You charge the Aptera to its 1,000 range (or whatever it ends up being), and then keep it there with the free charging supplied by the solar skin of the car. You might need to plug it in once every 6 months, or once per year, depending. This car has an electric charging port, so you can charge it. You can charge it overnight just like Tesla, but with a standard 110 volt plug. Twenty five thousand dollars, deduct all the federal and state incentives, and you end up with a totally affordable car for most people.
Yep big car will be the entire reason why it doesn't qualify for the ev incentives. It happens every day in every industry. Lobbyists are the biggest enemy to the general public and getting fair prices. They should honestly be banned and lobbying made illegal but that will never happen because the politicians make way to much money from them
The version with 1,000 miles of range doesn't cost close to $25.000. Check the web site; it's more like $45K, plus another $1800 for the full solar panel treatment, which is necessary to achieve 40 miles of charge per (sunny) day. Also, it doesn't exist.
@@richarda3659 This guy is simply saying a long term potential. To debunk it you put forth a shot term worst case scenario. Like if you were a commuter with a 50mile commute, complicated by rainy days. Lol Good luck with that year long charge bud!!! Hahahahaha
its a big negative, look at the Mitsubishi i-MiEV, people said when that thing came out that it would sell like hotcakes and i argued with them that it wouldn't do well as it was so bloody ugly, and we all know how that turned out don't we lol yep it was a massive flop, people want good looking cars, yeah some people might like these ugly little cars, but they will never do well, if you ask me they should be making them look more like a suzuki swift or mini or down that path if they want them to be successful, but as long as they do over 200 miles and the cost is not to much more than a ICE car of the same size and build quality.
In my heart I want to agree with you, but I think you are underestimating how many people want to have the same house and the same garage and the same SUV and the same dog and the same pool and the same television as their neighbour. Social validation is incredibly and stupidly powerful.
I was wondering how that might work out here in AZ. Great charging, but how is the a/c and how much would it offset the charging to have to run it before you get in so you don't flash fry.
@@enmiredbythelazy4401 Don't forget that if you had the full range of PV a lot of the heat would be turned into extra travel - and if you were a night worker you could just sleep in the summer and have free travel to work!
So glad you interviewed Steve & Chris! The Aptera is not for everyone, but I'm sure there will be plenty of people who will want one, just because it will be so very cheap to operate.
@@BTSflyer not difficult to sell out a production run these days, whether they will sustain sales remains to be seen. It is very niche and not many would be able to afford to buy it as a second vehicle at $26k
@@davedyer3654 True, the first exclusive production run was small. Last I heard they now have over 5000 pre-orders. That's over a year into their production rampup plan, which they plan to ramp up to 10,000 / year, then introduce larger, 4 wheeled true cars.
Yah, their subliminal body language looked like a morgue as soon as those words came out. The "expert auto management team" they hired led them down all the wrong trails, and the company bled out of cash spending for hype campaigns instead of functional production. Now their advisor is Sandy Munroe? His team will keep them grounded in the real world, not wandering in fantasy la-la land. My only concern for them is that the next model cheaper Tesla, and the Arcimoto FUV, could compete directly with them for the economy-sport market share, and those both have a big head start on production & brand establishment.
@@animistchannel2983: as for Arcimoto, it looks waaay fun until you get broadsided at ANY speed. Aptera provides some protection, and greater practicality.
@@billdale1 I'm not going to argue that point. I just think there are other factors at work. The thing is, Arcimoto is identity-linked to the motorcycle/trike market, where rock-safety isn't the primary selling point. The Aptera is more protection for more money, but less free-to-the-wind. The Tesla is even farther down that scale, super safe but basically a regular car. None of them cost much to run, so no real deciding factor there. That leaves Aptera wedged between the other two, without the major selling point of either one: it doesn't have Arcimoto's nimbleness or Tesla's support structure. That's a hard place to market. If Tesla puts out the economy version that competes in price, that could squeeze Aptera hard, leaving it in a niche/novelty cul-de-sac. Now, given my choice and a giant magic wand, I'd want everyone to want an Aptera-like vehicle with Tesla's self-driving future. It's basically what most of them need, and it would speed that transition to a cleaner, more efficient society by a lot. Unfortunately, there may not be enough people who take it as far as $27k-$47k given the other equally easy options. I wish them well and agree with their philosophy, but I am just looking at the realities and thinking they may need more leverage on the market. At 19k they would clean up. At the current price, they can maybe survive to develop a clique. Their best hope to get big may be that Tesla and Arcimoto just couldn't handle the EV demand curve, which would leave people looking for that other way to go in between. Buckminster Fuller foresaw this very kind of market/concept when he designed the Dymaxian Car back in like the 1930's, but technology at the time wasn't up to the task. Today it is. Maybe Aptera can fulfill a piece of that future while it's still developing...
