It’s hard to believe that the world has yet to see a vehicle powered by solar energy. Aptera Motors aims to get the first solar-powered EV on the roads. As the company steps into production, it hopes to have the first vehicle manufactured by the end of the year. The demand for a car powered by the sun is high. According to Aptera, over 46,000 orders have been placed and they just secured $33 million to help fund the initial phases.
Innovative and sustainable
You can’t question whether a solar-powered electric vehicle is sustainable. It’s certainly innovative. According to the company, their EV doesn’t require to be plugged in—Aptera’s Solar EV charges from the sun.From a single charge from the sun, Aptera’s solar EV can travel up to 40 miles a day. The battery is revolutionary. Aptera says whether you are driving or parked, the battery maximizes the amount of power you can get from the sun. If the car is unused for 25 days in the sun, it can charge up to 1,000 miles. If the weather is less than ideal or if you have a difficult schedule, the car is capable of plugging in to charge if needed.
When you look at this futuristic vehicle, it looks like a spaceship or an aircraft. Aptera built the concept with a few things in mind. Nature is one thing that inspires them and the undercarriage of the electric vehicle swoops like a dolphin’s belly, reducing the force of air flowing against the vehicle.
Aptera describes the solar EV as lighter, stronger, and safer. Ultra-lightweight composites allow the car to use less energy than heavier vehicles. Aptera’s solar EV weighs less than 65% of electric vehicles. Its lightweight, aerodynamic design allows the EV to go 0-60 mph in 4 seconds.
Changing the future
Changing the future is actually what Aptera strives to do. No other car company has been able to put a solar-powered vehicle on the roads. It looks promising for Aptera but there’s still some progress to be made. Otherwise, it does look positive for the futuristic EV to hit the roadways.
According to Aptera, each owner of their solar-powered EV can reduce “reduce their carbon footprint by over 14,000 pounds of CO2 per year.” At first glance, it seems like owning a vehicle like this would be impossible. Surprisingly, if they can produce the vehicles, they seem affordable. Prices range from $29,300 for a vehicle with a battery of up to 250 miles. Not bad. The launch edition, which is a standard model with a battery life of 400 miles, goes for $33,200. The max price, with a battery life of 1,000 miles, goes for around $48,000.
With all things considered, the car is relatively affordable, partly because of the materials used to build it. Aptera’s composite body allows for “rapid, high-volume and cost-efficient vehicle production.” It’s a concept straight out of a Sci-Fi movie. And, if Aptera pulls it off, it truly can be revolutionary.
