Aptera Motors debuted an electric vehicle at CES in Las Vegas, Nevada last week, one that’s covered in solar panels. According to the manufacturer, that array of energy generators can provide up to 40 miles of free electric range per day in sunny locations, more than enough to meet the driving needs of many motorists.
A Three-Wheeler Solar-Powered Electric Vehicle
To deliver this, practically every horizontal surface of Aptera’s solar electric vehicle (sEV) is covered in solar cells. This includes the hood, roof, and hatch – you know, the obvious locations – though engineers also added some to the dashboard to maximize the amount of electricity this car can absorb from the sun. Overall, the vehicle is fitted with 700 Watts’ worth of solar panels. Gaining 40 miles of free range per day is nothing to sneeze at, but over the course of a year that can really add up. In appropriately sunny regions, this Aptera can net drivers more than 10,000 miles of range annually, all without having to plug in or pay a single penny beyond the purchase price of the car itself.
Trouncing many other EVs available today, this solar-enhanced electric provides an estimated 400 miles of range with a full charge, which should take less than an hour to obtain when plugged in (no, you don’t have to rely solely on the sun to juice up the battery). Helping give this car such long legs is a super-slippery body, one that almost looks like it could take flight. Using three wheels instead of four also helps reduce rolling resistance to further bolster efficiency. In fact, the manufacturer says this machine only consumes 30-percent as much energy as the average vehicle does to go the same distance.
Reducing aerodynamic resistance helps this solar-enhanced EV go the distance, though this also improves performance. Expect a 0 to 60 mph time of less than 6 seconds, an entirely competent performance for any vehicle, electric or otherwise. Aside from a wind-cheating design, this car’s engineering is also shrewd. The Aptera’s body is made of a carbon fiber-reinforced sheet-molded material. This design requires fewer than one-tenth as many components as would be needed in a conventional vehicle, reducing complexity and almost certainly cost.
Aptera Says It’ll Start Around $40,000
Aptera says the solar-enhanced vehicle it unveiled at CES is ready for production; engineering has moved forward from the prototype stage to validation. If you’re intrigued by this unusual-looking but hyper-efficient vehicle, you can reserve a Launch Edition model right now for $100. As for the overall price, Aptera estimates this EV will start at around $40,000. Low-volume production is expected to commence this year at the automaker’s assembly plant in Carlsbad, California.
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