“Never Charge” solar EV buys new digital interface to focus on efficiency and range

California start-up Aptera Motors, the makers of the world’s first “never charge” solar EV, has bought Andromeda Interfaces in a bid to help drivers understand more about the car’s efficiency and maximize range.

Aptera’s  ‘Never Charge’ solar electric vehicles are nearing production and are even set to be launched in Australia as soon as 2023.

They boast an integrated 700 watts worth of solar cells, providing up to 70-kilometres of driving range each day from the sun alone, and up to 1,600-kilometres from its lithium-ion battery (for its top-of-the-line variant).

Its streamlined, three-wheel, pod-like design, delivers improved aerodynamics and a drag co-efficient of just 0.13, and is said to be capable of acceleration from 0-100km/hr in less than 3.5 seconds with the 150kW motor option, or 5.5 seconds with the 100kW motor.

The purchase of Andromeda Interfaces comes as Aptera ramps up to full-scale production and is looking to help drivers maximize range.

“We’ve been lucky enough to have worked with Brian and the Andromeda team for many years, and we’re routinely amazed at their ability to disrupt the industry and put efficiency at the forefront of their technology,” said Chris Anthony, co-CEO of Aptera.

“Acquiring Andromeda was the strategic next step as we ramp to production, and we’re confident that this acquisition will not only benefit our timeline, but also the end-user experience for drivers.”

Of prime importance for Aptera in acquiring Andromeda is its Energy Tipster interface, which focuses on data on how efficiency translates to the driving range.

Aptera’s human machine interface will emphasise how the driver can improve and increase their range while driving, and combined with Andromeda’s UI and UX software, will enable drivers to make real-time adjustments to their driving experience so as to retain more energy and drive further.

“We formed Andromeda Interfaces due to our past experiences working on human-machine interfaces (HMIs) for EV power electronics at Aptera Motors back in 2007,” said Andromeda co-founder, Brian Gallagher.

“We have since commercialized our HMI technology and targeted the growing commercial and industrial EV markets.

“We converged our knowledgebase and technology to expedite the development efforts for Aptera’s production Central Infotainment Display (CID) solution. The merger and acquisition will allow Aptera and Andromeda to channel our efforts to meet the start of production timeline aggressively.”