Aptera is the Greek word for 'wingless flight', and it seems the company has a similar vision and cause while they design their cars. Their newest model, a solar-powered car, is the perfect embodiment of both Aptera's idea and driving force. The vehicle is an evolved version of the model that Aptera hoped to build under the company's original existence from 2006 to 2011.

Several other companies are attempting to integrate solar cells in their production vehicles with designs that look more conventional. A few such examples include the Sion by Sono Motors, a hatchback aimed primarily for the European market, and the Lightyear One, a Dutch effort designed by veterans of the World Solar Challenge.

Aptera is certainly defying the conventional notions of a car's design and is well on its way to redefining a car's basic structure and here's a look at its upcoming futuristic EV.

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The Ultra-Aerodynamic Design

Aptera EV Concept
Via: Aptera Motors Corp. 

Aptera realized the problem with the conventional design of a car quite early on - the shape, no matter how sleek and thin would always account for some amount of air drag. This is because a standard car chassis mostly only has an aerodynamic teardrop design vertically. Due to this, an average car wastes most of its fuel on overcoming the drag. This led Aptera's co-founder and CEO, Chris Anthony, to reconceptualize the chassis from the ground up.

The result of his extensive research and testing gave birth to a 3-wheeled car that would have a near-perfect teardrop shape, both vertically and horizontally. This allows the vehicle to go on for longer distances even at nominal battery levels, as most of the power produced is efficiently used to drive the car and not overcome the drag. In addition, the 2-seater's design allows it to remain small to reduce air resistance and minimizes chassis heat while also reducing the sounds caused by the drag-induced vibrations. All of these combined make it one of the quietest cabins in the industry.

The 3-wheel outlay may sound a little odd, but the exact configuration of the angles makes the chassis look extremely appealing. The car features a compact chassis made of light composite materials, which is 172 inches long, 88 inches wide, and just 57 inches tall. This does not imply that the car compromises on space or feels clammed as the 2-seater cabin can easily host two adults and still leave space for a mid-size pet. The trunk of the car has an astonishing 25 cu-ft of storage volume. Primarily, the entire car is built of just four main components, which allow the weight to drop while increasing the power efficiency significantly.

Efficiency And Power: A Paradox Come True

The-Side-View-Of-The-Aptera-EV
Via TheVerge.com

The vehicle's design ingenuity mainly supports the engine and gives the car remarkable speed and efficiency metrics. Owing to its unconventional design, Aptera has eliminated the need to make the powertrain extremely powerful or the battery massive for the ride to be a long one. The car comes in two drivetrain variants. The front-wheel option gives a maximum of 100kW of energy, accelerating the car from 0 to 60 mph in just 5.5 seconds.

The all-wheel variant is even more impressive with its output of 150kW and the ability to 60 mph run in just 3.5 seconds. Both variants shall have a top speed of 100 mph. To say the least, these stats for an EV are nothing less than phenomenal. Aptera has also promised to provide a maximum range of 1000 miles on a full 100kWh charge in its top model, a metric that seems unbelievable in the EV market. Aptera achieved these figures by focusing on reducing weight and air drag to boost the car's power efficiency.

Most standard EVs offer a range of 250, 400, or 600 miles. The combined range to capacity ratio on all models of this car is a phenomenal 10 miles/1 kWh. Not just the range, but even the charging time of the car has been improved upon. The car can charge at 500 miles per hour on a DC fast charger and an astonishing 13 miles per hour on a regular home supply. This means that a regular 10-hour overnight charge would set the vehicle for a 150-mile run.

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Making The EV Eco-Friendlier

The-Interior-Of-The-Aptera-EV
Via AutoFutures.tv

The car also has a unique way of charging itself. While the option of charging the car manually is unsurprising, Aptera has added the option of solar charging to touch new limits of making an automobile eco-friendly and reliable. The automaker claims that its solar array, also dubbed as Never Charge, can harvest enough sunlight for an 11,000-mile run in a year or 45-mile run in a day. The 32.2 square feet of panels spread across the bodywork make this feat achievable for the car. The solar charge isn't exactly new as earlier this year, Aptera said that its solar array should yield about 40 miles of range a day.

This doubled down on selling points that pitched the solar-charged car as a way of breaking the automobile industry's oil dependence. Never Charge will enable versatile charging options and give the car enough juice to power its wheels and other functions alike. The reservations for the Aptera three-wheeler began in December 2020. A refundable $100 deposit can reserve a 'Paradigm' or 'Paradigm+ Special Edition', which will be the maiden models of Aptera. The car shall reportedly bear a price tag starting at a reasonable $25,900.

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