??? (Score:2)
At CES, co-CEO (and one of Aptera's original founders) Chris Anthony told MotorTrend it will take another $60 million to finish the development work, buy the tooling, and build out the Carlsbad, California, assembly plant.
They are as close to production as I am to retiring as a multi-millionaire... just need to find someone dumb to give me millions of dollars and I'm all set!
Redesign it (Score:2)
Surely they can design it so it doesn't have that weak looking wheel strut and have it look like a more normal car? Even if it costs a few miles of mileage it's worth it.
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There have been several attempts at solar powered cars but for them the solar daily range has been rather token. The Aptera is the first that offers a fairly reasonable daily solar range.
One look at it and it is clear that outside of California the average American will not ta
Specific use case (Score:2)
This vehicle is good, but only for one specific use case: city commuting, in sunny climates, where your car stand outside all day. And you sreceither single, or have a normal vehicle as well.
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That "one specific case" is actually a lot of cases, and many vehicles on the road have one or two occupants using their car mainly to commute back and forth between work and home. Assuming the commute were less that 40 miles you basically have a car that runs in perpetuity. And if it was longer, you're still getting probably the majority of your charge from the sun and can charge like any other EV if you need to.
The issue is not with the concept, or the car, but the company and it's funding. They have been
Solar powered three wheeler? I've seen this before (Score:1)
While attending university I was in the solar car competition team for a bit, and we built a three wheeled solar car. I dropped out after a year and some but I kept an eye on how the competition played out. It seems three wheeled designs were popular in the competition for the simplicity of the design. A pretty major flaw in that design is if there's a failure in the rear wheel then the vehicle loses directional control.
During one competition a solar car lost the rear wheel to an expansion joint on a hig
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One thing I learned in working on this solar car project was just how dilute solar power is as a source of power. In the best conditions we could get something like 20 watts per square meter.
Sunlight has over a thousand watts per square meter, and even the low performance budget thin film solar cells had 5% efficiency over that timeframe. So I can only assume either it was operating on greatly reduced sunlight in the best conditions, some unbelievably low efficiency cells were used, or something because that does not add up. The best ones you can reasonably buy today are over 20% and you should be getting at least 200 watts per square meter under ideal conditions.
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To get a good idea on solar PV power from someone showing their math look at the online book Without Hot Air: https://www.withouthotair.com/... [withouthotair.com]
Yes, indeed, there's something like 1000 watts per square meter of sunlight available but that's for a surface that's facing directly at the sun. Accounting for life on somewhere around 45 degrees latitude and that cuts that power in half. Account for clouds and fog then it's cut in half again. Account for the sun moving through the day. Then account for terrestr
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that's for a surface that's facing directly at the sun. Accounting for life on somewhere around 45 degrees latitude and that cuts that power in half. Account for clouds and fog then it's cut in half again. Account for the sun moving through the day.
In the best conditions we could get something like 20 watts per square meter.
So then they aren’t the best conditions. I was also on a solar car team, right around the around first year lithium polymer batteries became available. My takeaway was the criminal acts companies can get away with, the team spent 50k for batteries with integral smart battery management, something that would not be a commercial product for almost a decade at that point. But it turned out the contract was a “best effort” and simply took the money and that’s it. There was never a pe
Just don't see this as commercially viable (Score:2)
If it was done by an established OEM who were using it to test advanced tech like the solar cover that they would then bring to volume cars, I'd get it. But it's so niche. Like, way more than Citroen Ami niche. I just don't see how it stands on its own, commercially.
And honestly, to beat a volume car by only 50% on the key metric they've optimised for, Wh/mile, doesn't feel good enough to justify. I know it will have killed them to get there, but it's less than half the weight of a Model S and doesn't have
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I don't know if it is niche. It certainly looks weird but this is a perfect commuter vehicle - it's fast, charges from the sun and has great range. So if you drive short distances or long it might be appealing. I could see it being a very useful vehicle for that sort of role. I don't know if it has other uses - maybe last mile couriers / door dash might find it useful. But lots of cars aren't exactly practical and still sell. My biggest concern is not the concept but the company who seem to perpetually have
Snow (Score:2)
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Do they not have plows where you live?
old? (Score:2)
Am i the only one old enough to remember the Dale?
https://www.museumofamericansp... [museumofam...nspeed.org]
Underwhelming (Score:1)
Three wheels bad (Score:2)
If they even manage to finally get these into production then buyers will find what drivers of all three wheeled vehicles have always found, three wheels bad.
If your roads are in pristine condition and roadkill is always removed timely then yes, you can get away with three wheels. Otherwise, it is a terrible plan on all levels. American roads won't sustain a vehicle like this, and at this rate, they never will.
Eliminating a critical safety feature (the ability to have a high speed blowout and not immediatel
What is solar power if not electricity? (Score:1)