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First Solar Car Rolls Off Validation Assembly Line At Aptera (aptera.us) 78

Posted by EditorDavid from the charging-ahead dept.
"Reservation holders, it's finally time to get ready," writes long-time Slashdot reader AirHog. The EV news site Electrek reports: Aptera Motors, "the little startup that could," announced another important milestone... completing the first example of its flagship solar EV on its validation assembly line in Southern California...

While the validation line at its headquarters remains a low-volume assembly process, its successful operation represents the startup's transition from hand-built validation SEVs to a more structured assembly line process that will be fine-tuned for mass production... With low-volume assembly now being validated, Aptera is starting to publicly utter encouraging terms like "EPA certification" and, better yet, that holy grail of "initial customer deliveries." Before then, however, the Aptera Solar EVs built on this low-volume validation line will be used for testing programs such as thermal validation, brake performance, and "some destructive testing." Aptera shared that its assembly and integration team has grown to become the largest at the startup, "reflecting the beginning of its transition from engineering development to testing and production execution"...

As of March 2026, Aptera says it has over 50,000 reservations totaling over $2 billion in sales if all were to solidify following the launch of a deliverable vehicle.
Clean Technica notes the vehicles' "generous cargo space that comes out to 60% more storage than a Honda Accord and 20% more storage than a Prius, according to the company." "Built with recyclable materials, this eco-friendly vehicle features a lightweight carbon fiber structure and no-welding assembly for maximum cost and production efficiency," Aptera adds. The emphasis on lightweighting supports the goal of engineering a car that can travel on the electricity provided by its onboard solar panels.

The company currently advertises that the vehicle can travel 40 miles on solar power alone, with the battery providing extra juice as needed. Ideally, the car can keep recharging itself with sunlight, further elongating the time between charging sessions... [Its range is up to 1,000 miles with plug-in charging.] The new autocycle could also appeal to drivers who enjoy the challenge of hypermiling, which involves deploying a suite of driving techniques to minimize fuel consumption. Hypermiling can apply to gas-powered cars, but the magic really kicks in with the regenerative braking capability of EVs. Aptera's onboard solar panels add another dimension to the fun.
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First Solar Car Rolls Off Validation Assembly Line At Aptera More

First Solar Car Rolls Off Validation Assembly Line At Aptera

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  • Looked at the site (Score:4, Insightful)

    by MpVpRb ( 1423381 ) on Saturday March 07, 2026 @12:44PM (#66028062)

    No technical information about the actual car
    Lots of attractive people and nice scenery
    Lots of information on investing
    Flag = red

    • Re:Looked at the site (Score:4, Informative)

      by backslashdot ( 95548 ) on Saturday March 07, 2026 @01:13PM (#66028104)

      It does have all the technical info in a Q&A format at https://aptera.us/discovery-ce... [aptera.us] though they really should have made it into a table format. It does have all the info you'd find on any car website. The car itself is real (there's also videos on YouTube), I've seen it some years ago. Obviously I don't know if the range/performance is as claimed, but they don't seem to be saying anything that defies physics or even current engineering/battery tech.

    • I have a reservation... but I would not be an investor. I hope they pull it off, but it has felt like "6 months away" for years.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by dbialac ( 320955 )
        "Linux on the desktop" has mythically been like that for years. People always seem to forget that desktop Android devices are Linux on the desktop, though. Linux running X Windows is another story.

        • "Linux on the desktop" has mythically been like that for years. People always seem to forget that desktop Android devices are Linux on the desktop, though. Linux running X Windows is another story.

          Not really. Android is a complete OS. Linux is just the kernel hosting Android, mostly unnoticed and unused by application level software. Applications software is written for Android. If you swapped out the Linux kernel for a different POSIX kernel, nearly all Android software would not care. Even a lot of the native sdk based apps that have access to Linux since they generally just call POSIX functions and not anything Linux specific.

