In true Aptera fashion, its cofounders shared a video update outlining the company’s progress in bringing a solar EV into scaled production. The webinar which debuted live this morning can be viewed in full below and offers a slew of news surrounding grants, funding, tooling overseas, and solar development. Here’s the latest.
As one of the few companies on the planet attempting to bring a viable (and hopefully scalable) solar EV to the masses, Aptera Motors is not only powered by the sun, but also by outside the box thinking. As a startup relying heavily on its community and other financial backers to eventually reach production, Aptera remains refreshingly open about its progress and the hurdles it still faces.
Co-founder and Co-CEO Chris Anthony hosts weekly progress updates from Aptera’s YouTube channel, which are complimented by the occasional press release or livestream event. In January, the startup’s co-founders debuted the Launch Edition solar EV during a livestream, candidly relaying that production remained an obtainable, but distant goal since at least $50 million in additional funding was still required.
The company has since launched an Accelerator Program that utilizes crowdfunding investments from reservation holders to secure their production slot of the Launch Edition solar EVs, while helping Aptera purchase initial production equipment to be paid back through a recently awarded grant from the California Energy Commission (CEC).
Aptera has since extended the Accelerator Program, which has already raised over $14 million to date. This morning, Aptera’s co-founders took to YouTube again to update the loyal and growing fanbase about the Accelerator program, new funding opportunities, and the progress of solar EV tooling overseas.
Credit: Aptera Motors/YouTube
Aptera’s latest update relays progress and optimism
The hour long update from Aptera co-founders Steve Fambro and Chris Anthony was one of logic, optimism, and most of all, gratitude. Both gentlemen visited manufacturing partner CPC Group in Italy last week to see some of the die molds that are being tooled.
As you can see from the images above, parts like the Aptera sides and doors have already been manufactured and will eventually be filled with a carbon composite material described to be the consistency of Play-Doh. That material is then heated and pressed between the stamps to produce the solar EV’s structural components.
Aptera states that the process produces less than 1% of waste material and which is then recycled back into manufacturing process. The material itself, stamped component or waste, can be recycled up to five times.
With routine maintenance, Aptera’s founders state its incoming tools have been designed to build over 100,000 parts and there is no reason to believe they couldn’t last long enough to help the startup produce one million solar EVs one day. Here’s to hoping that happens!
Part of the tooling process has been funded by Aptera’s investors, including the Accelerator Program, which has enabled certain purchases that are now starting be paid back by the aforementioned CEC grant.
That being said, Aptera’s founders were very open about the need for additional funding to reach scaled production and explained some of the measures it is taking to make it happen. In addition to the 1,000+ SEV slots still available in Accelerate, Aptera is exploring additional capital investments, new grant opportunities, and even debt financing of the production equipment.
Aptera also relayed today that after hundreds of pages of paperwork, it has officially submitted its application for the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing (ATVM) Loan Program, overseen by the US Department of Energy. During today’s update, the founders said they should find out in the next few weeks if Aptera has received a “substantially complete” nod from the DOE, in which it can start purchasing additional equipment that will be granted and funded by the loan program.
The company intends to spend the $50 million or so required over a span of 9 months as it scales, so the necessary funding does not need to come in a lump sum, but still – more capital is still needed. That being said, the company continues to make progress and is confident the combination of continued crowdfunding from reservation holders and other capital investments should help. Anthony shared some thoughtful words while live on YouTube:
We continue to raise money. People continue to find Aptera’s story and they support the mission of solar mobility with their dollars, with their reservations for the vehicles, with investment and it’s amazing to see that our story continues, even with the tumultuous times, to be a great one. I mean, 14 million dollars in the last couple months when you look at the market in some pretty interesting and negative times in terms of news, but I think we’re a very positive story. We continue to push toward production and the things that this vehicle will do for the world are compelling. Solar mobility is compelling. It’s a mission worth fighting for and we’re so happy that everyone has joined in that mission, making the world a more efficient place and making the world a better place in general.
Here are some additional updates from Aptera shared today:
Aptera continues to develop its solar panel technology for the production version of the SEV
Its latest panels are more durable, less reflective, have a better surface finish, and are easier to manufacture.
Aptera’s vehicles have three motors which require three separate inverters.
The company is currently testing its own inverter technology and is considering abandoning Silicon Carbide (SiC) used by many other automakers in favor of a lower cost Insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) inverter.
According to Aptera’s cofounders, the benefits of the SiC inverter aren’t necessarily great enough to justify the cost.
Both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are in the works as Aptera would rather dedicate its UX to battery and charging management and leave the navigation and music to those who have already perfected it. Again, saving costs.