I got this from the Aptera site. not as dangerous as it looks? We will not know Aptera's actual rating until we pass a production vehicle through the full safety test. But we are designing to exceed all passenger car standards and the previous version had the highest roof crush strength of all passenger cars on the road, and it performed exceedingly well in actual side and frontal crash tests. Aptera features a Formula One-inspired safety cell with advanced composites and metal structures for impact strength. Similar to aerospace and racing, these energy-absorbing methods are a core part of our safety strategy and have proven effective time and time again in high speed impacts. Aptera also makes use of today’s best forward and side airbag systems in case of an accident.
@@Mac_an_Mheiriceanaigh that’s interesting I saw it an thought “genius” it look like an egg the strongest shape found in nature. The external wheels are just external crumple zones and and it’s light weight means much of the force in a major accident will be dispersed in movement verses being crushed , I am glad they are moving away from the belt based air bag and moved to a traditional system. Now let us see it in the Moose Test avoiding an accident is more important than surviving one.
If they can deliver this will be the first solar powered car which seems worth it to me. Good compromise between efficiency and practicality at a reasonable price.
This channel is the most expensive thing in my life, first a cybertruck now an aptera, next maybe solar roofing who knows, but I'll probably find it here.
@@yogiyoda I live in a country where many people do weekly commutes from city to city of between 200 to 300 miles but where public transport is about the most expensive in the world for such distances. As an ordinary shared taxi door to door, they would be competitive with both bus and train. Plus-not long to TAAS transport as a service by robotaxi ( at least I hope so)
Would probably add extra weight (panel and converter), which impacts efficiency, so you'd lose your extra miles. And - costs would increase too and so you'd pay more. Probably not ever get a return on that extra cost.
There's one thing automakers need to take into consideration: a big percentage of auto work commuters do go to work on their own. Therefore no need for a super giga SUV for that kind of use. And as far as single ppl go, the Aptera can do everyting for them.
I feel like id buy this in australia. I would literally never have to charge, be a perfect commute car. I heard they were looking at 4 wheel, 4 seater version in the future. If so thatll definately be coming home with me even if it is less efficient version. Its unique look just adds to the appeal.
@@hardcoreclassicenjoyer Luxury car tax only kicks in at $77k for EVs. We will still pay top dollar though. The Tesla 3 should only be a bit over $40k here based on the current exchange rate but instead it’s $66k. If they sold the Tesla 3 here for around $45k (extra $5k for compliance etc) they would be selling shit tons of them.
@@David-lr2vi good point..As an American in Oz I thought I understood a little “Protectionism” when Holden still made cars. All imports seemed unaccountably expensive compared to what the same car sells for in the USA. Now ALL cars are imported and the cars are still more expensive. Australia is a wealthy country and I don’t think Australians realize they are getting ripped off, presumably by the government with import duties. Understandable given the current climate change denying government in the pocket of big (foreign!) coal. Tesla built hornsdale in south Australia which has opened some eyes here and, after the fires last year and the droughts and the Great Barrier Reef dying before our eyes, Australians are waking up to the fact that they live on the frontier of climate change. Solar/wind are plentiful here and lots of local governments are at least beginning to offer solar rebates again. BEV’S should be given preference as part of the solution to the bigger problem and not taxed out of existence. Hopefully a Biden US administration will re commit to this issue and some meaningful progress can begin from the biggest economy in the world. Low cost modern liquid salt nuclear is an attractive option for the big projects like terra forming the outback.
