Editorial: Killer Aptera?

First off, neat to see this vehicle getting some coverage over at TTAC! As a longstanding member over at the Aptera Forum (http://www.apteraforum.com), I thought I'd correct some misconceptions and add additional information. First, to the original article: "Well ahead of Chevy Volt’s debut, the 2e is supposed to hit the street between $25,000 and $45,000, halving or quartering a Tesla’s price" The price of the 2e is to depend on what options you get, and the range they've been saying most recently is $25-$40k. On the downside, they have had to delay production once; when their new CEO took over, he held production back in order to make sure that the quality of the first models sold isn't subpar. "The thing is so birdlike you can’t help but ask if it’s safe. Three-wheeled ATVs were outlawed because of the inherent instability." Three-wheeled ATVs are narrow-track, high-CG "Delta" trikes. The Aptera is a wide-track, low-CG "Tadpole" trike. It's fundamentally different, and every bit as stable as a car. Don't take my word for it; take Road and Track's testing. According to Marques McCammon, the 2e has the braking distance of a Mustang GT and the cornering radius of a Porsche Boxter. They've posted videos on YouTube of them racing it around curves. They claim not one, but two elephants can stand on the 2e’s shell without hatching a mess. Indeed, one of Aptera's favorite showoffs is to invite people to try to win $100 if they can damage the shell with a sledgehammer. They now warn people to be careful of the rebound after one reporter nearly knocked his teeth out trying. Nobody yet has succeeded. There's a great picture out there of about 20 people standing on top of an Aptera shell at once. Lithium-ion batteries juice the 2e’s electric motor that, per company literature, urges the car from zero to 60 in less than 10 seconds, topping out at 90 mph. The official statement is "under 10 seconds", but they just nearly doubled the official torque numbers, and according to Marques McCammon, the version they were showing at TED does slightly under 8 seconds. but riding around for 100 miles on half a buck is a whole new kind of bragging right. One of the more exciting recent developments is that Aptera has started mentioning nearly double the battery pack capacity, and one recent article stated the range is now 200 miles. We're still waiting for confirmation on that, however. Maybe they improve efficiency, maybe not, but they appear integral to the design. It's for several reasons. They found that they can save weight and improve strength by hinging them at the A-pillar. It also allows the already fairly wide car to have a narrower profile with its doors open. And yeah, it just looks cool. ;) On to user comments: Useless rules like having to meet specific passenger protection crash tests and bumper performance tests. After all, Aptera drivers will never hit anything. Aptera is actually voluntarily doing both physical and simulated crash tests, just like they've voluntarily added driver and passenger front airbags, and side head and chest airbags. The simulated crash tests have been ongoing since day 1, using the same software BMW uses in their design process. Yes, three wheels does offer some regulatory advantages -- paperwork, emissions, etc. In terms of safety regulation, for example, it lets them do what they think is most important in terms of safety, rather than, say, having bumper requirements that I think pretty much everyone here knows are a farce (ever hit a high pickup with a midsize sedan? That trailer hitch goes through the hood like a knife through butter. It's happened to me.) But it also offers a host of other advantages. It reduces weight -- one less tire, wheel, shaft, set of brakes, and so on down the line. The corresponding fewer parts reduce both purchase price and maintenance. Keeping the tire down the center helps with streamlining, moving the car toward the more optimal "teardrop" shape. The reduced weight and improved aerodynamics mean a smaller battery pack, which in turn means even further reduced purchase price, faster charging, and lower environmental impact. So there are many reasons for the design. I would like it better with a small gas engine. You're in luck. In addition to the 2h "plug-in hybrid", which they already have orders for, they're also making a "2g" gas-only version. It sounds like it's either going to be the second or third version released. I wonder how it would do here in the snow belt of Colorado in the winter? It's FWD with the weight over the drive wheels, traction control, and a short braking distance. What more could you want? :) The only downsides I can think of are you'd probably want to change out the default tires (Potenza RE92s) and that the center rear wheel will track down the middle of the lane, where the snow isn't as compacted. However, that wheel is mainly just to keep the rear from scraping along the ground; it doesn't steer or provide power or anything. It certainly does not look big enough for a large size American to get into. You'd be surprised. The doors in the current version are a little work to maneuver through, but once inside, it's plenty roomy. There's also a huge cargo area in the back. They're working on making the doors open wider before they start producing this October. Once the guy on the corner learns how to do it, it’s less costly than working with metal. Quite true. My 6th generation quilter mother-in-law can fix composites (she used to work at a place that built hovercraft). It looks like a 1960’s NASA lifting body, and it would most likely behave like one in a crosswind. At the same time, the "wing" shape is angled downward. The net result is no up or downforce. Ok, it has heavy batteries to tie it down to the road, but if you do carry these batteries, please put them closer to the ground. They're under the seats. I do wonder, however, if there is an exception to California’s helmet law for this. There is. And you don't need a motorcycle license. Over on the Aptera Forum, we've verified this by looking through the California code. The article states the Aptera is front wheel drive but it is driven by the rear wheel. That was the Mk0 and Mk1 models. They moved to FWD because it provides numerous benefits -- better grip, less maintenance, better handling, better regen, etc. I’d never buy one because I have drums to haul and it doesn’t fit my needs, but it’s cool nevertheless. The Mk1 model had almost 16 cubic feet of "trunk" space, and if anything, the latest versions have more. It can haul 7' surfboards, multiple golf bags, 15 bags of groceries, etc. The "trunk" space isn't very tall, and it's only average width, but it's quite long. Maybe the technology is cool, but it’ll be used in a giant SUV before you know it…. Well, Aptera is working on a 4-series model, to come after the 2-series. Not a giant SUV, but bigger. As for other automakers, it seems inevitable that they're going to move in that direction ultimately (they'll have to, to some degree, because of CAFE at the very least). But switching their lines from steel to composite or whatnot, that's not something that's going to happen overnight. If anyone has any further questions, feel free to ask over at the Aptera Forum.