Hello there! Buckle up as I walk you through the twisting tale of Aptera Motors. This ambitious company aims to transform electric vehicles with aircraft-inspired design and sun-fed batteries.
Aptera captured headlines in the 2000s before imploding. Now revived, its sleek three-wheeler promises unrivaled efficiency through engineering and solar power.
Intriguing potential, yes? But can Aptera deliver this time around? Let’s unpack their dramatic rise, fall, and quest to reshape eco-friendly transportation.
Aptera‘s Vehicle: Slashing Drag and Dripping in Solar Panels
Aptera fills their vehicle from roof to hood with solar cells to passively charge the battery. How much range does this steady sunlight infusion add?
- Up to 40 miles of extra range per day
- Enough for most commutes without plugging in!
This solar slab tops an ultralight body sculpted for minimal wind resistance. Check out how Aptera‘s drag coefficient stacks up:
| Vehicle | Drag Coefficient |
|---|---|
| Aptera Prototype | 0.13 |
| Toyota Prius | 0.25 |
| Tesla Model 3 | 0.23 |
A lower coefficient means slicing through air easier. Helped by its lightweight body, Aptera‘s prototype can hit a force-stretching 1,000 miles on a full charge.
Let‘s visualize how climate impacts Aptera‘s solar skills:
| Location | Solar Range Per Day |
|---|---|
| Phoenix, AZ | 30-40 miles |
| New York, NY | 20-30 miles |
| Seattle, WA | 10-15 miles |
Sunnier cities pump up the free solar mileage! But even rainier spots chip in an extra 10+ miles daily.
From College Tinkering to Bankruptcy
Aptera began in 2005 when two friends started concocting fuel-efficient vehicles in California garages. Chris Anthony and Steve Fambro shared a passion for efficient engineering.
Their tinkering blossomed into a company attracting millions in investment. But tensions erupted over whether to chase Department of Energy loans. The board ousted Anthony and Fambro by 2009 for new leadership.
CEO Paul Wilbur took over with a mandate to secure government funding. But three denied loan applications later, Aptera ran out of cash. It filed bankruptcy in 2011 after burning through $30 million in six years without ever manufacturing a production car.
Resurrected and Ready for Liftoff?
Like a phoenix from ashes, Aptera relaunched in 2019 and took flight on the winds of renewed eco fever. Anthony returned to lead the reboot, hungry to prove the earlier vision.
New crowdfunding drew legions of fans awaiting the solar-powered machine. Aptera‘s reborn website shows over 30,000 reservations already placed.
If even 20,000 pre-orders convert to sales, that translates to $500 million in early revenue!
Aptera plans microfactories feeding regional demand as production starts in 2023. Can this scrappy player carve out its niche? Many peers crumbled under the capital intensity of auto manufacturing.
Yet Aptera may have the ingredients to defy the odds: hungry customers, a technology edge, and valuable lessons from past stumbles guiding strategy.
The road ahead has bumps but winds tantalizingly towards a solar-powered future! Aptera hopes their second attempt makes the breakthrough. I know I‘ll be watching this EV underdog‘s next chapter with great anticipation.
Let me know what other questions you have about Aptera‘s origin story or solar-charged technology!
