Aptera Motors Corp. (Nasdaq: SEV) announced that independent testing organization TÜV Rheinland measured its solar electric vehicle delivering more than 4 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of usable solar energy into its battery pack on each of three consecutive test days in July in Southern California.

TÜV Rheinland solar expert Dr. Giorgio Bardizza conducted on-site testing at Aptera's assembly facility in Carlsbad, California, measuring energy from sunrise to sunset using calibrated instruments. Energy was recorded where it entered the battery, after conversion losses, rather than at the panels. Three scenarios were tested:

In a fixed, untouched position, the vehicle generated 4.23 kWh, equivalent to an estimated 42 miles of solar range. When repositioned once at solar noon, it produced 4.40 kWh, or roughly 44 miles. With the rear hatch raised and angled toward the sun throughout the day, it reached 4.75 kWh, approximately 47 miles, on the day with the least available sunlight of the three.

Aptera had previously stated a target of approximately 4.0 kWh of usable daily solar energy under favorable conditions, corresponding to about 40 miles of range at 100 watt-hours per mile. The company noted that results will vary with weather, location, parking orientation, and season.

"The most exciting result is the day we simply parked the vehicle in the sun and let it do the work," said Steve Fambro, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Aptera.

TÜV Rheinland, founded in Germany in 1872, has tested solar technology since 1982. The organization noted that the testing constituted an on-site witnessing service and does not represent certification of the vehicle or any regulatory compliance.

Aptera and TÜV Rheinland published the complete test report, including methodology, instrumentation, and full data. Aptera said further independent validation work on additional vehicle performance metrics is planned.