It is showing at CES in Las Vegas a production-intent model with aero validation performed in Italy. Huh?

By Gary S. Vasilash

Aptera is a vehicle company that seems to have been around a lot longer than it actually has, probably because the vehicle that it has been promoting is pretty much unlike anything else out there: a three-wheeled, two-person vehicle that has a shape more akin to a teardrop than what is ordinarily thought of during this age of Large Rectangular Vehicles That Can Accommodate More People Than They Typically Ever Do.

It was founded in 2019.

The Aptera model is an electric vehicle that gets supplemental power via built-in solar charging. It is said to be able to provide 40 miles of range on a daily basis through the solar panels alone.

In association with the vehicle being at CES 2025, Pininfarina has announced that the vehicle underwent aerodynamic validation at the design house’s wind tunnel in Turin, Italy.

(According to Aptera the vehicle has a low coefficient of drag of 0.13, compared with the 0.23 figure for a Tesla Model 3.)

Said Chris Anthony, Co-CEO of Aptera Motors of the model at CES: “Our production-intent vehicle is not only a testament to years of innovation and engineering but also a tangible solution to reducing carbon emissions and redefining how we think about energy-efficient mobility. We’re excited to show the world that Aptera is ready to hit the road and deliver a cleaner, more sustainable future.” 

The company says it has $1.7-billion in pre-orders.

It had previously announced that it would go into production in 2024, which obviously hasn’t happened.

One curious thing: Why did the company, based in Carlsbad, California, determine it was necessary to go some 6,000 miles to do wind tunnel testing?

After all, there are some that are closer, like the A2 Wind Tunnel in Mooresville, North Carolina, which is used by motorsports teams and offers general pricing of $595 per hour.

Yes, I understand that there is a difference between Turin and Mooresville, but were I one of the claimed nearly 50,000 people waiting for my car, closer would be quicker and consequently better.