I had the fantastic opportunity to talk with Aptera Co-Founder Chris Anthony on Friday. Our short half-hour conversation highlighted production timelines, vehicle design, sustainability, and more.
This weekend, Aptera is participating in the Fully Charged Show, an Electric Vehicle convention in San Diego, where they will be unveiling their Gamma vehicle. According to Co-CEO Chris Anthony, this vehicle is the last stop before attempting to enter production next year. And while the company has a long way before delivering orders, they have over 30,000 reservation holders eagerly awaiting the vehicle’s release.
Design language –
The first question I had to ask Mr. Anthony about was the design language of Aptera’s first vehicle. Specifically, what is Aptera attempting to make consumers think and feel when they see the car for the first time?
The first thing that came to the CEO’s mind was capability; he wants consumers to feel like Aptera is just as capable as any other vehicle and can even do more with its unique energy generation capabilities. When he has had the opportunity to have people sit in the vehicle, testers have stated that the vehicle is comfortable, and Mr. Anthony hopes the vehicle’s driving dynamics only further improve the experience.
Capability as a “do everything” vehicle –
Besides the Aptera’s beautiful design, many are looking to buy the Aptera for its function. Coming out of COVID lockdowns, many consumers have been spending more time outside the house, hiking and mountain biking, meeting with friends and family, and taking trips to local events and scenic locations. How has Aptera engineered capability into their vehicle to perform these tasks?
Mr. Anthony points to the car’s solar power generation and the surprising amount of interior space as two critical features in helping people use their vehicles in everyday life. The car’s numerous solar cells mean the vehicle can go further and do more things, which is the ultimate goal of capability. At the same time, the vehicle’s interior is surprisingly spacious, with seven feet of space behind the front seats to the tail; enough room to camp in the vehicle, throw in their mountain bikes, or just travel with their dog.
Customization –
A key part of how many people interact with vehicles today is how they make them their own, customizing the look, feel, and capabilities of the vehicle to best suit their needs. Aptera is not only in support of this goal but is actively working with third-party suppliers to make that dream a reality.
The CEO clarified that Aptera would be more than willing to supply third-party accessory makers with everything from dimensions to CAD files to detailed systems information. He says, “We are happy to share information to help our users find [the vehicle] to be more useful.” As he would note later in the interview, this stems from a “right to repair mindset.”
Possible use of the Tesla Connector –
Aptera previously announced that they were not only attempting to include the Tesla connector on their vehicle but also attempting to make the connector the U.S. standard EV connector. However, it remains unclear if Aptera will include the connector in the vehicle, and doubtful that the Tesla Connector would become the US standard.
Nonetheless, Mr. Anthony stood behind the engineering of the Tesla connector. Foremost, he cited the connector’s ease of use and smaller size, which makes it far easier to maneuver than other connector types. But the connector also benefits from supporting the vast majority of electric vehicles in the U.S.
The CEO even went as far as saying that the U.S. should be spending more money supporting Tesla supercharger locations as long as the government plans to expand EV charging anyway.
Aptera’s future goals –
It is clear that Aptera will be focused on getting to production and delivering to their over 30,000 reservation holders in the immediate future. But if the company can achieve these goals, where does the CEO see the company’s next focus?
First, Mr. Anthony doesn’t see the company abandoning the two-door/two-seater form factor. He argues that the Aptera is an ideal complimentary car, helping you complete your daily commute and essential activities that don’t require a lot of space.
Perhaps more excitingly, the CEO did hint at the possibility of multiple variants of the Aptera, a commercial version or a version with more cargo capacity, for instance. No other details are known about these ideas yet.
Production timeline –
With the unveiling of Aptera’s Gamma vehicle this weekend, the company will now be shifting to getting to production as soon as next year. And while the CEO acknowledged that the timeline might not be as fast as some have wanted, he believes in doing the process correctly the first time and hopefully avoiding future issues.
“We have the good graces of our reservation holders to do it right…”
With Aptera’s current production facility in California, they aim to produce 20,000 units within the first year, meaning that filling the 30,000 reservations will take roughly a year and a half. However, any prediction outside of the company is pure conjecture.
Sustainability –
Consumers now more than ever are looking to get the best option for them and the best choice for the planet. Automakers recognize this, and many produce vehicles with sustainable interior parts, recycled metal components, and more. What does the pursuit of sustainability look like for Aptera?
The most sustainable material on Earth is the material not mined, was the conclusion of Mr. Anthony. While others may have been looking to use more sustainable materials, Aptera has pointed itself at using fewer materials in the first place. Aptera achieves this by producing a smaller vehicle, pursuing low curb weight, and reducing the number of interior components.
