Similarities with the Aptera Sol and Tesla Model 3?
A lot of people haven't heard of the all-electric, solar-powered Aptera before, but its actually been around for quite a long time. The company started in the early 2000's with their own vision of an electric future and around 2010 they went under due to financial troubles. They are back almost ten years later with the world rapidly moving toward an EV future.
One thing I found surprising with the Aptera Sol was just how many parts were shared with the Tesla Model 3. When they released their first video a few months ago, I noticed almost immediately that the charge port was the US spec Tesla port and they were using a modified (rebadged) Tesla charger cable.
Image Courtesy Of Aptera
In their video introducing the Sol in a commercial-like production showing off its form and function for everyday life, I got a better look at the current interior. Now I'm obsessed with quirky and weird cars, so this one is right up there for me, I noticed a few more similarities. The immediate standout was the steering column and stalks (aside from the shape of the steering wheel and airbag cover being slightly different) it is identical to the Model 3 down to the scroll wheels used.
I'm a firm believer that car companies need to team up with one another to share parts and tech to help accelerate the transition to a green future. And who knows, this might be the first car fully compatible with Tesla's robust Supercharger network.