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The pursuit of solar-powered EVs has discouraged more than one would-be automaker, but the US startup Aptera has been clinging doggedly to the futuristic fantasy with a unique angle. Instead of pitching four-wheeled passenger cars decked out in solar panels, the company has kept the solar panels and removed one wheel, and, well…
The Autocycle Solution
If you guessed an autocycle is in play, that’s the ticket. Autocycles are three-wheeled vehicles. Not to be confused with three-wheeled motorcycles, autocycles feature regular front-facing seats and steering wheels, not handlebars. They were once fairly common throughout the first half of the 20th century, and they continue to occupy niche applications in some markets overseas.
Here in the US, interest in autocycles fell off a cliff around midway through the 20th century. In recent years, though, open-cab, fat-tired, over-styled autocycles are experiencing a revival among gasmobile enthusiasts on the hunt for a uniquely eye-catching ride, enabled in part by US regulations that generally allow autocycles drivers to carry an ordinary driver’s license instead of a motorcycle license.
