Aptera Won't Build A Service Network. Here's What Owners Will Get Instead
The solar EV startup is not going down the same route as Rivian or Tesla.
- Aptera, the California startup that’s working on a solar-powered EV, detailed how future owners will service their three-wheelers.
- The company is not investing much-needed cash into a proprietary service network.
- Instead, Aptera will go down the same route as Slate Auto, partnering with an independent network of repair shops.
Aptera, the California startup known for its continually delayed solar EV, has partnered with RepairPal to service its upcoming three-wheeled electric car. In other words, the manufacturer will not invest in its own service network, as Tesla and Rivian did, and will instead take a page from Slate Auto, which announced a similar partnership last year.
RepairPal’s network includes over 4,300 certified service locations across the United States, giving future Aptera owners access to plenty of options when it comes to fixing their solar cars. The move saves Aptera millions of dollars that can be used to further develop its three-wheeler, and it offers owners some peace of mind, seeing how RepairPal’s entire network will already be accessible to them when they take delivery.
Aptera said that owners will be able to schedule both routine maintenance and high-voltage service at independent repair shops, with over 200 locations already having certifications for high-voltage EV repairs. Technicians will receive training on Aptera’s vehicle, but details on the rollout have not yet been disclosed.
The same goes for Aptera’s production timeline. The company has been trying to make a solar-powered EV a reality for two decades—with some pauses—and it looks like it’s closer than ever, but reservation holders still don’t know when they’ll get their hands on their cars. The startup has a low-volume validation assembly line up and running, with five validation vehicles roaming the streets for testing purposes.
Aptera has also received a certificate of conformity from the EPA for its 2026 Launch Edition model this month, and has significantly upped its headcount, but this is still a tiny operation we’re talking about. In this year’s first-quarter report, the company said it had 57 employees, up 54% year-over-year, with $17.7 million in cash and cash equivalents.
That’s a fraction of what big names like Tesla or GM have, so it’s not surprising that development has been slow and the delivery estimates have vanished from the startup’s website.
Aptera claims it has nearly 50,000 reservations for its solar-powered EV. The Launch Edition model, the first one to be shipped, promises 400 miles of range and a front-wheel drive setup for a target price of $40,000. That said, Aptera lists a cheaper, 250-mile version priced at $28,000, and a 1,000-mile version for $55,000.
The two-seater is powered by a high-voltage battery, like any other EV, that can be charged at home or at a public charging station via a Tesla-style NACS port. It also has solar panels on its body, which can deliver between 22 and 40 miles of range per day, depending on the configuration and sunshine conditions.
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