Aptera, the Mirage of the Solar Vehicle?

The automotive manufacturer Aptera has released a video of its vehicle moving at a low speed but not yet powered by solar energy

Aptera Motors has given the public a small glimpse of its PI-2, a vehicle with a carbon structure intended to operate on solar energy that the manufacturer plans to mass-produce. The PI-2 still needs to undergo more in-depth testing before this phase can begin… provided that necessary funds are raised.

A Successful Milestone

In the video, the vehicle can be seen slowly rolling in the company’s parking lot. There are very few body elements, no windows, and not even a solar panel. But Aptera assures that this is completely normal; this stage aims to test the elements recently adopted by Aptera, namely, Vitesco’s EMR3 transmission technology and the vehicle’s carbon structure.

This phase is deemed a success according to Aptera, which is looking ahead with optimism, albeit with some hesitation. First, the PI-2 will undergo further testing as additional parts are added. It will then be time for Aptera to reveal the specifications of its vehicle, such as watt-hours per mile, solar charging rates, and battery range. These data points are eagerly anticipated, especially by investors.

Aptera Needs Money, A Lot of Money

However, another issue remains for Aptera, and that is the project’s funding. As of now, the company’s capital amounts to $60 million. This is largely insufficient given that over 50,000 vehicles have already been reserved. Moreover, the lack of funding is already delaying the project. This task falls to the founders and executives of the company, who are working tirelessly to ensure the project’s success.

At least, Aptera deserves credit for being transparent. Or is this a marketing strategy to attract investors? In any case, updates on their project are regularly posted on social media and are visible to the general public. A video is published each month on Aptera Motors’ YouTube channel to report on the progress of the work. We eagerly await to see the PI-2 rolling with a solar panel on its back.

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