Aptera has shown three versions of its solar-electric three-wheeler with the latest being the Gamma vehicle. Just revealed at Fully Charged Live in San Diego this past weekend, it gives us a good idea what the final production version will look like.
Having completed all stages of testing (except for crash testing), the company is now working on the production-intent vehicle, the Delta version, that it plans to have ready and show by the end of the year. The goal is to then start production sometime in 2023 with first customer deliveries presumably taking place that same year.
We had already seen the Gamma’s interior, with its screens behind the yoke-like steering wheel showing feeds from the rear-view cameras and the air vents that actually blow air all around the big central infotainment screen. The rest of the interior is very minimalist, but definitely spacious for two people and with 25 cubic feet (707 liters) of cargo space, it’s also quite practical too.
Apparently, the vehicle will also come with an available additional seat in the rear for an extra passenger. We don’t know where it will be integrated (in the center or on the side) but it will definitely make the Aptera appeal to more people if it’s a full-sized seat that can accommodate an adult.
On the exterior we noticed that the six small solar cells arranged in two chevrons on the rear decklid are gone, but Aptera has increased the number of cells it includes in the roof and front solar arrays. The company has also hinted that it may offer additional solar charging, possibly a separate array that can be used when the vehicle is stationary.
They also demonstrated that you can enter the vehicle by knocking twice on a panel next to the door and this also works for opening the hatch in the back. We don’t know if this feature will make it into production, but it’s definitely a novel way to open a car door.
Aptera says it’s almost done with the vehicle’s design and that the finished look will be shown soon, even before the actual physical reveal of the Delta prototype.
