Aptera (solar electric vehicle)

The Aptera is a two-seat, three-wheeled solar electric vehicle under development by the crowd-funded American car manufacturer Aptera Motors. The stated design goal of the car is to be the most energy efficient mass produced vehicle ever. The design has an aerodynamic shape and uses lightweight carbon fiber and fiberglass composite materials, wheel hub motors, and built-in solar cells to significantly extend its range.

History
The Aptera vehicle's development was planned to progress through a series of prototypes: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, leading to the Delta phase vehicle. Three Alpha prototypes were built to validate the basic vehicle design and provide rough functionality. The Beta prototype incorporated functional improvements learned from the Alpha prototypes. The Gamma prototype was intended to iron out production details, and then the Delta to be the production-intent vehicle. In June 2022, Aptera announced a detailed plan to scale in-wheel motor production in Slovenia by Elaphe. Up to 100,000 units are to be produced annually in a 160,000 square foot R&D and production centre.

Aptera named Maxeon Solar Technologies as the solar cell provider for the vehicle in October 2022. The Gamma Aptera prototype was unveiled in December, with a touch screen center console and improved head and legroom. In January 2023, Aptera announced that it needed $50 million to start assembly. Shortly thereafter, it received a $21 million grant from the California Energy Commission (CEC). Since then, the Accelerator program has raised the other 29 million dollars needed to begin production.

In March 2023, Aptera announced its use of Comma.ai's Openpilot driver assistance system. As of September 2023, Aptera's partner C.P.C. has stamped the first of Aptera's body in carbon (BinC) parts from production tools at its Modena, Italy manufacturing facility. The Aptera sEV has over 40,000 reservations as of 2023.

Design
The 60 kWh battery version is expected to weigh about 1,800 lb, much lighter than most electric vehicles. It has a NACS connector, and is able to charge at a rate of between 40–60 kW.

Aerodynamics
The Aptera has a claimed coefficient of drag that is very low, at 0.13 as of January 2023. The car was tested at an Italian wind tunnel, the results of which were described by co-CEO Chris Anthony as "pretty pictures".