Aptera Motors plans to start production of its Launch Edition this year, the California-based solar EV maker has said.
Its timeline depends on the funding, but it aims to start production with the Launch Edition vehicle's unique and singular configuration in 2023 and expects to have seven different assembly plants in operation by 2028.
The sEV (solar EV) will give drivers the freedom to move grid-free, the company said highlighting the product’s main features: a 400-mile range battery pack, an integrated solar package delivering up to 40 miles of solar charge per day, three in-wheel motors, all-wheel-drive, 32.5 feet of cargo space, and the Tesla charge port (NACS).
The three-wheeler’s unique shape, ultra-light weight, and ultra-strong materials allow it to slip through the air using a quarter of the energy compared to other electric and hybrid vehicles on the road today, the company said. Equipped with roughly 700 watts of solar technology, the sEV can drive up to 40 miles per day directly from the sun’s rays, it added.
The Launch Edition, for which the company has received 40,000 reservations, comes integrated with a solar charging package allowing most people to drive for weeks, even months, without ever having to plug in to charge, the company said. In a location with very high sun exposure like Southern California, the average American driver would never have to plug in, based on the daily average of 29 miles. In a location with medium sun exposure such as New York or Chicago, drivers will only need to plug in roughly three times per year, the company said.
When plugged into a 120V outlet, the sEV can still charge over 13 miles per hour or roughly 150 miles overnight.
“We’ve solved the equation for a more efficient way to travel by harnessing the power of the sun,” said Steve Fambro, Co-Founder and Co-CEO.
In partnership with CPC Group, Aptera has developed an efficient and streamlined process for manufacturing its Launch Edition vehicles. One of the most important aspects of this process is the company’s specialised composite body, or Body in Carbon – BinC. The resulting BinC takes much less time to assemble and yields quality and repeatability that is truly a new paradigm for manufacturing composite vehicle bodies and closures, especially when compared to other steel or aluminium vehicles.
Aptera is finalising the fourth and final phase of its product development. Once crash testing and validation are completed, the company plans to scale quickly into full-scale single shift production of 10,000 vehicles per year. From there, it will expand its output to dual shift 20,000 vehicles per year out of its Carlsbad, California facility.
“Once we meet our fundraising objectives, we will be able to provide a more accurate delivery timeline,” said Chris Anthony, Co-Founder and Co-CEO.