          And besides, you claim is using the fact that "Linux" is an overloade

          • Re: (Score:2)

            by dbialac ( 320955 )
            Actually you can call a number of the underlying Linux system calls in Android, just not with Java. The same is true if you're writing a Java app to run on X Windows because you're passing through a layer that is akin to a VM. Some won't work because of sandboxing, though. IMO, a good thing.

            • Re: (Score:1)

              by drnb ( 2434720 )

              Actually you can call a number of the underlying Linux system calls in Android, just not with Java.

              Yes, I mentioned the Android NDK above. Note that most NDK apps are not making "Linux" system calls, they are typically making POSIX system calls. As I mentioned above, it's not just Java code, it's also most C code. Many NDK apps would not notice or care if the Linux kernel were replaced with a different POSIX kernel.

        • desktop Android devices

          What are these "desktop Android devices" you speak of? I know Android phones, tablets, and I've seen Android laptops, but what is an "desktop Android device"?

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by dbialac ( 320955 )

      hypermiling

      The most most annoying type of driver is the hypermiler.

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by AirHog ( 118412 )

      It's not vaporware, they've built and driven previous close-to-production prototypes, including this 300-mile road trip: https://aptera.us/apteras-firs... [aptera.us]

      Hopefully they get to a decent production pace and receive regulatory approvals in the next several months. They've made recent hires with production experience. It will be great to have a new, disruptive competitor in the EV space.

    • I followed this since the beginning and was on the list the 1st time before the 2008 depression.

      They have had like 4 websites this time around. Forums with discussions which were trashed and redone with a different forum software. They had more info on past websites. They keep redoing the website. Or somebody quits and the new one has to redo it to justify their full time job?

      You can find info around about the car. If you are an investor, they tell you more but then that stuff always gets on the internet

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by tlhIngan ( 30335 )

      It's not even all that innovative, because lots of people own solar powered EVs. All you need are some PV panels on your roof and an EV.

      Sure, your EV isn't carrying around solar panels, but that's never been a realistic expectation. We have done solar races since forever, and those cars are basically a tiny bubble for a driver and all solar panel in the ungainliest, but flattest possible aerodynamic surface. If they're allowed batteries, they must be charged by solar only.

      A practical, normal car with solar

  • Really? (Score:4, Insightful)

    by SlashbotAgent ( 6477336 ) on Saturday March 07, 2026 @12:45PM (#66028064)

    We've had solar cars before. But forget about who's first. The issue with solar cars is that the surface area of the panels is not enough to produce any meaningful amount of energy. Unless you only drive a mile or two with days of parking in between, solar cars are a gimmick.

    Better to focus on real (electric) cars and have an a solar array to connect it to.

    • That's what struck me as well. One would need the entire roof and hood of the car to be solar paneled, but that would also end up heating up the car

      One use I can think of for solar is powering the door locks and hood of the car, in case the battery is completely dead and the car needs to be popped open. In such cases, it's useful to power their electronic locking mechanisms w/ a source different from the battery. It's not enough to power the car itself, but it would be adequate to unlock the doors or h

      • The entire roof and hood is solar paneled. Look at the car.

      • That's what struck me as well. One would need the entire roof and hood of the car to be solar paneled, but that would also end up heating up the car

        Why would it end up heating the car? The solar panels absorb energy, they should make the car cooler.

    • Unless you only drive a mile or two with days of parking in between, ...

      They claim 40 miles a day.

      .... solar cars are a gimmick. Better to focus on real (electric) cars and have an a solar array to connect it to.

      While I'd agree the "solar" part is a gimmick, they can also be plugged in. So they basically meet your requirement.

    • Re: (Score:2, Informative)

      by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

      At least one review of it (by someone who enjoys fossil cars) was quite positive: https://youtu.be/2V0a0T-ob2s [youtu.be]

      It's a fun car, not a serious value proposition, at least not for most people. The solar panels can add tens of kilometres a day in the summer, which is significant and probably worth the relatively small additional BOM cost of adding them over a few years.

      Most spoilers don't produce any meaningful downforce either, but that's not really the point of them.

