If you’re new to the Aptera community it might be helpful to know that when we set out to build the most efficient solar electric vehicle on the planet, we have broken our development phases into four key stages: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta. We enjoy sharing progress and will continue to do so within a reasonable scope concerning our intellectual property and trade secrets.
Our Four Phases of Development
- Alpha — Early prototypes to validate our basic design and engineering
- Beta — Test mules used to evaluate dynamic and transient vehicle behavior
- Gamma — Development vehicles to represent production-intent functionalities and features
- Delta — Production-intent vehicles
Recently, you’ve seen our latest model, Gamma, and our community’s first reaction to its interior. Gamma is the culmination of 4+ years of hard work. It’s a snapshot in time representing Aptera’s development decisions taken months ago, that only continues to improve as we get closer and closer to our production-intent vehicle, Delta.
To mark this milestone, Aptera’s Chief of Design, Jason Hill, is taking you inside Gamma for a closer look at some of the production-intent materials, interior spaces, and features.
Making room for comfort
Aptera’s interior was designed to create a user experience that is comfortable within the working environment of our ultra-efficient shape. Through ergonomic packaging and efficient use of reach envelopes, we’re confident you’ll find Aptera miraculously spacious. In the Gamma phase of development, we’ve found ways to optimize cabin interior spaces, increasing head, leg, and hip room, without comprising our efficiency, and building upon our already spacious cargo area.
Creating a unique user experience
To create an engaging and intuitive space for users to meet Aptera’s innovation, our design decisions were informed by removing burdens in relation to its controls. The center display is your main interface for viewing and controlling most of Aptera’s important functions including vehicle controls, media, navigation, and more. Our center display is also where all aspects of climate control happen. Here, users can adjust airflow, temperature, and velocity to their precise liking.
Taking seating seriously
Designing a comfortable space also meant focusing on personalization. The seats in Aptera are fully adjustable, moving forward and backward at an angle so that everyone can find their preferred seating position. Our seats are also made to be extremely safe, lightweight, and very strong — just like our vehicle.
Materials made to last
At Aptera, our goal is to build vehicles that last a lifetime. To build a vehicle made to stay on the road longer, we chose materials that are durable, sustainable, and easy to clean. We strive to be honest with our materials, allowing them to exist in their natural state whenever possible. The vehicle we’re showing is representative of our Codex interior, displaying durable materials and natural finishes that are animal-friendly and stain-resistant.
Enhancing visibility and security
Aptera has invested a lot of time-solving the equation for greater visibility and security for the driver of an ultra-efficient vehicle. Gamma is equipped with our unique vision system and steering wheel. In Aptera, you’ll benefit from digital cameras instead of a mirror for direct rear vision, and the use of side-view cameras assisting our analog exterior mirrors for the left and right-side viewing. The screen in front of the steering wheel will display the side view images.
Over the coming months, we will share more information as the specifications for our production-intent vehicle, Delta, are solidified.