The pursuit of lightweight sustainability has trickle-down effects as well. Because of the vehicle’s low weight, it requires less energy to move and hence can use fewer batteries to achieve the same range, once again reducing weight (a positive feedback loop).
Ultimately, Mr. Anthony notes that fewer rare earth minerals are mined, and the vehicle as a whole becomes a more sustainable option for consumers. More specifically, Aptera uses 30% of the metal found in a typical vehicle, uses recycled composite materials for its exterior body panels, and uses recycled cloth and plastics on the interior.
The long-term goal is to have these vehicles on the road 50 years from now via upgraded parts along the way; better batteries, improved solar cells, replaceable interior pieces, etc.
Efficiency and beauty –
Manufacturers worldwide have been using aerodynamics to improve efficiency since the car’s inception. But perhaps most recently, due to the limitations of battery capacity, this pursuit has resulted in finding the most efficient shape possible, arguably at the cost of design. While vehicles like the Lucid Air and Mercedes EQS may have been beautiful in previous years, with the introduction of the Volkswagen ID Aero, it is clear that manufacturers are willing to trade unoriginality for efficiency.
Mr. Anthony doesn’t think that this has to be the case. In his response to this issue, he notes that Aptera proves that new and exciting designs can still be made in different form factors while still achieving maximal efficiency.
Are smaller vehicles the future? –
Aptera has highlighted the numerous benefits of producing smaller form factor vehicles. They can be more efficient, reduce manufacturing costs, be more aerodynamic, and be more sustainable. But are these motivators enough to get Americans to buy smaller vehicles in the future?
The CEO doesn’t believe so. Americans are obsessed with huge vehicles, evidenced by exceptionally high SUV and Truck sales. But perhaps, if anything, Aptera can show Americans what future transportation could look like, and if they are willing to give it a chance, maybe it will even change hearts and minds.
Aptera CEO Chris Anthony was incredibly gracious in giving Teslarati a piece of his busy schedule. If you want to learn more about the company’s vehicle, go to their website. And if you happen to be in the San Diego area, it’s worth the trip to the Fully Charged Show to check out the Aptera booth and the numerous other manufacturers attending the event.
William is not an Aptera ambassador, order holder, or investor.
What do you think of the article? Do you have any comments, questions, or concerns? Shoot me an email at william@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @WilliamWritin. If you have news tips, email us at tips@teslarati.com!
Tesla AI lead Ashok Elluswamy said this week that 24-hour Robotaxi service is close. Replying on X to a rider who wanted Cybercab trips all night, he wrote that the capability would arrive “next month or so” once “the next tech to merge on the v15 plan” is ready.
The comment landed on September 4, one day after Tesla opened public Cybercab rides in Austin. It is the clearest near-term timeline yet for overnight unsupervised operation. Tesla’s paid Robotaxi network currently runs from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week across Austin, Dallas, Houston, Miami, Orlando, and Tampa.
next month or so. the next tech to merge on the v15 plan will enable it.
— Ashok Elluswamy (@aelluswamy) September 4, 2026
That 16-hour window is shorter than the 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. schedule the company used for much of the prior year.
Elluswamy did not name the specific feature or say whether the change would apply first to purpose-built Cybercabs, the existing Model Y fleet, or both. He also offered no city-by-city rollout list. The link to Full Self-Driving v15 is nevertheless significant.
Tesla has described v15 as a step-change architecture with seven parallel improvement tracks and roughly ten times more parameters than earlier builds. Early versions of that software already operate on the Robotaxi fleet and contain about 40 percent of the planned gains.
By July 2026, the unsupervised fleet had logged more than 380,000 miles across six cities in two states with what the company called an impeccable safety record and no notable incidents caused by the vehicles themselves. Tesla has repeatedly argued that camera-based end-to-end neural networks, rather than extra sensors, are the core of the solution.
Overnight service would test that claim in lower-light conditions and would also raise vehicle utilization, a key variable for Robotaxi unit economics. The company has already begun using public Superchargers at night and is building dedicated Robotaxi charging sites.
Riders have asked why software must change if the cars already drive in the dark. The practical answer appears to be reliability and scale: Tesla has held back mass expansion until more of the v15 stack is merged, citing the need for higher confidence before putting thousands of unoccupied vehicles on streets around the clock.
If the next module arrives on the timetable Elluswamy sketched, 24-hour service could begin in October 2026 in at least some markets.
That would mark a shift from a daytime-bounded pilot to a service that can run whenever demand exists, including the late-night hours that have so far remained out of reach.
Tesla is beginning to roll out Full Self-Driving Supervised v14.3.9 with a new active safety layer that can take control even when the driver is operating the car manually.
