Aptera awarded $21M grant from California Energy Commission to help bring solar EVs to production
Solar electric vehicle startup Aptera Motors shared encouraging news today as it has been awarded a grant from the California Energy Commission (CEC) to the tune of $21 million. The grant comes as welcomed news for Aptera as it looks to reach scaled production of its namesake solar EV as one of the few startups left trying to successfully scale the sustainable technology for the masses.
While we’ve seen other solar electric vehicle startups shutter or pivot their businesses away from EV manufacturing, Aptera Motors continues to push forward with hopes of achieving what its competitors could not – scaled SEV series production.
Aptera’s long journey toward this goal made significant headway in January with the debut of its Launch Edition solar EV. While the technology set to debut on the Launch Edition Aptera looks beyond promising in unmatched range and aerodynamics, the company’s cofounders shared that massive amounts of additional funding were still required to reach production, which remains at least a year away.
One week later, the startup launched a crowdfunding campaign called Accelerate Aptera seeking to raise an additional $20-$50 million to help propel its technology toward production. The clever campaign asks its loyal community of reservation holders to invest at least $10,000 in the cause as part of a sort of funding contest, complete with a leaderboard that prioritizes first SEV deliveries to whomever donates the most.
To date, the Accelerate program has garnered nearly $8 million in funding and secured production slots for 544 reservation holders, with the current leader’s investment eclipsing $1 million. At the time of the crowdfunding announcement, Aptera’s co-founders also announced the company had received a grant for $21 million, but it was all but guaranteed since the process would not be completed until February or March.
Today however, Aptera has confirmed an official award of the state grant in California which, combined with its Accelerate program, will help the startup inch ever closer to scaled SEV production. Here’s the latest.
Aptera Motors SEV production progress accelerates
In a release today, the startup confirmed the award of the $21 million grant, which will support its Solar Mobility Manufacturing Project in California. The California Energy Commission awarded the money to Aptera in support of the project, which entails manufacturing components and vehicles in the state while lowering cumulative greenhouse gases (GHGs). CEC commissioner Patty Monahan spoke:
Aptera represents California’s innovative and entrepreneurial spirit when it comes to electric vehicles, harnessing the power of the sun to go further on truly zero-emission solar energy. The Energy Commission is proud to fund Aptera to manufacture the world’s first mass-produced, three-wheeled solar car. Meeting California’s goal to zero out pollution from transportation over the next 15-25 years will require innovation and thinking outside the box.
As we previously reported, the grant will operate as a reimbursement program, meaning Aptera must complete eligible purchases (production equipment, machines, etc.) up to $21 million with its own money first, then the CEC will pay the company back after. Still, fresh funding is exciting news for both employees hard at work at Aptera HQ and those reservation holders looking to get behind the wheel of one of the first production model SEVs. Co-founder and co-CEO Chris Anthony also spoke about the grant:
Working with the CEC enables us to produce grid-free, carbon neutral solar mobility, while creating new jobs for all Californians (targeting 10% in underserved communities). Our over-arching goal is to meet the demand for our solar electric vehicles to have real impact on climate change, sharing in CEC’s ultimate mission.
Looking ahead, Aptera Motors is already planning to bolster SEV production in California by moving its specialized in-wheel motor manufacturing over from Europe once scale has been achieved. The Accelerate Aptera program is scheduled to end on March 26, 2023. From there, we will get the final investment total from reservation holders, joining the $21 million already awarded.
The Aptera SEV is still available for reservations for only $100 down, $70 if you use this link.
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Germany is about to become home to Europe’s largest battery storage system – a massive 1 gigawatt (GW) / 4 gigawatt-hour (GWh) project in Jänschwalde, Brandenburg.
LEAG Clean Power GmbH and Fluence Energy GmbH, a subsidiary of US-based Fluence Energy (NASDAQ: FLNC), are teaming up to build the “GigaBattery Jänschwalde 1000.” The four-hour system will use Fluence’s Smartstack technology, its latest large-scale energy storage solution.
Once complete, Europe’s largest battery storage project will play a key role in stabilizing Germany’s grid and storing renewable power for when the sun isn’t shining and the wind isn’t blowing. It’s designed to deliver essential grid services, support energy trading, and boost energy security as the country phases out fossil fuels.
LEAG’s broader “GigawattFactory” plan combines solar and wind farms with flexible power plants and large-scale batteries across Germany’s Lusatian energy region. “By constructing gigascale storage facilities, we’re addressing one of the biggest challenges of the energy transition: ensuring constant power regardless of the availability of renewable energies,” said Adi Roesch, CEO of the LEAG Group.
Fluence CEO Julian Nebreda described the project as a “milestone for the energy future of Germany and Europe,” adding that it demonstrates how collaboration and cutting-edge technology can “transform the foundation of our economy and our everyday lives.”
The German government recently reaffirmed the importance of storage in building a secure and affordable clean power system. With this 4 GWh giant, LEAG and Fluence are implementing that priority in one of Europe’s most coal-heavy regions.
Read more: Battery boom: 5.6 GW of US energy storage added in Q2
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![The Genesis GV90 is shaping up to be a real stunner [Video]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/11/Genesis-GV90-ultra-luxury-SUV.jpeg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
The GV90 will be the brand’s largest, most luxurious SUV yet. With its official debut coming up, a production version of the Genesis GV90 was spotted in public for the first time, offering a closer look at the stunning SUV.
The Genesis GV90 is a stunning flagship SUV
Genesis vehicles already have a unique design that’s hard to miss. The big Creste Grille, Two-Line Quad Lamps, and smooth character lines offer a refined, luxurious look, but Genesis is planning to take it to the next level with the GV90.
The GV90 is an “ultra-luxe, state-of-the-art SUV,” according to Genesis. It will be the luxury brand’s new flagship vehicle and first full-size electric SUV.
We got our first look at the flagship SUV last March after Genesis unveiled the Neolun concept at the New York Auto Show.
The GV90 has been spotted out in public several times now, even flashing high-end features like coach doors and adaptive air suspension, but now, we are finally getting our first look at the production version in real life.
A new video from HealerTV shows the production version of the Genesis GV90 in action. Although it’s still covered in camo, you can see a few slight design changes from the concept shown last year.
The headlights and grille appear closer in design to its current vehicles, but other than that, the GV90 looks essentially the same up front as the Neolun concept.
Since it’s still covered, it’s hard to see where the headlights are connected at this point. From the side and rear, the GV90 looks identical to the concept.
Genesis has yet to announce an official launch date, but the GV90 could debut by the end of the year with sales expected to kick off in mid-2026.
The flagship SUV is rumoured to be the first vehicle to debut on Hyundai’s new eM platform, which it claims will “provide 50% improvement in driving range” compared to its current EVs. It will also serve as a tech beacon, featuring Hyundai’s most advanced connectivity and safety tech.
We will learn official prices and final specs soon, but one thing is for sure: it won’t be cheap. The Genesis GV90 is expected to start at around $100,000, but higher trims could cost significantly more with added features and options.
Genesis is also introducing its first hybrid, the GV80, next year, followed by its first extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) based on the GV70. The EREV is expected to launch in late 2026 or early 2027. There’s also an off-road SUV in the works, which will likely arrive as a 2027 model.
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