Aptera begins offering the public an opportunity to invest in its solar tech via self-directed IRA

Solar EV startup Aptera Motors has announced a clever new demand lever to get more of the public to invest in its technology en route to initial vehicle production later this year. Starting today, you can now invest in Aptera through a self-directed IRA. If you don’t know what a self-directed IRA is or do not have one yet, no worries; Aptera has the steps in place to walk you through it.

Aptera is a scrappy EV startup in its second iteration, consistently pushing forward and leading a nascent segment of solar EVs as the first-ever to reach scaled production and prove the plausibility of those zero-emissions vehicles.

As it is for all startups, scaling is hard. However, Aptera Motors has never tiptoed around that hurdle it still faces and has already presented several unique solutions to garner funding while offering the public opportunities to be the first to drive off in one of its sun-powered EVs.

In early 2023, Aptera co-founders Steve Fambro and Chris Anthony announced an Accelerator Program, requesting community funding investments from reservation holders starting at a minimum of $10,000. Those who invested in Aptera have had their deliveries prioritized with commemorative Launch Edition builds.

To make things more fun, Aptera included a leaderboard competition for the 2,000 available slots, equating to a numbered, commemorative build of the Launch Edition. The more invested, the sooner you get your vehicle.

By February 2024, Aptera had filled all 2,000 initial production slots, raising nearly $34 million from reservation holders who were confident in the startup and chose to invest. Still, Aptera’s co-founders relayed that more funding would be required to scale, and the company has been exploring additional funding streams since.

As we’ve reported in the past, the startup is still interested in an IPO to help get production over the finish line. Before then however, the next opportunity to invest in Aptera comes in the form of a self-directed IRA, which the startup has added as an option to its investment page starting today.

You can now invest in Aptera through a self-directed IRA

Per Aptera Motors, the public can now invest in the startup and its solar EV technology by opening a self-directed IRA – an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) bound by traditional rules but with additional options for alternative investments in options not typically found in conventional IRAs (real estate, cryptocurrency, etc.) Per Aptera:

Investing in Aptera with your Self-Directed IRA allows you to align your retirement portfolio with your values and beliefs in clean mobility and cutting-edge technology. As we continue to revolutionize the mobility industry with our solar-powered vehicles and commitment to grid independence, your investment can be a part of driving positive change and shaping the future of mobility.

Many consumers already have some form of retirement investment in place, whether it’s a traditional IRA, Roth IRA, or other type. However, self-directed IRAs are less common because they have more complex rules, and the account holder assumes all the risk. In exchange, however, this IRA option provides more flexibility in how you choose to invest your hard-earned money.

As a startup specializing in solar technology and EVs, Aptera is obviously not personally managing the self-directed IRAs but instead has enlisted trusted partners who can help you set one up if you don’t already have one. You can learn more about this opportunity to invest in Aptera and start the process of opening a self-directed IRA through its dedicated page.

As always, Aptera’s solar EVs are available for pre-order now for $100 down, but you can reserve one for $70 using this link.