      • It might be a tad more useful in tropical countries, particularly in desert-like regions. Particularly like golf carts, or cars that need to go really short distances

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by Rei ( 128717 )

        It's hard to do. The first time Aptera tried (before Paul Wilbur and his crew did a hostile takeover and ended up killing the company) they also wanted a solar roof, but ended up ditching it because of a variety of complications related to integration, water ingress, etc. But they've had a lot more time to work on it this time around, and also, the EV market is crowded today, so they need a way to help set them apart.

        I agree that it's sort of a gimmick, but it's also a neat gimmick. I used to commonly say

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

          I'm surprised it's not more common on cars. The original Leaf had one on the spoiler to keep the 12V battery topped up, an issue that many cars seem to have now.

          • The leaf really needed that solar panel. I had the model 2013 after they ditched it but didn't figure out the automatic 12V battery charger! Sometimes I'd go dead because all the electronics runs on the 12V which only is charged when driving; and slowly too. The later cars were smarter about it. no firmware update fix... because it's nissan. You also can't charge the car or do anything to get the 12V back except hook a 12V charger directly to the thing. If you leave it plugged in, the charge controller d

            • Re: (Score:2)

              by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

              Personally I never had an issue with either of mine, but I do appreciate that my current car maintains the 12V battery very well. I can leave my dashcam in parking mode for 6 hours without issue.

              • The problem seemed to go away when I replaced the battery with a top of the line battery; it was around 12 years old...

    • Re: (Score:3)

      by ceoyoyo ( 59147 )

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... [wikipedia.org]

      That one averaged 100 km/h over 3000 km.

      The limitations of solar cars depend on what you decide "car" means. This one starts with a carbon fiber frame, meaning it's probably closer to the thing I linked than the thing you're thinking of.

    • It can be a very usable amount of energy; definitely a "meaningful" amount.

      The Aptera gets a (claimed) ~8mi/kwh. This version supposedly has 700 watts of panels on it. If we assume average production is slightly less than half nameplate due to weather, sun angle, and poor cleanliness, and panel->battery losses, let's say 300 watts.

      So in 8 hours you're getting 2400 watt-hours or about 19 miles of driving. That's comfortable more than the average daily commute distance of 12 miles [marketwatch.com] for the kind of urban com

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by Hodr ( 219920 )

        Plus, if it runs out of fuel and it's night/cloudy you can hook the tow strap to your belt loop and walk to a charging station.

        • Plus, if it runs out of fuel and it's night/cloudy you can hook the tow strap to your belt loop and walk to a charging station.

          Or you can plug it into any standard 120V outlet and get about 13 miles for every hour of charge. 8 hours of sleep, another hour for shower, bathroom, and breakfast, that's 117 miles. That's not quite stranded.

          Plus it can use a 240V charger which will get about 57 miles per hour of charge. Certainly not as good as other EVs, but again, not quite stranded.

          To be fair. 117 miles from an overnight charge, plus 40 miles on sunny days, plus whatever was left over from the previous day(s), is well within man

          • It has a Tesla DC fast charger on it. You can charge it faster than other EVs; others have a much larger battery they need to charge while this only needs to get to like 44kwh to fill up. I forgot the fast charge rate which wasn't as high as some newer SUV but again, those waste tons of energy and have a much larger battery as a result.

            It's not a golf cart. It ended up with a stock SUV electric motor with a Porsche EV like 2 gear transmission. The thing has no weight and 260HP electric power they have to l

            • Re: (Score:2)

              by rta ( 559125 )

              thanks for the update. hadn't followed in the last 2 or 3 years.

              searched up this thing about the motor and ... meh.
              this is the July 2024 monthly update where they drop the bomb about hub motors and AWD are gone for now.
              but that "this change ensures our ability to deliver Aptera vehicles in 2025"
              ( https://youtu.be/6LDbRvoa7pU [youtu.be] )

              hope springs eternal.

