Update on Aptera – the best solar electric vehicle in the world
A few weeks ago, I wrote my first blog about this unbelievable little solar electric vehicle. In a matter of days, I felt it necessary to write a more updated blog for all of you. Aptera Motors has introduced so many innovative things from their team that we need to talk more about the best solar electric vehicle in the world. Let’s get into it.
Let’s take a journey into the future
If you haven’t already had the pleasure of seeing the Aptera (which is Greek for wingless flight) in all its glory then you’ve come to the right blog. Let me take you on a journey into the world’s future of the best solar electric vehicle. I will do my best to give you all the pertinent details of what is coming from the folks at Aptera Motors. Oh, and Delta prototypes are coming. Yay!
Our goal is to build lightweight and aerodynamic vehicles powered by the sun that are able to handle most daily driving needs completely off the grid.
Aptera
Is it a car? A motorcycle? A trike?
People often wonder what the heck the Aptera is classified under. Is it a car? Nope. Is it a motorcycle? In looks, no, but in terms of what it is, yes. The Aptera is defined as a solar electric vehicle that runs on energy from the sun as well as a battery when plugged in. Technically, it is classified as a motorcycle or autocycle that does not require a helmet. Some states require a motorcycle license to drive the Aptera but most call for a basic driver’s license. I think it looks like you need a pilot’s license to operate this Jetson’s inspired vehicle
See why the Aptera is the best solar electric car in the world
–Luna–
The Luna is from the Alpha series of Aptera Motors. Its design is celestial. The exterior color is similar to the moon’s radiance. Silver, blue, metallic. The body is sleek, beautiful, and technologically advanced. The interior option, Codex, is sophisticated and relaxed using natural colors and textures to accent the silver exterior.
Click here for $30 off your Aptera pre-order reservation
–Noir–
Another of the Alpha prototypes, the Noir stands out in the crowd with the beautiful matte black finish and spectacular bars of lights on the fin and fenders. The Vida interior pops with bursts of orange against crisp white and grey. This one will surely turn heads.
–Sol–
The sporty looking Sol from the Alpha prototypes takes you from market to beach in style. Lots of room in the trunk means loading up for a day at the beach is not a problem. The Coast interior reflects the blues of the ocean. Refreshing and light.
A selection of Interiors to choose from
The Coast interior
The Coast interior reflects the blues of the ocean. Refreshing and light
The Vida interior
The Vida interior pops with bursts of orange coral against crisp white and grey. It even has color-matched seatbelts!
The Codex interior
Codex is sophisticated and relaxed using natural colors and textures to accent the silver exterior of the Luna.
Integrated solar panels
Click here for $30 off your Aptera pre-order reservation
Founders and Partners
This is just a few of the people that make Aptera what it is today. In the background is a huge and dedicated team that know how to create the most innovative vehicles in the world
Steve Fambro Co-CEO
Venture partner and COO of Ocean Holding, an investment and development company dedicated to advancing the use of clean, renewable energy. Founder of Famgro; raised $8m to launch a superefficient pesticide/ herbicide-free indoor food-production system.
Chris Anthony Co-CEO
Founder and former CEO of Flux Power, an advanced lithium-battery technology company that launched its first products in 12 months and has reduced carbon emissions in industrial spaces by over 1,000 tons of C02 per year. Has raised more than $100m in private equity, DPO, and grant funding for technology ventures. Chris holds a B.S. in Finance from the University of North Carolina.
Michael Johnson Co-Founder
Venture co-founder, owner, and president/CEO of Esenjay Petroleum, an upstream O&G exploration company based in Corpus Christi, Tex. Co-founder, major shareholder, and director of Flux Power, a lithium-power provider.
Jannies Sun-Burlingame CFO
Jannies is a strategic partner to the co-CEOs and a successful senior financial executive who has prepared and led over a dozen IPOs for domestic and international Fortune 500 companies. A professional educator, she has trained corporations throughout the U.S. Europe, and Asia on emotional intelligence, risk management, and Sarbanes-Oxley/J-SOX.
With so much potential, this solar car will change the world!
Want to show even more love and support for Aptera? Get your merch here
Features of the new Aptera
1.Safety
The lightweight Aptera uses aerospace composites to insure that the passenger has the safest shell around them on the road today. Even in a collision, the strength of the passenger cell will keep you safe. Each Aptera has air bags and full three point seatbelts for added security.
2. Skin cooling
No fans are necessary. The Aptera circulates coolant through the skin producing zero drag. Check out this informative video.
3. Solar panels
The reason that Aptera is the leader and the best solar electric vehicle in the world is the solar panels. These little beauties are spread out among many of the surfaces of the Aptera. The roof, the hood, the dashboard, and the back contain integrated solar panels for maximum consumption of sun rays. I guess Aptera didn’t like the styling of the solar cells that were on the tail, so they have been removed for good. Some great news that just released is that there will be an optional portable solar kit available to add to your Aptera giving you another kilowatt of charging. This increases the already 700 watts of solar panels that produce 40 free miles of driving to upwards of 100 miles of driving on a sunny day. Amazing!
4. Innovative doors
Why have butterfly-style doors that open up to the sky? The new and improved door design allows for easy entry for both driver and passenger as well as a hinge positioning that is favorable to the vehicle making the door swing “up” as opposed to “out”.
