California start-up Aptera Motors has been testing and teasing its “Never Charge” solar electric vehicle for a while now, and over the weekend the company teased some new interior shots with some lucky volunteers.
Aptera has been testing its Alpha and Beta models this year, as we saw in January, and we learned in February that the company is looking to start selling its solar electric three-wheeler in Australia as soon as 2023.
Billed as requiring “no charging for most daily use” thanks to the 700 watts of solar built-in, the Aptera is said to generate up to 70km of driving range each day. This means the Aptera also boasts a total battery-powered range of up to 1,600km for the top-of-the-line battery.
Much of the focus, however, is less on the solar roof and more on the aerodynamics of the car, which has been built to be the most efficient vehicle in the world with a drag coefficient almost comparable to that of a solar racer.
Over the weekend, Aptera gave us a new look into the car’s interior, which reveals a sleek and stylish instrument cluster screen and centre display, lots of headroom, and matte-white detailing.
It's here and it's better than ever. #Gamma pic.twitter.com/nhu61sriIF
— Aptera (@aptera_motors) August 5, 2022
Intended to be classified not as a car but as a motorcycle or auto-cycle (depending on the jurisdiction), the car is smaller thanks to the restraints of its aerodynamics. But, for a driver and passenger, there appears to be an abundance of space regardless of height, with the volunteers in the photos measuring between 5- and 6-feet.
Aptera is expected to fully unveil the gamma prototype from the latest photos later this week, and is aiming to begin production by the end of the year.
Joshua S. Hill is a Melbourne-based journalist who has been writing about climate change, clean technology, and electric vehicles for over 15 years. He has been reporting on electric vehicles and clean technologies for Renew Economy and The Driven since 2012. His preferred mode of transport is his feet.