Aptera's 40 Production EVs Signal Imminent Launch After 20-Year Wait
Production Imminent: 40 Solar-Charging Aptera EVs Coming Soon
Aptera, a California-based maker of solar-charging electric vehicles, has ordered components for 40 production vehicles, a major milestone for a company that has existed for nearly 20 years without shipping a car. With nearly 50,000 reservations, this small batch will be used for testing and early investors, but it brings Aptera closer than ever to delivering its hyper-efficient, sun-powered vehicle that can gain up to 46 miles of range per day parked in the sun.
This may not sound like many (especially since they have nearly 50,000 reservations), but this is a major milestone for the company.
- discordance
There’s a Chinese EV called the Solarky that has 600w of panels on it (300w with another 300w that slides out when stationary), which can collect about 50km of range a day, and sells right now for around $10k around Asia.
More info here: https://youtu.be/Hk6aTKV-des
- dgrin91
Their reservation page says $30 off on a $40000 vehicle. That made me laugh
- TeaVMFan
Recently Aptera announced they have ordered major components to build 40 production vehicles. This may not sound like many (especially since they have nearly 50,000 reservations), but this is a major milestone for the company. Aptera has existed in some form for nearly 20 years, never having come this close to shipping a vehicle before. Now they have only 1 major certification left and are ramping up to build them at their facility in Carlsbad, CA.
- mikepavone
I fell in love with the Aptera back during the Automotive X Prize era. Back then batteries were expensive enough that a vehicle that got decent range by being ultra-efficient was rather attractive. I also loved the unconventional look.
Much harder to justify in a world with normal car EVs with decent range at fairly normal car prices. There are a fair number of choices below their $40K target price. I still hope they succeed, but hard for me to imagine buying one
- omgwtfbyobbq
Good for them. I loved the concept since I first saw it in the 2000s.
They still have a niche for some, like people without easy access to charging, people who want the absolute lowest charging/driving costs, and off-grid usability.
20-40 miles of charge per day means you can slowly travel/camp in a bunch of places as long as you have food/water, people have done this with Model Ys too, but dragging a large portable solar array is a pain.
I just wish they were faster to market and captured more of it.
We need more 2 seat/hyper efficient commuters, ala the first gen Insight and (begrudgingly) cybercab.