Aptera lacks the funds to produce solar EV, hints of design changes

Aptera Launch EditionStartup vehicle maker Aptera said it has begun production-intent builds on the body for its three-wheel solar EV, although the timeline for actual deliveries might not be quite as bright as it sounds In a video address accompanying the update, CEO Steve Fambro noted that Aptera chose Italy’s CPC Group for its “incredible ability”...

Sono Motors revives with solar bus kit, not Sion solar EV

Refrigerated semi truck with Sono solar panelsGermany's Sono Motors has emerged from bankruptcy, but isn't discussing the fate of its Sion solar-assisted EV. A press release announcing a plan to bring Sono out of bankruptcy did not mention the Sion, a small hatchback designed to use every body panel as a solar panel to boost range between charges. Instead, the company is focusing on solar...

Aptera shows solar EV is closer to production, omits timeline

Aptera Sol alpha prototypeAptera this week gave an update on its solar-assisted EV, but still hasn't provided a firm timeline for production. The Aptera 3-wheeler uses integrated solar panels to boost range up to 1,000 miles in some versions, with enough power to outrun some sports cars, Aptera has claimed. It can also be charged conventionally, and Aptera was the first...

AI could boost efficiency of solar EVs, make them viable

Teaser for Fisker Ocean electric SUVWith AI now the technology of the moment in Silicon Valley, researchers have applied it to the problem of solar power for EVs, using a virtual model to govern when power from a solar array is used to drive motors or charge battery packs. As documented in a recent conference paper, researchers from Odisha University of Technology and Research in...

Sono Sion solar car project goes dark, though firm seeks to sell it

Sono Sion production modelGermany’s Sono Motors announced Friday that it will “terminate its Sion passenger car program,” effective immediately, while instead focusing on its solar solutions. Buried within the announcement was a glimmer of hope for those who would like to see the affordable solar car make it to market: Sono intends to sell its Sion...

Sono crash-tests its Sion solar EV, says panels “behave as predicted”

Sono Sion crash testSono Motors announced Tuesday that it had completed the first crash tests of its Sion EV, which has solar cells integrated with every body panel. The company said in a press release that those panels "behave as predicted," with no splintering of the polymer-based material in a 31-mph frontal crash test, confirming no additional risk to vehicle...

US shift toward wind and solar will cut coal, make EVs cleaner

Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in United Arab EmiratesIncreased use of renewable energy will help reduce electricity generation from coal and natural gas power plants, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) in turn making EVs cleaner. The EIA forecasts that wind and solar will together account for 16% of total electricity generation in 2023, up from 14% in 2022 and 8% in 2018...

Aptera solar EV Launch Edition: 400-mile range, no Supercharging yet

Aptera Launch EditionAptera on Friday detailed the Launch Edition configuration of its 3-wheeled EV, which the company hopes to begin producing by the end of 2023. The company claims now to have over 40,000 reservations for the vehicle, the first 5,000 of which will be Launch Edition models. While Aptera has shown multiple powertrain and range options, Launch Edition...

Waitlist opens for $40,000 Lightyear 2 solar car due in 2025

Waitlist announced for Lightyear 2 solar car due in 2025.Lightyear has opened a waitlist for its second solar-assisted EV model, which aims for a lower price point and something much closer to mass-market appeal. Straightforwardly called Lightyear 2, this new model is scheduled to start production by the end of 2025 with a base price of approximately $40,000, according to a Lightyear press release. The...

$6,250 Squad solar EV coming to US—wherever 25 mph is enough

Squad Solar City CarIt will soon be possible to get a solar-charging EV in the U.S. for just $6,250—with a catch. The Squad Solar City Car is the product of Dutch firm Squad Mobility, which was founded in 2019. Unveiled last May, it uses sunlight to recharge its battery pack. Deliveries are scheduled to start in 2024, and Squad recently confirmed that the...