Aptera has begun construction of its vehicle production line at the company’s Carlsbad facility in Southern California, marking a shift from prototype development to pre-production manufacturing of its solar-powered electric vehicle.
The newly-installed production line will enable Aptera to build test vehicles before moving to low-volume manufacturing. The setup represents the company’s first organized assembly process using defined station sequences.
The front-wheel drive Aptera uses a permanent-magnet synchronous electric motor connected to a 44kWh battery pack that delivers 400 miles of range.
The two-seat, three-wheeled vehicle features Body in Carbon construction with fiberglass elements and integrated solar panels across its surface.
According to Aptera, the solar panels can add up to 40 miles of range daily – potentially providing more than 10,000 miles of solar-powered driving annually.
Co-CEO Chris Anthony called the production line completion an “important moment in Aptera’s journey.”
“For the first time, our technicians will be assembling vehicles along a defined sequence of stations, using processes developed hand-in-hand with the engineers who designed them,” he said.
The production line’s assembly fixture allows precise construction of the Body in Carbon structure while establishing processes for future large-scale manufacturing.
Pre-Production Phase Begins
Body in Carbon components and chassis assemblies have started arriving at the Carlsbad site. Aptera will use the new line to build test versions and refine its manufacturing processes.
Co-CEO Steve Fambro described the milestone as a bridge between prototype development and series production capabilities.
“Seeing this line come to life signals the next phase for Aptera,” Fambro said. “It’s the bridge between our prototype builds and the preproduction and series production systems that we aim to one day use to deliver solar mobility at scale.”
The company hasn’t announced a launch date for the vehicle.
Aptera estimates it needs an additional $65 million in investment to begin low-volume production of its solar-powered EV.
