Aptera anticipates lowest drag coefficient of any car ever in wind tunnel testing
Aptera’s “Gamma” prototype of its solar-powered, three-wheeled electric car is overseas right now, doing aerodynamic testing at Pininfarina’s wind tunnel near Turin, Italy, in the shadow of the Italian Alps.
The company is confident that when results come in, the Aptera will have the lowest aerodynamic drag coefficient of any production passenger car.
Pininfarina’s wind tunnel was opened in 1972, one of the first full-size wind tunnels in the world to be completed and the first in Italy.
Much of car design has moved to “computational fluid dynamics,” or CFD, where computers simulate wind tunnel results. But wind tunnels are still useful for validation testing, to ensure that an automaker’s models coincide with real-world results. That validation testing phase is what Aptera is currently doing in Italy.
There has been a lot of focus on automobile drag coefficients in recent years, as automakers try to make cars more efficient. Efficiency is needed not only in electric cars, where more drag means larger batteries, more cost and more weight for the same range, but also in gas cars, where efficiency-conscious consumers and government regulators demand higher mileage.
And so, we’ve been seeing cars become more egg-shaped in recent years, as smooth shapes cut through the air with less disturbance and, thus, less drag.
However, the ideal shape is not an egg; rather, a teardrop shape is. A long pointed tail is crucial to reducing drag because it reduces turbulent eddies at the rear of the vehicle.
This is why the original EV1 had its pod-like shape with a long and partially tapered rear end, which helped it to achieve a Cd of 0.19, the lowest drag coefficient of any vehicle at the time (since exceeded only by the short-lived Lightyear 0).
But the Aptera takes that to a whole different level. While the EV1 still had a stubby back-end, the Aptera is completely pointed at the rear. This means fewer eddies, less disturbance, and more efficiency.
Another important area of focus for efficiency is the wheels. The Aptera prototype has three almost entirely enclosed wheels, which again reduces the amount of air that gets pushed around by the vehicle. Think of spoked wheels as miniature propellers pointed sideways, and you’ll understand why they can produce so much aerodynamic disturbance (this is also why aerodynamic wheel covers can increase range).
On the EV1, and other aerodynamic vehicles like the original Honda Insight, the vehicle’s rear fenders extended down over the wheels, improving efficiency. But the Aptera, again, takes this to another level by enclosing all three wheels in aerodynamic pods, allowing them to slip through the air more effectively.
All of this comes together to produce an exceptionally efficient vehicle, which Aptera thinks will have the lowest Cd of any production car ever, beating the EV1’s 0.19 and Lightyear 0’s 0.175 marks.
And finally, the Aptera is small. Aerodynamic drag is the product of a vehicle’s drag coefficient (Cd) and its frontal cross-sectional area. A larger car pushes more air than a smaller car, so the Aptera’s small profile means less air is being pushed around.
Aptera claims that the combination of these factors will make it the “most efficient vehicle on the planet” (well, maybe not more efficient than this one, but we’ll say they meant “car”). Plus, with the large solar panels on its roof, this means that its vehicle will need “no charging for most daily use.”
Electrek’s Take
While startup automakers like to make big claims that sometimes don’t turn out in reality, Aptera’s claim here seems completely achievable, and in fact, we’d be very surprised if it didn’t break records. I mean, just look at the thing.
In Aptera’s previous incarnation, its vehicle supposedly had a Cd of 0.15, but that didn’t make it to production. And early on, Aptera claimed that this new iteration would beat even that mark with a Cd of 0.13. So 0.175 seems like a cake walk, particularly given the shape of the Aptera’s radical design.
So the more difficult part about their claim isn’t the “most aerodynamic” part, but the “production car” part. There’s still a long way to go before getting this car to market, and the road for solar EV startups is fraught with peril.
But Aptera, both in its previous and current incarnation, has captured somewhat of a spark in the public consciousness that other solar EV startups or funky three-wheeled EVs have had a hard time capturing. It even ran a surprisingly successful crowdfunding program (before pausing at the request of the SEC), showing that people really do want this car to come out.
And why not? It has a cool look, it’s making a lot of big promises (including a potential future of a 1,000-mile battery, which this author thinks is patently ridiculous), and its design looks like it could actually deliver on some of those promises.
If it truly is as incredibly efficient as it looks, maybe it could actually be the first solar EV to actually work, to take the idea of solar EVs (like those we saw at the Electrek Formula Sun Grand Prix last week) and put them on the road, for real, and not just in the hands of college students or research projects.
If you’re interested in the Aptera EV, Aptera is taking $100 reservations. If you’d like to sign up, you can use our Aptera referral code afor $30 off that reservation fee.
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On today’s road-ready episode of Quick Charge, Tesla released data hinting that its Autopilot ADAS solution may be less safe to use than before. We’ve also got some news from inside the Tesla diner experience, plus a 250,000 mile Ford Mustang Mach-E that still has more than 90% of its battery capacity left!
