Aptera Motors, the American automaker, has unveiled a rather futuristic electric vehicle and has begun pre-orders as well. There is a refundable $100 deposit for the pre-order, and it can be done from the company website. What’s most interesting is the cost that this car will be starting at – $25,900.
Aptera Unveils $26,000, 1000-Mile Electric Car; Pre-Orders Open
Aptera has also announced that they expect a 1000-mile range for the topmost variant of this car. The lowest variant will be equipped with a 25 kWh battery pack. It will have a range of 250 miles (402 km). This will be a front-wheel-drive with a 134 hp powertrain. The 100 kWh battery pack will have 201 hp and will be able to run 1000 miles (1609 km) on a single charge. The other two battery pack options are 40 kWh and 60 kWh, which will give 400 miles (644 km) and 600 miles (965 km) respectively.
The 25 kWh option will start at $25,900, and as the battery pack increases, the cost will increase too, capping off at $46,900 without options.
What Makes Aptera Special
For those who haven’t calculated it by now, Aptera is aiming for energy efficiency of 10 miles (16.09 km) per kWh. The best currently is Lucid Air Dream Edition with 6.89 miles (11.1 km) per kWh. This is an ambitious figure, and if Aptera does manage it, it can definitely revolutionize the market. Aptera’s secret to this high energy efficiency is the ‘Never Charge’ solar technology it possesses. This bit of technology adds 45 miles (72 km) of range on a sunny day. According to your geographical location, this technology will improve efficiency by so much, that you may not have to plug your vehicle into the grid at all.
Another aspect of efficiency is Aptera’s low weight, which will vary between 816 kg to 998 kg. With a low drag coefficient of only 0.13, the car is optimized to deliver top-notch efficiency. And with just four major components making up the body of the vehicle, it will ake manufacturing extremely easy.
Features and Aesthetics
The optional features include the solar cone – which adds up to 24 miles of range – Enhanced Audio, SafetyPilot (level 2 autonomy drive assistant), safety divider for pets, integrated tent and rear awning for camping, and off-road kit (with tougher wheel covers and more ground clearance).
The Aptera will come in three colors – Noir (black), Luna (silver), and Sol(white). The interior will consist of Vida (bright coral colors), Coast (sand and blue), and Codex (earth tones) trims.
Our Opinion
While the Aptera may not be the family car you want, it does deliver a lot of promise. There are efficiency figures, some of which are unheard of in today’s electric vehicle world. Apart from this, solar charging technology is definitely something that can be adopted by other brands. So while the Aptera might seem a futuristic car with no practical use, it will definitely act as a base to uplift certain technologies.
How does it have any practical years? It has tons of range with Level 2 trip relaxation and great performance with some cargo space .. unless you have a family?