              (yeah, hardware startups are really hard ... it's like watching most kickstarter projects. And they're still doing better than "deltahawk" who have been a y

      • Lots of solar panels on a vehicle add negative value. The same money equivalent of panels on a building where the vehicle is parked will generate more power. Besides rooftop solar being cheaper than vehicle solar (and more panels and power for the equivalent price) you can park your vehicle in the shade and not lose out. That same setup could dump excess power to home batteries or the grid and not limited when the vehicle is fully charged.

        What is the power consumption of running the AC to get the vehic
        • Bah, I really think this car is more about an aesthetic, 'how useful could we make a solar-powered car.' In that sense it is a sort of 'exotic' to be judged on the success of its somewhat arcane goal. Criticism this for being less practical than a battery car with the panels somewhere else is true, but I'm not going to get worked up about that when the best selling car in America is Ford pickup trucks.

        • > Lots of solar panels on a vehicle add negative value. The same money equivalent of panels on a building where the vehicle is parked will generate more power.

          Not that I disagree with your premise, but the value in having it on the vehicle is it's there no matter where it's are. Solar on a building is better bang-for-the-buck but at the very real inconvenience (from a vehicle user's perspective) of having to be connected to that building to make use of it.

          I say that as someone who has solar, home batteri

      • Re: (Score:1)

        by AirHog ( 118412 )

        Aptera claims "40 miles of grid-free daily driving". If the production vehicles meet this goal, that would be more than enough for part-time use, and even many commuters, given the average daily commute is 42 miles.

        • Maybe 40 miles in ideal conditions. Like absolutely perfect conditions. That is typical Aptera marketing wank, sadly.

          I feel you'd be very lucky to get 30 in reality, and I think 20-ish is a safe expectation to not get caught without enough to get home. Any more than that is just a happy bonus.
          =Smidge=

    • Modern panels work better, so the surface area problem is not as much of a problem as it used to be, even though it is still an issue. But all the other problems remain. One is moving panels which means that they get all the extra wear and tear from vibration and exposure to dust, grit and gravel from the road. And they add extra mass to the car. Easier to just have the panels on a fixed location like a house, and charge off of that. If the panels were really efficient enough, it might benefit someone with

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by kwerle ( 39371 )

      From their site:
      "drive up to 40 miles per day completely off the grid".

      Even half that would cover all my driving needs for our 2nd car (2 person/2 car family).

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by pshaw2 ( 8625507 )

      We've had solar cars before. But forget about who's first. The issue with solar cars is that the surface area of the panels is not enough to produce any meaningful amount of energy. Unless you only drive a mile or two with days of parking in between, solar cars are a gimmick.

      I’ve been following Aptera for years. The model with the most solar panels (on roof, dash, hatchback, and hood) is projected to be able to gain ~40 miles of day in range straight from the sun in optimum exposure conditions, and they are planning models with up to around 1000 miles of range (although they are starting at a sweet spot of 400 miles to balance range and affordability). This might seem unrealistic, until you realize that the car runs on less batteries than any other EV due to its aerodynam

    • It's a gimmick on an EV. It could be really useful on a plug-in hybrid.

      The difference is you're very likely to plug in an EV even if it has solar. Many people don't plug in a hybrid. But if your hybrid has solar and enough batteries, you'll get carbon free power whether you want it or not. Especially if the government mandates all cars be EV or such hybrids, which I think they should.

    • Re:Really? (Score:4, Informative)

      by Jeremi ( 14640 ) on Saturday March 07, 2026 @05:36PM (#66028514) Homepage

      The issue with solar cars is that the surface area of the panels is not enough to produce any meaningful amount of energy.

      You're right! To create a car which can obtain a significant portion of its energy budget from solar energy, given the limited surface area available to collect it, you'd have to design the entire car around that: make it as aerodynamic and lightweight as possible, while simultaneously maximizing the solar surface area to collect as much energy as possible.

      Which... is what they've done.

    • It's marketing. It's also increased smug over other EV. It's also FREE.

