California start-up Aptera Motors is taking important steps forward in bringing its “Never Charge” solar electric vehicle to market, recently sharing test footage of three Alpha models and a Beta model doing laps at a test track.
The futuristic-looking three-wheel Aptera was unveiled in late-2020 and utilises a built-in solar array along with breakthroughs in lightweight structures, low-drag aerodynamics and cooling, material science, and manufacturing processes to deliver what the company claims is “the most efficient vehicle ever made available to consumers.”
So much so, in fact, that Aptera claims the vehicle can generate enough electricity from its solar panels to provide up to 70-kilometres of range per day.
“With Aptera’s Never Charge technology, you are driven by the power of the sun,” said co-founder Chris Anthony. “Our built-in solar array keeps your battery pack topped off and anywhere you want to go, you just go.”
Aptera recently took to its social media channels to highlight a recent track test visit, showing off its three sleek-looking Alpha models and a still in-production Beta model.
Our team spent last week testing our Alpha and Beta vehicles at the track. We couldn't be happier with our results! Who's ready to some footage of #Aptera in action? pic.twitter.com/FXpm9xS7Rm
— Aptera Motors (@aptera_motors) January 24, 2022
The three Alpha models are clearly differentiated from the very bare-bones look of the Beta, which Aptera showed off on Christmas Day 2021.
Happy Holidays to you and yours from Beta and the entire Aptera family. We’ve been hard at work building our first Beta vehicles and now we're ready to hit the track. pic.twitter.com/8TETskIw5X
— Aptera Motors (@aptera_motors) December 24, 2021
The three Alpha models were all released separately over the past year, starting with the all-black Aptera Noir, followed in the Northern Summer by the all-white Aptera Sol – which the company took for a drive in June – and in October of 2021 the Aptera Luna made its debut.
The social media team at Aptera also recently took one of their Alpha models on a grocery run, highlighting the relatively capacious boot space on offer.
The Beta version, though it doesn’t look it in the videos and photos shown at the test track, will look much the same as Aptera’s Alpha models, according to Jason Hill, Aptera’s vehicle designer.
“We have made packaging and comfort improvements, and several refinements for the interior design including seating, door panel and instrument panel,” Hill said in a recent in-house Q&A. “The same design theme has evolved and matured into production level intent.”
In a recent interview with Electrek, Aptera co-founder Chris Anthony explained that, for the next few months, “all we’re gonna have that’s pretty are the alphas.
“After that, we will have all the betas being completed for the development vehicles to send to suppliers, and will probably work on a couple pretty versions of that into next year and will be able to show people.
“The problem is, the only intent of the beta version is to validate production parts. So, as soon as we have all the production parts validated in a beta, essentially its a pre-production vehicle… putting together enough vehicles for press and ride and drives should then be easy, but that’s probably end of Q1, Q2 of next year before we start thinking about stuff like that.”
Joshua S. Hill is a Melbourne-based journalist who has been writing about climate change, clean technology, and electric vehicles for over 15 years. He has been reporting on electric vehicles and clean technologies for Renew Economy and The Driven since 2012. His preferred mode of transport is his feet.