The vehicle in question, officially classified as an autocycle, in part because it only rides on three wheels, is called the Aptera, and it has been in the news, on and off, ever since it was presented to the world in its current form at the 2025 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.
The last time we heard anything about it was back in early July, when the company behind the design, Aptera Motors, announced the vehicle got the Certificate of Conformity (CoC) from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), something that effectively clears the design for use on public roads.
That won’t happen just yet, as there are still some hurdles to overcome, but progress has been made, and the most recent proof of that is the series of tests conducted in Southern California. There, over three consecutive days, Aptera and TÜV Rheinland, one of the world’s largest testing, inspection, and certification services providers, tried to determine whether the daily solar energy generation is as expected.
The short answer is yes. On each of the three days, the autocycle’s 700 watts-worth of solar cells installed on the roof proved that they can deliver more than four kWh of solar energy into the battery pack. That’s exactly what the company expected from the design, and enough to ensure a 40-mile (64 km) range.
That may not seem like much, but you do have to take into account that the Aptera is not exclusively a solar-powered vehicle. Its 40-kWh liquid-cooled battery pack can also be charged from regular charging stations, as it is equipped with a North American Charging System (NACS) connector.
Back to the tests performed on the solar cells and their generation capabilities, Aptera says each of the three days of testing followed a different procedure, and measurements were conducted from sunrise to sunset. The numbers that follow represent measurements of the energy where it entered the battery, after conversion losses, rather than at the panels.
On the first day, the vehicle was parked in a fixed position, its hatch closed, and completely undisturbed for the entire day. In this scenario, TÜV measured 4.23 kWh, which translates into roughly 42 miles (68 km) of range.
On day two, the scenario called for the vehicle to be repositioned only once, at noon, as to make the most of the Sun and its energy. In this case, the readings showed that the panels can generate 4.40 kWh of energy, meaning about 44 miles (71 miles) of range.
Last but not least, day three called for the Aptera three-wheeler to be placed under the Sun with the hatch raised and angled toward the Sun. In this scenario, the cells generated the most energy, 4.75 kWh, which should be enough to move the vehicle some 47 miles (76 km).
Although the numbers are in line with what the company expected, it’s important to note that they have been achieved in clear July conditions in California, so the actual solar power generation may vary in other places and depend on a multitude of factors.
As said, the Aptera does not rely solely on solar cells to generate energy for its needs. Its battery pack, when plugged in for about an hour, is enough to ensure a maximum range of 400 miles (644 km), kind of making the solar system a sort of emergency backup.
The electricity from the battery is fed to an electric motor that allows the autocycle to accelerate from zero to 62 mph in under six seconds, and to reach top speeds of 100 mph (161 kph). All while transporting a maximum of two people in a cockpit shielded by a carbon fiber body.
The cabin of the three-wheeler is kind of spartan, as it is only fitted with the steering yoke, a center display to show info on solar range, battery charge, and vehicle status, and two additional displays that show images from the two external cameras that take the place of traditional side mirrors.
Aptera gave the vehicle as many safety features as possible in such a small package, fitting it with a safety cell, an energy-absorbing front nose cone, and a subframe designed to crumple on impact. There are no airbags or ABS, and not even the driver assistance features many of us are used to, like, say, parking assist, at least in the early production models.
We expect sales of the Aptera to start pretty soon. The assembly facility in Carlsbad, California, has already rolled out the first five prototypes, and they’re probably awaiting the remaining testing and paperwork to be completed.
The three-wheeler is likely to cost around $40,000. The company making it says it already has some 50,000 reservations for it.
Daniel loves writing (or so he claims), and he uses this skill to offer readers a “behind the scenes” look at the automotive industry. He also enjoys talking about space exploration and robots, because in his view the only way forward for humanity is away from this planet, in metal bodies. Full profile
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