US-based startup claims its electric vehicle does not need charging

Aptera Motors claims its new three-wheeler electric vehicle can offer a range of more than 1,600 kms without a charge. (photo courtesy: Aptera Motors)

A US-based electric vehicle startup has launched a three-wheeler that it claims does not require any charging to run. Aptera Motors has announced it has introduced the first solar electric vehicle (sEV) that requires no charging for most daily use and boasts a range of more than 1,600 kms per full charge. That is way more than any other EVs, even Tesla cars, can offer currently.

“With Aptera’s Never Charge technology, you are driven by the power of the sun. Our built-in solar array keeps your battery pack topped off and anywhere you want to go, you just go," says Co-Founder Chris Anthony.

“With direct current fast charging, charging speeds can reach a range of 500 miles per hour," Aptera claims. Never Charge is built into every Aptera and is designed to harvest enough sunlight to travel over 11,000 miles per year in most regions. Theoretically, it is possible to drive without charging, depending on the occupant's location and driving habits.

The Aptera battery packs range in size from 25.0 kWh to 100.0 kWh, and the heaviest model weighs about 997 kgs. Aptera energy efficiency is 10 miles per kWh, certainly more than any other EVs on offer till date and is nearly double to what Lucid Air has on offer.

The Aptera EV is characterised by a shape that looks like an airplane's fuselage minus its wings, which has a drag coefficient of 0.13 and is designed to consume only 100 watts of energy per mile. And it is decently quick too for an electric vehicle. Aptera claims the liquid-cooled electric motors can propel the EV from 0-60 miles per hour in as fast as 3.5 seconds, with a top speed of 110 mph (177 kmph).

The Aptera EV is available in both front-wheel and all-wheel drive options. The front-wheel-drive EV can produce maximum power of 134 hp, while the all-wheel-drive version can produce 201 hp of power.

The Aptera EV will be available in three exterior colour options - Noir (black), Luna (silver), and Sol (white). The EV is open for order at a starting price of $25,900 (roughly calculated to ₹19.10 lakh).

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