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Some may remember the initial press on the Aptera streamlined solar-assisted BEV...that was 2005. For some reason, looking at the aircraft-like shape again reminded me of the Buffalo Springfield / Neil Young song, "If flying on the ground is wrong..."
After one bankruptcy, resurrection and continued development, the company is still going. Here's a recent release including video of a road trip, which claimed about 20 miles of solar charging during the part-cloudy day, https://www.automotivetestingtechnologyinternational.com/news/prototypes/apteras-test-vehicle-completes-solar-supported-road-trip.html
No obvious drama in driving it, but it was all highway and rural 2 lane. No city traffic.
It's exactly the sort of thing I'd like, but the company history is pretty sketchy. I'm typically not an early adopter and looking from here I doubt that the company will ever be well enough established to risk buying one.
Overview of the company here, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aptera_Motors
(Score: 2, Interesting) by pTamok on Friday April 11 2025, @12:17PM
Well, in my case, the main discriminant was whether it fitted in to the allocated parking space in the car park where I live.
As the car park was built several decades ago, this was difficult, as the size of new models of cars has increased.
Volkswagen Golf 1974 (USA: Rabbit) Mk 1:
- Length 3705 mm Width 1610 mm Height 1395 mm
Volkswagen Golf 2019 Mk 8
- Length 4284 mm Width 1789 mm Height 1456 mm
Volkswagen ID.3 (BEV Golf replacement)
- Length 4262 mm Width 1809 mm Height 1552mm
Contrast with Volkswagen ID.4 ('Mini'-SUV)
- Length 4584 mm Width 1852 mm Height 1636mm
The parking space has not got 20cm wider in that period. Difficult to move structural walls.