We also cover Lucid’s plans to reinvigorate American EV manufacturing WITHOUT help from Washington by forging stronger bonds between automakers, mineral miners, and battery recyclers – plus: Optimus breaks down.
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Environment
91% of renewables are cheaper than fossil fuels, but Trump just defunded a vital US grid upgrade
Renewables continued to dominate fossil fuels on price in 2024, according to a new report from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). The big takeaway: Clean energy is the cheapest power around – by a wide margin. So it’s pretty bad business that the biggest grid upgrade project in US history just got kneecapped by Trump’s Department of Energy to stop the “green scam.”
On average, solar power was 41% cheaper than the lowest-cost fossil fuel in 2024, and onshore wind was 53% cheaper. Onshore wind held its spot as the most affordable new source of electricity at $0.034 per kilowatt-hour, with solar close behind at $0.043/kWh.
IRENA’s report says global renewables added 582 gigawatts (GW) of capacity last year, which avoided about $57 billion in fossil fuel costs. That’s not a small dent. Even more impressive: 91% of all new renewable power projects built in 2024 were cheaper than any new fossil fuel option.
Technological innovation, strong supply chains, and economies of scale are driving the cost advantage. Battery prices are helping too: IRENA says utility-scale battery energy storage systems (BESS) are now 93% cheaper than they were in 2010, with prices averaging $192/kWh in 2024.
But it’s not all smooth sailing. The report flags short-term cost pressures from trade tensions, material bottlenecks, and rising costs in some regions. North America and Europe feel more squeezed than others due to permitting delays, limited grid capacity, and higher system costs.
Meanwhile, countries in Asia, Africa, and South America could see faster cost drops thanks to stronger learning rates and abundant solar and wind resources.
One big challenge is financing. In developing countries, high interest rates and perceived investor risk inflate the levelized cost of electricity of renewables. For example, wind power generation costs were about the same in Europe and Africa last year ($0.052/kWh), but financing made up a much larger share of project costs in Africa. IRENA estimates the cost of capital was just 3.8% in Europe but 12% in Africa.
And even if projects are affordable to build, many are getting stuck in grid connection queues or stalled by slow permitting. Those “integration costs” are now a major hurdle, especially in fast-growing G20 and emerging markets.
Tech is helping with some of that – hybrid solar-wind-storage setups and AI-powered tools are improving grid performance and project efficiency. But digital infrastructure and grid modernization still lag in many places, holding renewables back.
“Renewables are rising, the fossil fuel age is crumbling,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres. “But leaders must unblock barriers, build confidence, and unleash finance and investment.”
IRENA’s bottom line is that the economics of renewables are stronger than ever, but to keep the momentum going, governments and markets need to reduce risks, streamline permitting, and invest in grids.
Electrek’s Take
Speaking of unblocking barriers and investment, the opposite just happened today in Trump World. The Department of Energy just canceled a $4.9 billion conditional loan commitment for the 800-mile Grain Belt Express Phase 1 transmission project, the biggest transmission line in US history.
It’s a high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission line connecting Kansas wind farms across four states. It will connect four grids, improving reliability. It will be able to power 50 data centers and create 5,500 jobs. Phase 1 is due to start next year.
The new grid will also connect all forms of energy, not just renewables, and it’s super pathetic that Invenergy had to stoop to put up a map on the project’s home page today showing how it will transmit fossil fuels, the “existing dispatchable generation source,” and felt it had to leave renewables off the map entirely. Sorry, Kansas wind farms, you get no mention because this administration doesn’t like you.
Chicago-based Invenergy plans to build the 5 GW Grain Belt Express in phases from Kansas to Illinois. The company says the project will save customers $52 billion in energy costs over 15 years. Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) complained to Trump about the project, calling it a “green scam,” and got the government loan canceled based on a lie, claiming it would cost taxpayers “billions.” This was Invenergy’s response on X:
As usual, Trump was swayed by the last person in the room, and Hawley shot an entire region in the foot when an upgraded grid and more renewables are needed more than ever. Hopefully, this project can continue despite the ignorant shortsightedness coming from the Republicans (who ironically released an AI Action Plan today).
It beggars belief that this political party is this isolated from the rest of the world – well, besides our besties Iran, Libya, and Yemen, who aren’t part of the Paris Agreement either – and being that the US is the world’s No 2 polluter, the world will suffer for its arrogance.
Read more: FERC: Solar + wind made up 96% of new US power generating capacity in first third of 2025
The 30% federal solar tax credit is ending this year. If you’ve ever considered going solar, now’s the time to act. 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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Environment
Elon Musk with a straight face: Tesla Robotaxi will cover half of US population by end of the year
Elon Musk claims that Tesla Robotaxi will cover half of the US population by the end of the year and we can’t stop laughing.
