NEW YORK: Attempting to prove that solar-powered mobility is not just a concept for the future, a three-wheeled electric car has completed its first-ever long-distance road trip partially powered by the sun.
US startup Aptera says its two-seater electric car was able to cover 480km in total, with the car's range extended by solar power, demonstrating that solar cars are not just an idea but a real-world solution ready for the present.
Of the 480km trip on the Route 66 highway in the US, 32km came solely from the sun's rays, said Aptera, which also said the solar tech peaked at 520Wh while in motion.
The 32km of solar power may be only enough for a quick dash to the shops, but Aptera is confident it could coax more sunshine range out of its dolphin-shaped Aptera Hermes prototype.
The possibility of solar power extending the distance that electric cars can cover could also help ease the lingering fear many drivers have of running out of battery in an electric car.
Company co-chief executive Steve Fambro, along with a small crew, took the Aptera vehicle on a road trip through the south-west of the US, starting in the snowy mountain town of Flagstaff, Arizona, where the vehicle was already pulling in 300 watts of solar energy before the day even began.
“It’s kind of the path not really taken,” said Fambro. “And that’s one of the reasons we wanted to do it this way.” Aptera is a crowd-funded US car maker based in Carlsbad, California.
The production version was revealed at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas in January.
At the time, the brand had already collected 50,000 refundable US$100 (RM448)-deposits from across the world for its first model. The company plans to start assembly this year.
