The Initial 2,000 Slots for the Aptera Solar Electric Vehicle Launch Edition are Taken

After a year-long crowdfunding campaign, the production slots for the first 2,000 Aptera Launch Edition solar electric vehicles have been claimed. This futuristic electric vehicle, introduced by a California startup in 2007, is now making its way toward production.

With a design reminiscent of a sci-fi film, this two-passenger vehicle goes beyond being just a sleek, teardrop-shaped attention-grabber; it was crafted for minimal aerodynamic drag and optimal fuel efficiency.

Initial Plans and Challenges of the Original Typ-1 Electric Vehicle

The original Typ-1 was initially planned in two versions: a hybrid and an all-electric model. The hybrid boasted an impressive fuel economy of 300 miles per gallon, while the all-electric variant offered a per-charge range of 120 miles (190+ km) and a top speed around 90 mph (145 km/h). Equipped with solar cells on the roof, it had sufficient power to maintain an always-on climate control system. The front-wheel-drive three-wheeler electric vehicle progressed to a pre-production prototype by early 2009, but delays set in, leading to financial challenges. Unfortunately, by 2011, the company had exhausted its development funds, leading to its closure.

Several years later, there was another attempt to bring the Aptera electric and hybrid models to production after China’s Zhejiang Jonway Group acquired the company’s intellectual property. However, progress was limited. In 2019, the original co-founders regained control, reigniting efforts to reach production.

In this renewed push for funding, the team introduced an innovative “never charge” concept for the Aptera – a solar-electric vehicle with an estimated range of up to 1,000 miles (~1,600 km) on a full battery charge. The vehicle incorporates 180 body-integrated photovoltaic cells, anticipated to harvest enough solar energy for approximately 45 miles (72.4 km) of daily travel without the need for external charging.

2022 Partnerships and the Unveiling of the Aptera Launch Edition

In 2022, Aptera secured partnerships with Elaphe in Slovenia for in-wheel electric motors, Eve Energy for batteries, and Maxeon Solar Technologies for photovoltaic cells. Subsequently, in January 2023, Aptera unveiled its Launch Edition, featuring an “ultra-light” composite body with 700 watts of solar cells, an impressive drag coefficient of 0.13, individual motors in each wheel for a swift acceleration to 100 mph (160 km/h) in four seconds, a top speed of 101 mph (162.5 km/h), and an extended per-charge range of 400 miles (643 km) from battery packs provided by CTNS.

Conclusion of Accelerator Program and Future Reservations for Aptera SEV

Following the unveiling of the Launch Edition, Aptera initiated an Accelerator Program, allowing early adopters to secure the first 2,000 reservation slots by investing a minimum of US$10,000. This funding endeavor has concluded, accumulating over US$33 million and contributing to the company’s overall funding of over $100 million in recent years. The funds will be utilized for procuring low-volume tooling and developing the company’s initial production-intent vehicles for testing and validation. Additional fundraising is planned to transition into high-volume production. While the Accelerator window for the preconfigured Launch Edition is closed, individuals can still reserve a future production Aptera SEV with a $100 deposit, offering customization options like interior/outer colors, battery range, PV panel configuration, and drive setup, with the current price listed as $33,200.

Co-founder and co-CEO of the company, Chris Anthony, expressed gratitude for the support received through the solar mobility movement, emphasizing its transformative impact on bringing world-shaping ideas to fruition. The company, initially launched as a solar mobility enterprise, witnessed substantial support from thousands of potential Aptera owners. With more than 46,000 reservation holders, the company is committed to securing the additional funds needed for scalable, high-volume production of their solar electric vehicle.

Read the original article on: New Atlas

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