Tesla AI said the software can activate FSD on the driver’s behalf when an imminent collision is detected and Automatic Emergency Braking may not be enough. It may also engage if the system detects heavy distraction or an accidental FSD disengagement.
FSD Supervised v14.3.9 starting to roll out shortly
This release includes a new active safety feature set: FSD Supervised can now activate on your behalf when an imminent collision is detected and Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) may not be enough.
It may also engage if we…
— Tesla AI (@Tesla_AI) September 4, 2026
The capability is essentially Automatic Collision Evasion. However, unlike conventional AEB, which mainly applies the brakes in a straight line, this feature can use steering, braking, and acceleration together if the car calculates that stopping alone will not prevent impact and a safer path exists. The system may change lanes or move toward a shoulder when conditions allow, then continue driving after the immediate threat is handled rather than simply coming to a stop.
The intervention is meant as a last-resort safety net, not a replacement for attentive driving.
Tesla Full Self-Driving v14.3.7 early review: FSD saved me from an accident
Tesla’s own description still frames FSD as supervised assistance. Secondary reports on internal release notes say the feature can fire while the car is being driven manually if cabin-camera monitoring suggests the driver is not sufficiently attentive, such as reaching toward the back seat, or if FSD appears to have been turned off unintentionally.
After the emergency maneuver, the car is expected to alert the driver and request a return to manual control.
The safety case is straightforward. Many collisions happen in the last second because a driver is looking away, fumbles a control, or faces an obstacle that braking cannot fully solve. A system that can both recognize that AEB is insufficient and execute a coordinated evasive path can reduce those remaining high-severity events.
Re-engaging after accidental disengagement also addresses a practical failure mode: a small steering nudge that drops FSD at the worst moment. The advantage is a background safety net that uses the same vision stack already running in v14, instead of leaving the car solely to emergency braking once the driver is no longer in command.
The feature still depends on FSD being enabled and, according to reports, an active FSD purchase or subscription. It does not make the vehicle unsupervised. Drivers remain responsible, and Tesla has not published how often the system is expected to intervene or how it will handle false positives.
If the rollout is conservative and the false-alarm rate stays low, the update is a meaningful step: FSD is no longer only a feature the driver turns on. In the rare moments when disaster is already forming, it can step in.
Tesla launched the all-electric, steering wheel-less, and pedal-less Cybercab last night at a quiet and small event in downtown Austin, Texas.
The launch, which marked the beginning of unsupervised ride-hailing for Tesla’s Robotaxi platform with Cybercab, has already caught the attention of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) who has more questions.
NHTSA opened an Audit Query (AQ) into the Cybercab’s Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) certification that Tesla gave the vehicle. Manufacturers self-certify vehicles much of the time to avoid excessive regulatory delays.
Tesla Cybercab interior, note the lack of steering wheel and pedals. (Credit: @niccruzpatane/X< /a>)
However, the agency needs more information; it said in a summary:
“On September 3, 2026, Tesla began commercial deployment with a small number of its Cybercab vehicles in Austin, Texas. Tesla notified the Agency that it certified those Cybercab vehicles as compliant with all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS). Tesla also notified the Agency that it plans to gradually expand commercial deployment of the Cybercab to include additional vehicles and locations.”
It also went on to state that the Cybercab lacks traditional automotive controls, which is a groundbreaking move. The process is entirely new to the NHTSA, which gives the agency some leverage to put Tesla’s launch under a microscope:
“The vehicles lack permanently attached, conventional manual controls, such as a brake pedal, gas pedal, steering wheel, and mirrors. NHTSA is opening this AQ to examine the process and technical data on which Tesla relied when certifying the Cybercab and related issues. Among other things, NHTSA will consider the extent to which Tesla’s certification depended on determinations that certain FMVSS are inapplicable to the Cybercab.”
Tesla has added 45 Cybercab units to its fleet of Robotaxi-enabled cars in Austin, according to public documents the company submitted to the State of Texas over the past week. Enabling this level of self-driving is something Tesla has worked toward for many years, and now that it is finally here, it seems more than reasonable that regulatory agencies will have some questions.
Many outlets might try to frame this as a negative, but it is truly an agency looking to gain more information about groundbreaking tech that Tesla has been developing for years.
In an effort to keep riders, pedestrians, and property safe, any and all data accumulated from these first days, weeks, and months of rides will likely be shared with the NHTSA to enable broader rollout strategies across the United States and more in the future.
Tesla Robotaxi will be a 24/7 service: here’s when
Tesla Full Self-Driving will now overtake manual driving to avoid disaster
