Over the past half century, there have been many advancements in automotive travel. With safety, hybrid vehicles, and electric vehicles; so much has changed, and 1 company shows hopes of establishing the next advancement. Aptera is a small startup that has been showing off prototypes of the world’s first solar powered car. 

The car is very interesting looking. It is made in every way to make its range further. The smooth and round body reduces drag like with there being no door handles. To open the doors you must unlock the car and knock on a specific sensor. The car also has only 3 wheels to reduce weight and how much friction is caused from contact with the ground. 

There are other important features about the car. The vehicle has 3 different motors, with 1 in the main car and 1 on each front wheel, which allows for all wheel drive. The range on the car is projected as 400 miles and would later be able to be expanded to 1000 miles. The solar panels are expected to recharge around 40 miles per day, depending on time of year, weather, and where it is parked. The car is a 2 seater, and because of its teardrop shape, and the space for solar panels, the car has a very large trunk, storage area. The car is projected to cost only $40000 which may seem high but for the new car, it is the same as electric SUVs like the Chevy Equinox, and the Hyundai Ioniq 5. It is smaller than both of those cars but is unique looking, adapted for city travel, and can charge itself for free. If you want to charge the car faster by plugging it in, the charging port is held behind the license plate. 

There are some negatives about the car. One is that it still hasn’t been released. The company, Aptera, has been looking for investment money to establish a production line of the cars and projects that the cars will be available in 2026. They have recently begun official testing on the vehicle to be sure that they have clear stats on the car for various factors. Another downside is that the car officially counts as an autocycle because of the few wheels and light weight. This doesn’t make too much of a change for North Carolina drivers because the basic drivers license does cover autocycles. 

This car would not be the best choice for long distance travel at the moment because of the only 400 mile range, but if the $1000 edition releases, it will have a battery life that lasts longer than most are willing to drive in 1 sitting. The car is great for a city life where you do not need to get too far or go to too many places because you may not even need to plug it in at that point if you park in a spot exposed to the sun. Luckily it would still charge on a cloudy day because it can still pick up some solar energy.