Overview
A majority of innovators hoping to make a name for themselves in transportation are hedging their bets on electricity. However, one company has taken a different approach.
Califonia-based Aptera Motors recently unveiled their latest prototype vehicle at Fully Charged LIVE 2022, promising 1,600 km (1,000 miles) of range on a single charge. And the car is powered by the Sun. Christened “Gamma,” the solar-electric vehicle (sEV) will need no charging for regular daily usage, its makers claim, adding that their “Never Charge” technology could provide up to about 64 km (40 miles) of sun-powered driving per day.
That’s not exactly a long distance, but it is enough to get most people to work and back — and it’s a start.
Science and other stuff to know
Gamma is a prototype showcasing production-intent functionalities and features. With the vehicle, Aptera hopes to provide an environment-friendly alternative to the combustion engine, and also eventually offer a range that knocks its electrical competitors out of the park. Though they still have some way to go to achieve truly meaningful distances, the company claims to have created the technologies necessary free short-distance commuters from charging worries.
For starters, the design is reminiscent of an extremely aerodynamic aircraft built to slice through the air. Dominated by sweeping lines, Gamma’s extraordinary shape manages a drag coefficient of 0.13, which is 55% lower than the Tesla Model 3. Less drag means less resistance from the air and improved efficiency in movement. Gamma’s promised range will also be made possible by its lightweight construction. Aptera says ultra-lightweight composite materials make it 65% lighter than a conventional electric vehicle, while its three-wheeled design reduces contact points. This helps reduce rolling resistance, meaning that the car requires only a fraction of energy to get going.
Energy from the Sun is transferred via diamond-shaped solar panels that help vehicles get up to 700 Watts of continuous charging power.
So what?
While electrical vehicles are being touted as the quintessential alternative energy transportation solution, they aren’t the only option. Although they do help reduce the carbon footprint, charging electrical vehicles still requires electricity, most of which is procured through power plants powered by fossil fuel.
With Aptera, the consumption and provision of alternative energy goes fully green — or nearly so. The Gamma prototype offers an environment-friendly, zero-emissions alternative to the combustion engine by relying on an energy source that is renewable and perennial in real terms.
What’s next?
Though Aptera has opened reservations for the Gamma, it has not announced how close the solar-electric vehicle is to production or if it has received the necessary licensing and certifications to begin testing it for use by the public. The price quoted ranges between $22,000 and $50,000. Besides reservations, the company is also inviting investments, the minimum amount being $1,000. Aptera says it’s moving closer and closer to the production-intent Delta variant of its solar vehicle.
To them, we say: good luck finding your place in the Sun.
