Bloomberg Businessweek

Aptera Eyes Mass Production of Unique Solar Car

Dec 12, 2025
Chris Anthony, Co-CEO of Aptera Motors, shares insights on their revolutionary solar-powered, three-wheeled electric vehicle. He reveals that the vehicle could harness enough sunlight for up to 40 miles a day and even achieve impressive ranges of 400 to 1,000 miles. Chris discusses the company’s ambitious plans for mass production in the U.S. by 2026 and reveals staggering early demand with nearly 50,000 orders. He also highlights the vehicle's design benefits, including aerodynamics and off-grid capabilities that allow for extended trips.
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INSIGHT

Engineering-First Design Drives Efficiency

  • Aptera prioritized efficiency from first principles rather than conventional styling or features.
  • That engineering-first design led to an ultra-light, highly aerodynamic three-wheeler that achieves exceptional range and solar capability.
ADVICE

Use Incentives To Build Manufacturing

  • Leverage available policy incentives and grants to build domestic manufacturing capabilities.
  • Aptera cited tax incentives and a California Energy Commission grant in its U.S. production plans.
ADVICE

Bring Production Closer To Home

  • Localize production where feasible to simplify supply chains and access incentives like grants and tax credits.
  • Aptera moved battery pack manufacturing toward Carlsbad and plans U.S. cell production to capture manufacturing benefits.
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