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...

Aptera confirms Tesla charge port for its solar EV

Design for new Aptera electric car, Aug 2019Aptera this week confirmed that its solar-supplemented three-wheel production EV will offer a Tesla connector and corresponding charging equipment, both produced by the charging-hardware maker Lectron. The California startup's adoption of the Tesla standard, now called NACS, was already all but a given. The company had made earlier assertions it...

Lightyear 0 made in Finland, claims to be the first solar car

Lightyear 0 production at Valmet Automotive in FinlandThe Lightyear 0 solar-assisted EV has started production at contract manufacturer Valmet Automotive's facility in Finland, Lightyear confirmed Wednesday in a press release. The Dutch startup said Valmet will initially produce just one car per week, gradually scaling up production in the first quarter of 2023. The 0 will never be a mass-market...

1000-mile Aptera solar EV will get Italian carbon-fiber body

Aptera Sol alpha prototypeThe Aptera solar-assisted EV will get a carbon-fiber composite body from the same supplier used by supercar makers, to aid in its quest for 1,000 miles of real-world range. Aptera recently announced an agreement with Italy's C.P.C. Group for supply of bodywork. Bodies for the sleek three-wheeler will be made in Modena, Italy, in the Motor Valley...

Sono takes Sion solar EV on US tour in bid for fleet business

Sono Sion in Times SquareSono Motors is bringing its Sion solar-supplemented EV to the United States, but it's unclear if the small hatchback will be sold here to retail customers. The Sion was on display in New York City's Time Square Tuesday, followed by a stop in Brooklyn Wednesday on what will be a multi-city tour, Sono said in a press release. The car will also be...