• Aptera has begun testing the production-intent version of its solar electric vehicle.
• It features a new inboard drive unit that ditches the hub motor used so far.
• Production is set to commence sometime in 2025.

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Seeing progress from Aptera is always positive news since this startup wants to release one of the most unique EVs in the world. Its electric three-wheeler that replenishes range just by sitting outside during the day has gone through many stages and iterations, but the vehicle you see in the video below is the first production-intent prototype to take to the road.

It lacks some body panels and looks a bit cobbled together, but it features the final production shell, doors, suspension and drivetrain components that will also be used in customer vehicles. It doesn’t look too different from previous prototypes (it looks less complete than the Gamma prototype, which also featured something resembling the finished interior), but it features a new drivetrain made by Vitesco Technologies, which changes how the vehicle works.

Originally, Aptera envisioned the vehicle as having in-wheel hub motors, but those would not have been done in time to start production, so the company has now switched to inboard motors. The Vitesco EMR3 drive unit (which includes the motor, inverter and reduction gear set) powers the Aptera’s rear axle.

Now Aptera needs to test this pre-production prototype to ensure it all works well, then move on to integrating the solar array, which the manufacturer previously estimated can add as much as 40 miles of range daily. It also needs to add the rest of the body panels, the glass, the interior and onboard technology before declaring the vehicle finished and ready for production.

Given the numerous delays in production and the vague comments from the company in this regard, the exact start date remains uncertain. The last time Aptera mentioned and detailed its production plans, it estimated that the first deliveries would commence in 2024, with the production figure for 2025 estimated at 7,000 units. But that seems unlikely now.

The company notes that the switch to the Vitesco drive unit “ensures our ability to deliver Aptera vehicles in 2025, which we believe is the most important thing to do for the company, our shareholders, and our future Aptera owners.” It hasn’t said how the new drivetrain affects efficiency and the three-wheeler’s range, which still comes with the promise of 400 miles on one charge for the flagship model.

Earlier in the year, Aptera didn’t have the funds necessary to start production this year. The company didn’t deny that the production deadline had been moved yet again, but it clarified that the “initial phases of production include our first production-intent vehicle builds, which have been funded via the Accelerator Program. What we discussed in our latest monthly update is the additional capital required to reach production of vehicles for customer deliveries.”

About four months later, Aptera announced that it had received a $60 million investment from U.S. Capital Global, a capital market company. This brings the total capital raised by Aptera since June 2021 to $120 million, but whether that’s enough to start production remains to be seen.

Trying to ease investors’ minds and also find new backers, Aptera pointed out in the press release announcing the new round of investment that if it were to sell all 48,000 vehicles that it says it has preorders for, it would get $1.7 billion in revenue. The Aptera three-wheeler is priced between $25,900 and $46,000, and the first 2,000 vehicles built will be the well-equipped First Edition grade.