Twenty years after its first founding, San Diego, California-based startup Aptera took out its solar-powered electric vehicles (EVs) on a suitable 300-mile (~480 km) road trip. This was the first time I’ve been filmed.
Co-CEO Steve Fambro has set out for the company’s production vehicle on Route 66 from Flagstaff, Arizona to Imperial Valley, California. According to Aptera, the journey represents a major step in verifying a system in real-world conditions.
In the video below, the Aptera Solar EV appears to have fallen above Earth’s orbit and onto the highway. The vehicle is pretty close to what the company builds and ships, but the interior still requires a little more work, with exposed components displayed on the footage.
Aptera – First Road Trip
Fambro points out that the car was able to hit a 520-W charge in the sunnystanding weather of the day. The two-seater is designed to reach up to 40 miles (64 km) per day, thanks to a 700 watt solar panel along the roof and hood, without the need to connect to a charge. For long rides, the first arrival launch version comes with a 400-mile (640 km) battery pack that allows you to juice it with a charger. A huge 1,000 miles (1,610 km) battery option is also available.
Aptera Motor
These numbers are made possible by Aptera’s lightweight carbon fiber composite and aerodynamic design. This gives you a lower ultra-low drag coefficient than what you would find on a land speed record car. It can hit a top speed of 101 mph (162 km/h) with an electric drivetrain with a peak horsepower of 201 peak horsepower (150 kW).
Aptera Motor
Aptera successfully completed its first slow function test last November. It appears that this road trip is ready for prime time to prove that its attitude is complete and shattered. The company has already won reservations for 48,000 vehicles, with the release version appearing for USD 40,000 each. This year, we will begin production of a small number of units, and by 2027 we will be building 20,000 cars a year.
Read more about everything that’s in Aptera and surpass the efforts of previous solar-powered cars in detail.
Source: Aptera