      Part of the reason they removed the option to not have solar is that it will pay for itself before the lease (3 year) if in a sunny place. The added weight doesn't matter. NOBODY claimed the solar completely replaces the need for energy. If you, like many of us only drive into work once a week and do your shopping that same day, you do not need to plug in most the time. I could get 5 miles per day and that likely would cover most week

  • I believe a solar car charges while driving only enough to move the car at walking pace.

    So this is actually just a lame battery EV with unusably slow solar charging.
  • have a wheelchair. At least people will show you courtesy.

  • How do such cos get funded ? A car is never going to have enough surface area to do amy meaningful solar charging. Like others have pointed out, a good solar array to charge any normal EV would be better. Maybe stick on some panels to the roof and hood if you are hell bent on charging while moving

    How do the investors not see the unviability or the fact that its shaped so odd no one is going to want to be seen driving it

    • Re: (Score:3)

      by Jeremi ( 14640 )

      How do such cos get funded ? A car is never going to have enough surface area to do amy meaningful solar charging.

      A better question is, how is that people can be presented with an existence proof of X being not only possible but already accomplished, and still come back with "everybody knows X will never be possible"?

  • 1. car so dorky no one will ever drive it ... check
    2. easily crushed between the wheels of a pickup truck .... check
    3. suitable only for california weather .... check
    4. relies on some magically hyped technology (special solar cells) ... check
    5. 3 wheels instead of 4 to get around safety mandates for cars ... check

    congrats! you now have a nice bubble corp to separate investors from their money. now all you have to do is cash out before it goes pop.

  • Have a car that runs on brainwaves of the stupid, the more stupid friends you have with you, the faster and farther you go!

    • In that case just hook it up to the Trump admin and solve the energy crisis. 1st time they'll have done something useful.

  • Aptera Motors have been making big promises since 2005 and started collecting $500 deposits in 2008. Aptera have existed for over 20 years yet have never delivered even one single car.

    • The 2008 depression took out Tesla and many... but those who got massive government bail out loans survived! Some jerks decided only 4 wheel car companies could be bailed out. Furthermore, other government welfare plans specifically required 4 wheels-- or had it added, almost like it specifically was targeting Aptera.

      They were gone quite a while before being started back up again, after buying back the rights to do so by the founders.

      What is impressive is how they figured out how to do all this with so li

  • is going to be high I expect. A repair is going to be insanely expensive.
  • but not in the US, and certainly not from this company.

    There are a ton of countries in the global south where entire cities are being taken over by cheap e-bikes, because cars are way too expensive and their infrastructure is poop.

    The ebikes down there are not pretty. They're non-nonsense, cheap, easy-to-fix utilitarian gizmos that get no likes on social media but quietly make people's lives better. 3-wheeler EVs might be viable down there, but they certainly won't be anything like this $100,000 gull

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by AirHog ( 118412 )

      While I agree the Aptera is more appealing than a "cheap", "utilitarian gizmo", I think the current projected launch edition price is $40,000, see the footer here: https://aptera.us/reserve/ [aptera.us]

    • A motorcyle or autocycle is not cheap OR safe. This is way safer than a motor bike 2-3 wheel or the autocycles I've seen. Also, those don't protect against weather.

      This is $40k and it jumped up with tariffs and the goverment $ tax credit was killed. I remember it jumping about 7k in price after the tariff supply chain mess which continues.

  • And plenty of SPF30 lotion =)

  • Built with recyclable materials, this eco-friendly vehicle features a lightweight carbon fiber structure ...

    I guess you can use "built with recyclable" to describe anything.

    • This car has a surprisingly LOW number of parts. The carbon fiber reduces that but sure, it's a resin and that dangerous carbon... the main ingredient of the most dangerous thing on earth: humanity.

      There are people doing things with shredded carbon fiber parts. Fiberglass is a big part of the top of the car too. Both usually end up in the trash forever. Would be nice if these wind generator blades made in a similar way, had good uses but I've heard about them being shredded for recycling. There is a new

  • If someone can invent nighttime solar panels they will make a lot more money than any of the AI boondoggles!

  • The helicoptera with vertical takeoff, and better forms of landing, not just the gravity method.

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