The featured image above is a rendering of a potential off-road package design of the Aptera. We will be sure to ask for more details about that in the future.
The team is actively discussing using the solar EV’s camera for security/Sentry Mode, but Anthony said its a very low priority of its to-do list right now.
Looking ahead, Aptera Motors says it will need to further delay its production start date as it continues to try and reel in that big fish investor to get it over its current financial hump. The co-founders shared that once that funding is secured, they believe they can have production up and humming within nine months.
We recommend viewing the latest Aptera update in its entirety below. There are still over 1,000 Launch Edition Aptera’s available to reserve with a $10,000 investment, or you can join the longer waitlist for only $70 down.
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Kandi has become fairly well known in the US for its electric golf carts and work-focused UTVs, but the company has teamed up with Lowe’s and the NFL on something more playful: the Kandi 4P electric golf cart. Sold through Lowe’s with official NFL team liveries, this four-seat neighborhood cruiser is aimed less at the fairway and more at cul-de-sacs, grocery runs, and game-day tailgates. I spent time with a Miami Dolphins–themed 4P in South Florida to see what it can really do.
Kandi 4P NFL-edition golf cart video review
Want to see it in action? Or want to see my family decked out in head-to-toe Miami Dolphins gear?
Check out our family testing video below!
Specs, power, and hardware
Despite the “golf cart” label, the Kandi 4P is built more like a small road-going NEV. Power comes from a 5 kW motor and a big 48V 150 Ah lithium iron phosphate battery (around 7.2 kWh), giving it plenty of grunt for neighborhood speeds of around 20 mph and a lot more range than you’d expect from something this size. In practical terms, it just sips energy; I did multiple days of errands and joyrides before even thinking about plugging it in.
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Charging is refreshingly straightforward. The cart uses a J1772 inlet, so you can plug into a normal 120V wall outlet with the included cord or use a typical home EV charger if you already have one. It’s overkill for a golf cart, but in a good way.
Underneath, you’ll find single wishbone suspension in the front, rack-and-pinion steering, and four-wheel hydraulic disc brakes. There’s even a 2-inch receiver tow-hitch rated for 500 pounds of trailer weight and a mounting spot up front if you really want to bolt on a winch.
Features and practicality
Inside, the Kandi 4P feels more like a small EV than a basic cart. There’s a very large touchscreen display with multiple info pages for speed, battery, and system status (and also displays the backup camera). An NFC fob handles “key” duties, and you get proper controls for forward, neutral, and reverse, plus hazards, lighting, and a tilt-adjustable steering column with stalk-mounted turn signals and horn.
The seats are nicely upholstered and genuinely comfortable, with DOT seat belts front and rear, cup holders everywhere, grab bars for passengers, and a built-in Bluetooth speaker for rolling playlists or tailgate anthems. A flip-up windshield can be cracked for a bit of breeze or propped fully open on gas struts, and the hard roof extends enough to keep you fairly dry in the rain. I should know – I had it out driving in multiple rain storms!
Storage is better than you’d expect: a small glove box, a rear trunk, and even a front “frunk.” Between those and the flat floor, we were able to pull off a full grocery run – though we probably should have planned our bag strategy a bit better. We ended up buckling a week’s worth of grocery bags into the back seats, but a tub in the back would make a better storage area for those types of large store runs.
Is it worth it?
At $9,999 through Lowe’s with whichever NFL team’s colors you prefer, the Kandi 4P isn’t cheap in absolute terms, but it’s very much in the mix for modern, nicely equipped neighborhood carts. High-end golf carts can easily run $14,000–$15,000 these days, and they don’t always bring a 7+ kWh LiFePO4 pack, disc brakes all around, J1772 charging, and all the street-legal bits in one package. Add in official NFL team colors and logos and you’ve basically got a rolling fan-mobile that doubles as a genuine second car replacement for many households.
No, it’s not as safe as a full-size car – there are no airbags or crumple zones here. But it does have real seat belts and lights, and it encourages a more aware, less “invincible” mindset behind the wheel. For people living in communities with 25–30 mph streets, these kinds of carts make a lot of sense: lower cost to buy, dramatically less energy use, no tailpipe emissions, less wear on roads and tires, and far more smiles per mile.
Compared to an e-bike, the Kandi 4P wins on weather protection and passenger capacity. Compared to a second car, it wins on cost, efficiency, and fun. And if you’re the type of person who wants to show up to the grocery store or the stadium in a full team-liveried electric cart, this thing absolutely nails the assignment.