5. Seats
So far, all of the Alpha prototypes are 2 seaters. As of September 2022, there will be a 3rd seat available as an add on to the base model. It definitely adds a new demographic to have the option of a third seat.
6. Onboard computer screen
The central computer panel is positioned right in front of the driver so there is no need to take your eyes off the road. Aptera will use Andromeda’s Central Infotainment Display (CID) solution and UI/UX functionality within their production vehicles. Andromeda’s HMI utilizes Isochrones by overlaying a polygon that will show accurately reachable areas based on the vehicle’s instantaneous and potential energy capacity.
7. Aerodynamics
The first thing you see when looking at the new Aptera is the aerodynamic shape that allows it to slip through the air using 30% energy compared to other electric and hybrid vehicles on the road today. It was built like a dolphin for this reason.
8. Never Charge technology
Aptera is the most efficient solar electric vehicle that requires no charging for most daily use — giving you the freedom to do more with less impact on the planet. The “Never Charge” technology can give you up to 40 miles per day of free driving powered by the sun alone. This vehicle boasts 700 watts of solar power with the ability to add more. Ready to pre-order?
9. The Aptera hub motors
The Aptera will have either two or three-wheel hub motors for front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. Each motor is capable of 50 kW (67 horsepower). The in-wheel electric motor provider will be Elaphe Ltd.
10. The battery packs for all sizes have been announced
- 1000 mile range will have a 99 kWh (kilowatt hours) battery pack
- 600 mile range will have a 66 kWh battery pack
- 450 mile range will have a 45 kWh battery pack
- 250 mile range will have a 23 kWh battery pack,
11. Knock me out!
How cool is this? The hatch of the Aptera will be opened with a knock! It was demonstrated at the Fully Charged event and it is a real game changer. The driver and passenger doors may also have this fantastic feature shortly. Stay tuned for more about this.
12. The pedals
Can you believe how cool this is? The pedals on the Aptera are super simple and made with upcycled maple skateboard decks. Seriously wicked dude!
13. Look for some crash test footage soon
Early next year, Aptera plans to have this transparent footage available to view. Just another reason this company is so trustworthy. Let’s see what these amazing vehicles can withstand.
12. Your right to repair your own vehicle
Need a part? Want to fix it in your own garage? No problem! Aptera will ship you the parts and instructions you need to get the job done…yourself!
Click here for $30 off your Aptera pre-order reservation
Are you looking for efficient fleet vehicles? Look no further.
Did you know that Aptera offers a fleet solution to meet the needs of businesses? Do you operate a fleet of gas-guzzling vehicles? Why not make the switch to Aptera? Get up to 40 miles of free driving per day when charging with the sun. Imagine no fuel costs, free solar charging daily, and a comfortable and roomy fit for 1 passenger (for now) and their luggage. Change your bottom line and improve your brand with the most efficient vehicle on the planet.
The Aptera 3-wheeled solar electric vehicle
is actually classified as an autocycle.
Check out this fantastic video review of the Aptera by Fully Charged on YouTube
Some frequently asked questions
What is a solar electric vehicle (sEV)?
Eco-friendly transportation that preserves our natural resources by reducing carbon and chemical emissions. Solar vehicles give people the ability to constantly recharge using the power from the sun without any requirement of a charging station, making the driver independent.
How often should I expect to replace the battery pack?
Many cells can fail in our pack design before things need to be replaced, and if replacement is needed, you would only need to replace the pack itself. We expect to offer a 10-year warranty on the high-voltage battery pack. The replacement costs will vary, but they should be far less than any other EV on the market.
How will Aptera be insured? How much will insurance cost?
Aptera is registered and insured as a motorcycle. Aptera is working on partnerships in this area to make it as easy as possible for Aptera drivers to obtain coverage. For companies to quote you, it will take a VIN # and those will become available closer to our production start date!
How does Aptera help the environment?
If Aptera produces one million vehicles, they’ll reduce our Co2 footprint by seven million tons per year. Each Aptera owner can reduce their carbon footprint by over 14,000 pounds of C02 per year, what 884 twenty five year old pine trees can absorb in a year.
Check out this sweet little book about the Aptera philosophy read by children
What are the base prices for each range option?
1,000 miles – $44,900 600 miles – $34,600 400 miles – $29,800 250 miles – $25,900
Where is Aptera building the solar cars?
Last year, Aptera signed the lease on the 77,147 square foot assembly site in Carlsbad, California. The plan to manufacture all parts of the vehicles as well as the light and strong solar panels will be made possible with the addition of 2 other spaces nearby. The California Energy Commission just granted Aptera a cool $22 million to give them a fantastic start on their goal to produce 40 vehicles per day to get the pre-orders completed in a timely manner.
Will I be able to hand down my Aptera as a legacy vehicle?
Absolutely! The team at Aptera strives to create their own top-of-the-line parts in-house. This along with very thoughtful production will be a key reason that your Aptera can become a legacy vehicle to be handed down to your family. Efficiency and the ability to positively affect our future are what separates Aptera from other companies.
Check out what Jay Leno has to say about the new model Aptera (he test drove the first one way back in 2013). Does he like it or love it?
Our mission is to build the most efficient transportation on the planet. Science drives our approach to building better vehicles and the result is something that can travel as far as 1,000 miles on a single charge. We believe our focus on efficiency will benefit the planet by using our resources more wisely and polluting less.
Aptera
All photos and logos courtesy of Aptera.com
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