Fresh off a successful crowdfunding program to gain capital and secure slots for its first 2,000 solar EV builds, Aptera Motors is offering a peek at its production-intent design currently being finalized in Italy. See more in the video below.
Aptera Motors is harnessing the power of our Sun and making welcomed strides in 2024 so far – a year that offers the prospect of an official start of long-anticipated solar EV production.
That process will begin with the Launch Edition version of the Aptera solar EV – a preconfigured design that will be prioritized to the 2,000+ investors who committed at least $10,000 to the startup’s Accelerator program, followed by additional reservation holders who don’t need the commemorate badge but still want one of the first vehicles off the assembly lines after that.
The Accelerator program began in early 2022 and concluded earlier this month, raising nearly $34 million to help Aptera purchase the necessary equipment and other technology to finally get solar EV production up and running with the help of CPC Group in Italy.
While production still remains months away, Aptera appears closer than ever to finalized builds and is offering the public a look at the assembly of its production-intent design.
Aptera teases production-intent solar EV design
We have yet to see a real-life production-intent design of Aptera’s namesake solar EV, but the startup has given us our best look yet via a rending video of the build process posted to X this week.
The caption with the video reads, “Experience Aptera come together — A glimpse of the production-intent build process happening in Italy right now.”
Top comment by Hans Gruber
I need to make one more point. For the last five years that Aptera has been selling hot air, I've been driving a 2019 Hyundai Kona electric. With close to 90,000 miles over some of the roughest roads in the country (California 99, Fresno, etc.) this compact "SUV" is still rock solid with narry a squeak or rattle. Total routine maintenance costs have been ZERO. Not only has it been an excellent, year-round commuter covering 80 miles per day round trip, but it's also been used to ferry my four kids around as they've grown from middle-schoolers to the oldest 3 now having driver's licenses - all taught to drive on the Kona EV.
Now in 2024, the new Kona EV, complete with factory discount in the SEL model, can be had for just under $30K and it comes with an unbeatable warranty, unparalleled reliability, outstanding efficiency, averaging 4.3 miles per kilowatt, and with an in-town range - demonstrated, over 330 miles, with highway easily able to meet the EPA 258.
The Chevy Bolt will be starting below $25K, the Nissan Leaf is around $26K, and that's what the Aptera's "entry level" would be up against if it arrived today. By next year, two at most, even the $25K Aptera will not be economically competitive to the genuine, turn-key ready, factory, 4-5 passenger EVs.
I once believed it would make it, but all the belief in the world can't erase hard numbers - the Aptera will never go into production, or if it does it will only be a few examples before the company is shuttered.
The minute-long video features the Aptera solar EV as a Body in Carbon (BinC) before being equipped with six structural components, followed by doors, body panels (non painted of course), and wheel housing.
Next come the solar panels, which Aptera states can deliver the following in terms of range:
- Hood – Up to 6 miles per day
- Roof and IP – Up to 16 miles a day
- Rear Hatch – Up to 18 miles/day
That totals potential for up to 40 miles of range each day from the sun alone. Talk about the perfect commuter EV. While Aptera Motors still has a ways to go before we see first deliveries of its Launch Edition Solar EVs to Accelerator investors and beyond, it continues to hit milestones and currently remains the industry’s best bet at successfully delivering scaled solar EV production (there’s really no other ponies in this race right now, unfortunately).
While the Accelerator program has come and gone, reservations for an Aptera vehicle are still open, including the Launch Edition. Use the following link to reserve an Aptera of your own for $70 down.
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