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In a bid to get it above the $1.00/share NASDAQ-required minimum, fledgling EV brand Polestar ($PSNY) is rumored to be considering a 1:30 reverse stock split that could see the per-share price rocket up to nearly $16.
Geely-owned Volvo spinoff Polestar is working as hard as Tesla to prove that stock prices have little or nothing to do with traditional business fundamentals in 2025.
That’s because Polestar posted a 36.5% increase in retail sales and a heady 48.8% increase in revenue (to $2.17 billion) over the year before, Polestar’s share price has plummeted more than 35% in a matter of a few weeks – culminating in an unwelcome nastygram from NASDAQ threatening to delist the company’s shares from the NASDAQ if they didn’t climb back up above $1.
In a reverse stock split, each share of the company is converted into a fraction of a share – so, if a company announces a one for ten reverse stock split (1:10), every ten shares that you own will be converted into a single share. In a 1:30 reverse split like the one rumored here, every thirty shares in Polestar would become a single share.
The reverse split increases share price, but it’s not without risk:
A company may declare a reverse stock split in an effort to increase the trading price of its shares – for example, when it believes the trading price is too low to attract investors to purchase shares, or in an attempt to regain compliance with minimum bid price requirements of an exchange on which its shares trade … investors may lose money as a result of fluctuations in trading prices following reverse stock splits.
That’s especially relevant because, despite the increased sales and revenue, the company is also posting increased losses. Through September, the brand posted a $1.56 billion net loss compared to an $867 million loss in the first nine months of 2024. The company is also getting hit hard by Trump-imposed tariffs in the US and increased downward pressure on pricing coming from aggressive post-tax credit discounts from rival brands like BMW and Kia.
If the split does happen, here’s hoping Polestar can make the most of their borrowed time and they don’t end up like Lordstown Motors or Faraday Future – two brands that have pulled similar reverse stock splits with dubious results.
You can find out more about Polestar’s killer EV deals on the full range of Polestar models, from the 2 to the 4, below, then let us know what you think of the three-pointed star’s latest discount dash in the comments section at the bottom of the page.
SOURCE: CarScoops; images via Polestar.
If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
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With its sleek, uncluttered styling and more than 100 miles of battery-electric range before the extended range electric sedan’s gas engine kicks on, maybe the new Nissan N6 really should have been the next Maxima!
Struggling Japanese carmaker Nissan is dealing with an aging lineup and a brand identity driven more by subprime financing than any suggestion of reliability or sportiness here in the US – but overseas? The brand is rolling out hit after hit, and the latest Nissan N6 plug-in sedan promises exactly the sort of entry-level panache that could change its American fortunes.
“Under our Re:Nissan plan, we are redefining what Nissan delivers today and beyond,” explains Nissan President and CEO Ivan Espinosa. “It’s about strengthening our core, reigniting Nissan’s heartbeat, and creating products that inspire excitement and trust. It is about a sharper, more focused product strategy, a stronger brand, and a renewed commitment to our customers. Integral to this transformation is China — an essential market whose speed, technological leadership, and customer insights are setting the pace for the global auto industry.”
Developed by the Nissan Dongfeng JV in China, the new N6 is more compact that the well-received N7 BEV. In fact, the new Nissan N6, at 190.1″ long, compares nicely to the 192.8″ length of the most recent (and largest-ever) US Maxima, discontinued in 2023. Like the Maxima, the top-shelf version features modern, near-luxe features like soft, leather-like surfaces, LED mood lighting, multi-way adjustable seats, and mimosas or something.
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Mimosas or something
Mimosas; via Nissan.
The four or five passengers inside the N6 are propelled down the road exclusively by the car’s 208 hp electric motor, which is efficient enough to take you 112 miles on a full charge of its 21.1 kWh LFP battery. Once that charge is depleted, a 1.5L gas engine kicks on as a high-efficiency generator to keep the good times rolling.
Nissan says the N6′ exterior design, “features a V-Motion signature grille and expressive LED lighting at the front and rear.” And says that the car’s crisp lines give it, “a confident, dynamic presence.”
All of which sounds good on its own, but sounds absolutely miraculous when you consider the car’s Chinese price: ¥106,900 – or about $15,000 US for the base Nissan N6 180 Pro, as I type this.
Even with a nearly 100% markup to give it a $29,990 price tag in the US, I think the N6 would be a huge hit in the North American market. And – good news! – thanks to Canada’s apparent willingness to give Chinese carmakers a shot, we might find out if I’m right somewhat sooner than later.
Check out the Nissan N6 image gallery, below, then let us know what you think of the car’s US and Canadian appeal in the comments.
If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links.More.