Today, Tesla released its Q2 2025 financial results.
Earnings are down 23% on falling electric vehicle sales and lower margins, but Tesla’s stock is not crashing because CEO Elon Musk is promising a return to earnings growth through autonomous driving and humanoid robots.
We previously reported on how Tesla’s Robotaxi effort is a major shift in strategy for Tesla, which has been promising unsupervised self-driving in its customer vehicles for years.
Instead, the Robotaxi service consists of an internal fleet operating within a geo-fenced area, currently only in Austin, Texas, and powered by teleoperation and in-car supervisors with a finger on a kill switch at all times.
“I believe half of the population of the US will be covered by Tesla’s Robotaxi by the end of the year.”
He added that he believes that regulatory approval will be the biggest hurdle, even though Tesla’s current service requires a Tesla employee in each car, which is a major hurdle to scaling.
Musk and Ashok Elluswamy, Tesla’s head of self-driving, both claimed that the Bay Area will be the first market where Tesla plans to expand its Robotaxi service. However, Elluswamy added that the program will initially have a driver in the driver’s seat.
This makes sense considering we learned last week that Tesla has yet to apply for the proper permits to operate an autonomous ride-hailing service in California.
Electrek’s Take
This is laughable. Who believes that? How can Elon say that with a straight face when Tesla only has a joke of a system that requires supervision at all times?
For context, Tesla currently only operates in a little over half of Austin, Texas. Here’s the list of all the metro areas Tesla would need to launch Robotaxi by the end of the year to cover half of the US population:
| Rank | Metro Area | Population | Cumulative Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | 19.15 M | 19.15 M |
| 2 | Los Angeles | 12.68 M | 31.83 M |
| 3 | Chicago | 9.04 M | 40.87 M |
| 4 | Houston | 6.89 M | 47.76 M |
| 5 | Dallas–Fort Worth | 6.73 M | 54.49 M |
| 6 | Miami | 6.37 M | 60.86 M |
| 7 | Atlanta | 6.27 M | 67.13 M |
| 8 | Philadelphia | 5.86 M | 72.99 M |
| 9 | Washington, DC | 5.60 M | 78.59 M |
| 10 | Phoenix | 4.83 M | 83.42 M |
| 11 | Boston | 4.40 M | 87.82 M |
| 12 | Seattle | 3.58 M | 91.40 M |
| 13 | Detroit | 3.54 M | 94.94 M |
| 14 | San Diego | 3.37 M | 98.31 M |
| 15 | San Francisco | 3.36 M | 101.67 M |
| 16 | Tampa | 3.04 M | 104.71 M |
| 17 | Minneapolis–St. Paul | 2.62 M | 107.33 M |
| 18 | St. Louis | 2.80 M | 110.13 M |
| 19 | Denver | 2.99 M | 113.12 M |
| 20 | Baltimore | 2.83 M | 115.95 M |
| 21 | Orlando | 2.76 M | 118.71 M |
| 22 | Charlotte | 2.75 M | 121.46 M |
| 23 | San Antonio | 2.60 M | 124.06 M |
| 24 | Austin | 2.42 M | 126.48 M |
| 25 | Pittsburgh | 2.43 M | 128.91 M |
| 26 | Sacramento | 2.42 M | 131.33 M |
| 27 | Las Vegas | 2.32 M | 133.65 M |
| 28 | Cincinnati | 2.26 M | 135.91 M |
| 29 | Kansas City | 2.19 M | 138.10 M |
| 30 | Columbus | 2.14 M | 140.24 M |
| 31 | Cleveland | 2.16 M | 142.40 M |
| 32 | Indianapolis | 2.12 M | 144.52 M |
| 33 | San José | 1.99 M | 146.51 M |
| 34 | Virginia Beach–Norfolk | 1.76 M | 148.27 M |
| 35 | Providence | 1.68 M | 149.95 M |
| 36 | Milwaukee | 1.57 M | 151.52 M |
| 37 | Jacksonville | 1.60 M | 153.12 M |
| 38 | Raleigh–Durham | 1.45 M | 154.57 M |
| 39 | Nashville | 1.43 M | 156.00 M |
| 40 | Oklahoma City | 1.42 M | 157.42 M |
| 41 | Richmond | 1.30 M | 158.72 M |
| 42 | Louisville | 1.28 M | 160.00 M |
| 43 | Salt Lake City | 1.26 M | 161.26 M |
| 44 | New Orleans | 1.23 M | 162.49 M |
| 45 | Hartford | 1.20 M | 163.69 M |
| 46 | Buffalo | 1.11 M | 164.80 M |
| 47 | Birmingham | 1.10 M | 165.90 M |
This is ridiculous. The lies are becoming increasingly larger and more brazen. We know what that means.
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