Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Production Imminent: 40 Solar-Charging Aptera EVs Coming Soon

frequal.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

31–40 of 57 posts

Re: Production Imminent: 40 Solar-Charging Aptera EVs Coming Soon

#31

Post by mikepavone »

blacksmith_tb wrote: post #8
dweisinger wrote: post #4

It seems kind of amazing. I think I'd like to own something like that, but I'll wait until there are some reviews and the bugs get shaken out more. Also don't know if foggy San Francisco has enopugh sunlight to make it viable. What happens when you run out of charge?

It also charges like any other EV, leve1 1 or 2 at home, and they say they intended to support faster DC charging in their FAQ[1]. I would be fairly skeptical of the 46mi / 74km a day from the built-in solar, that sounds optimistic given the small surface area. For me the bigger problem is that it's classified as a motorcycle, which may mean wearing a helmet, and needing to have a class M license. Insurance may also…

> For me the bigger problem is that it's classified as a motorcycle, which may mean wearing a helmet, and needing to have a class M license.

The only state that requires a motorcycle endorsement for the Polaris Slingshot (an "autocycle" style trike) is Massachusetts, but that state's motorcycle definition exempts fully enclosed vehicles so it shouldn't apply to the Aptera. It's trickier to find a quick summary for helmet laws though. At least some states have exemptions for fully enclosed vehicles and some exempt all autocycles even if they're not fully enclosed. California has an exemption for enclosed trikes that meet certain minimum size and weight requirements which I expect the Aptera to meet.

Re: Production Imminent: 40 Solar-Charging Aptera EVs Coming Soon

#32

Post by hn_submit »

discordance wrote: post #15

There’s a Chinese EV called the Solarky that has 600w of panels on it (300w with another 300w that slides out when stationary), which can collect about 50km of range a day, and sells right now for around $10k around Asia. More info here: https://youtu.be/Hk6aTKV-des

Impressive for $8000. But its low top speed (80km/h) only makes it suitable for urban transportation.

Also, I doubt this thing will be able to pass the NCAP (EU) or IIHS (USA) safety certification so they wouldn't be able to sell it in those regions even if there was demand for it.

Re: Production Imminent: 40 Solar-Charging Aptera EVs Coming Soon

#33

Post by stevenwoo »

blacksmith_tb wrote: post #8
dweisinger wrote: post #4

It seems kind of amazing. I think I'd like to own something like that, but I'll wait until there are some reviews and the bugs get shaken out more. Also don't know if foggy San Francisco has enopugh sunlight to make it viable. What happens when you run out of charge?

It also charges like any other EV, leve1 1 or 2 at home, and they say they intended to support faster DC charging in their FAQ[1]. I would be fairly skeptical of the 46mi / 74km a day from the built-in solar, that sounds optimistic given the small surface area. For me the bigger problem is that it's classified as a motorcycle, which may mean wearing a helmet, and needing to have a class M license. Insurance may also…

They started allowing automobile enthusiasts to test drive it a few months ago: https://electrek.co/2026/06/17/we-finally-got-to-drive-the-a... no helmets in California at least.

Re: Production Imminent: 40 Solar-Charging Aptera EVs Coming Soon

#34

Post by vzaliva »

arjie wrote: post #12

I suppose the surface area + efficiency isn't there yet, but it would be sick to take my e-bike places and then expand a canopy to charge and then go on again.

You nailed it: there is a conflict between surface area (wanting more for solar charging) and efficiency (you want it to be aerodynamic and light, hence less area for solar charging).

I also think an extendable canopy (for a car, not a bike) should be a better approach. I wonder if anyone tried it.

Re: Production Imminent: 40 Solar-Charging Aptera EVs Coming Soon

#35

Post by mikepavone »

I fell in love with the Aptera back during the Automotive X Prize era. Back then batteries were expensive enough that a vehicle that got decent range by being ultra-efficient was rather attractive. I also loved the unconventional look.

