The climate crisis is no surprise to anyone. At present, the majority of companies are implementing energy innovation measures, to a greater or lesser extent, in order to operate with sustainable energy. In particular, the automotive sector is investing most in renewable technology. Brands are in a fight to see who gets the best and fastest clean energy. While electric cars seem to go ahead, solar energy is making its way. The company Aptera is carrying out pilot projects in the USA. Their proposal offers a vehicle powered by the solar system, without fuel. The tests carried out seem to be promising, so the brand will continue its development.
Electric vehicles (Evs)
The transition to fossil-fuelled vehicles has begun. In recent years, brands and manufacturers have begun to consider alternatives to their usual combustion designs. It is not an easy decision, because it involves a considerable investment. They have to be right with the choice of renewable energy. It must be cheap to obtain and with sufficient autonomy for consumers to accept it. Until today, the electric motor seems to have prevailed. The big company that leads the sector is Tesla, no doubt. Followed by BYD and Cupra. The rest of the brands have started by manufacturing hybrid cars, without jumping into the pool altogether.
Hydrogen vehicles
The second option for companies in the automotive sector is hydrogen engines. Many are defenders who is the only 100% sustainable source. However, both electric batteries and hydrogen generate emissions at some point in their production and transfer, and also at the end of their life, in storage.
Aptera: solar energy vehicles
What about solar energy? Has it come to be considered as an alternative energy for vehicles? Many think that the use of solar energy is reserved for homes or factories. However, the reality is different. In February 2025, the US brand Aptera Motors released a press release that sets the competition apart. They had produced the first solar-powered car design. They chose the Mojave Desert in California, USA. After the first pilot tests, Steve Fambro, its co-founder and co-CEO stated: “Our validation testing confirms that we’re on track to achieve our target energy consumption of roughly 100 Wh/mile, unlocking a level of efficiency that makes solar mobility possible in a way never seen before.
What started as Matlab calculations is now coming to life on the road. This is the future of transportation”. These results inspire a future where solar energy could be used in the automotive sector. It is an energy that does not require extractions, excavations, tests or adaptations to operate a motor. The costs to the consumer would be zero, while factories only invested in production. Its effectiveness would be doubled in regions with warm climates, such as Africa or southern Europe.
Advantage over competition
This news has sounded the alarm for both hydrogen and other fuels. Can solar really prevail over other energies in car production? It could be. The main advantage of solar energy is that it does not involve additional costs. There is no need for extraction, displacement or research, as with other energies. In addition, its use is not limited to vehicles, but also has been proposed a bullet train with 100% renewable solar energy.
It is for all is, that Aptera Motors is not taking a step back. The results obtained in the first pilot tests encourage the brand to continue along this line. Who knows, perhaps soon we will see solar cars competing directly with Tesla, or maybe it is a project that does not go much further.