Much harder to justify in a world with normal car EVs with decent range at fairly normal car prices. There are a fair number of choices below their $40K target price. I still hope they succeed, but hard for me to imagine buying one

Re: Production Imminent: 40 Solar-Charging Aptera EVs Coming Soon

#36

Post by [deleted] »

hn_submit wrote: post #32
discordance wrote: post #15

There’s a Chinese EV called the Solarky that has 600w of panels on it (300w with another 300w that slides out when stationary), which can collect about 50km of range a day, and sells right now for around $10k around Asia. More info here: https://youtu.be/Hk6aTKV-des

Impressive for $8000. But its low top speed (80km/h) only makes it suitable for urban transportation. Also, I doubt this thing will be able to pass the NCAP (EU) or IIHS (USA) safety certification so they wouldn't be able to sell it in those regions even if there was demand for it.

[deleted]

Re: Production Imminent: 40 Solar-Charging Aptera EVs Coming Soon

#37

Post by DennisP »

archonis wrote: post #28
DivingForGold wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have been watching this product for at least 10 years. Think I will wait till the first 1,000 roll off the lines before I get interested in plunking down money. I want them to succeed, but too many outfits like this one went broke early.

The product concept really does need to exist in this world. I just don't think the folks who have taken 50k preorders over the last 20 years and have yet to fulfill one are going succeed.

That overstates it a bit. The original Aptera attempted a gasoline-powered vehicle, and went bankrupt in 2011. The current Aptera is a new company founded in 2019, so there's an eight-year gap where the company didn't exist.

In the middle of that gap someone else bought the IP and did nothing with it, but they were different folks.

Re: Production Imminent: 40 Solar-Charging Aptera EVs Coming Soon

#38

Post by dnautics »

omgwtfbyobbq wrote: post #21
dgellow wrote: post #18

Is that legit? That looks like vaporware scam to be honest Edit: the fact the official aptera website has a banner at the top with their stock ticker is very suspicious, I assume it was a spac that didn’t go well? Edit 2: actually, not a spac, direct listing as a public benefit corporation. They seem to have a very messy and complicated history with a lot of over promises and no delivery

It kinda has been to some degree. The first corporation went bankrupt in 2011. Hopefully they'll build/deliver some consumer vehicles this time. There's also been plenty of vaporware from existing manufacturers, and the majority of what they've built have been more compliance vehicles than serious, no compromise, mass production EVs, so seeing that approach refreshing.

> The first corporation went bankrupt in 2011.

The VCs forced the founders out, tried to move production to china, then iirc banked on a sketchy deal where best buy was trying to get into the ev sales market out of tesla fomo (but a best buy is not where you find an aptera adopter)

Re: Production Imminent: 40 Solar-Charging Aptera EVs Coming Soon

#39

Post by dnautics »

DennisP wrote: post #37
archonis wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The product concept really does need to exist in this world. I just don't think the folks who have taken 50k preorders over the last 20 years and have yet to fulfill one are going succeed.

That overstates it a bit. The original Aptera attempted a gasoline-powered vehicle, and went bankrupt in 2011. The current Aptera is a new company founded in 2019, so there's an eight-year gap where the company didn't exist. In the middle of that gap someone else bought the IP and did nothing with it, but they were different folks.

there was an electric variant proposed, i think, but no solar panels.

Re: Production Imminent: 40 Solar-Charging Aptera EVs Coming Soon

#40

Post by DennisP »

vzaliva wrote: post #34
arjie wrote: post #12

I suppose the surface area + efficiency isn't there yet, but it would be sick to take my e-bike places and then expand a canopy to charge and then go on again.

You nailed it: there is a conflict between surface area (wanting more for solar charging) and efficiency (you want it to be aerodynamic and light, hence less area for solar charging). I also think an extendable canopy (for a car, not a bike) should be a better approach. I wonder if anyone tried it.

Aptera manages 3 square meters of solar panel on a 2200 pound vehicle with a drag coefficient of 0.13, which seems pretty decent to me.
Post reply on HN