@@robertthomas2673 It’s not really taxes that are the problem. Cars come into Australia tax free provided they are below the luxury car tax thresholds ($68k for normal vehicles and $77k for fuel efficient vehicles) and the purchaser just pays 10% GST and state stamp duty taxes. The problem is it’s basically too difficult to import cars to here because the government makes compliance as difficult as possible (and personal imports are restricted). This was done to protect the local car manufacturers but now they don’t exist anymore there’s no reason for the protection racket to be there. For example all cars sold here by major cars importers have to have their own ANCAP crash compliance done and have to comply to Australian design rules. This is stupid for a small country that doesn’t make its own cars anymore and should be changed to a bigger standard (EU or US compliance), that way any vehicle can be imported provided its right hand drive and compliant with a large international standard. The government was supposed to get rid of the restrictions on personal imports once local manufacturing ceased so anyone could import their own vehicle provided it complied to current EU or US standards. The new car importers union/lobby group didn’t like this idea because then they couldn’t gouge Australian customers blind on new cars so the promise (they even had a press conference announcing it was happening) was quietly dropped. Let’s face it, it’s not in the best interests of the government to see us pay less for anything as this reduces the amount of GST they get and also has the perverse side effect of lowering GDP growth which makes them look bad. They try their hardest to prop up any cartel that wants to gouge Australians as the corporations and the government are both on the same side (against us)!
I’ve been watching Aptera since they started years ago in San Diego. I’ve got email from them as early as August 2009, when I considered buying one. Seriously wanted to work for them. Then they got caught up in Detroit madness, then overcooked the batteries in the challenge they entered. They faded away and were rumored to have sold to some Chinese investors. Glad to see them back! Still want one! I wish that Elio Motors could get some traction too.
Actually... the “p” must be pronounced. The word aptera is inspired by “apteron” which means “wingless”: a-pteron; the “a” denotes “lack of” and “pteron” is Ancient Greek for “wing”.
So glad you guys covered Aptera. I've been following them since 2006 and was one of the investors in 2019 that helped them come back. Looking forward to getting an Aptera myself. My driveway is going to be the only non-boring driveway in my neighborhood with an Aptera and a Cybertruck side by side.
I immediately fell in love with the looks of Aptera, It doesn't look weird at all. Now, I've really had to strain to appreciate the Cybertruck. This one was easy!
I have had a hard time accepting a Cybertruck. I find myself accepting the Aptera much quicker. What bothers me is can you survive a crash in this car?
Width is kinda a problem (functional not cosmetic) for Europe. 2M (current european regs) is unrealistic - hoping they stupid rules because 4 wheels can be 2.58. Active suspension to narrow the width when parking would be super useful as an option in cities or in these markets. Where I live I can work with the width but it is a challenge. For bigger small family cars they should take inspiration from the bionic concept / box fish.
I like everything about Cybertruck. I could even get over its "look'. But as a farmer and a tradesman, I need practicality. I only need a single cab that I can wash out with a garden hose. I do need a an eight foot box. As it stands, I couldn't see myself buying any of the EV trucks out there due to either cost or lack of practicality. Aptera is different though, in that it is a commuter vehicle -- a grocery getter. It fulfils these requirements quite nicely. I hope it doesn't follow Betamax into the bin.
I hope it's successful. I want to be able to look back in 20 or 30 years and realize all the cars in 2050 are completely different from the cars in the early 2000s.
I have the 400 mile Aptera on order. I'm big on efficiency and this car has that covered. I live in the Sunny Phoenix AZ area so the Solar will be perfect.
Well done everyone! I’m an engineer and obsessed with form following function. I would buy one of these in a heartbeat. If you focus group design a car, you always end up with a compromise. It’s worth remembering that VW did this with the XL1, but it was £100k design exercise.
This is a follow up to my last point, the drag on a car is minuscule below 50 mph. The predominate issue is tire friction. That being said, if you are driving to work in this every day on surface streets, then you completely killed utility due to the tear drop shape for no gain at all in aerodynamics. This is likely why the BMW car - made for city use - did not compromise on internal utility. You are not going 60mph driving inside the city. BMW is not stupid. They are heavy into formula 1 racing. They know EXACTLY about aerodynamics. This is fundamentally why it has skinny tires.
@@TitoRigatoni Rolling resistance on a car, the example is a Telsa Model 3: 441 Newtons source: www.engineeringtoolbox.com/rolling-friction-resistance-d_1303.html Aerodynamic drag on same car at 55mph: 217N source: www.engineeringtoolbox.com/drag-coefficient-d_627.html This example was at 90km/r (55mph) way faster than the 30 I claimed. You were saying? Doing the math will give you a better understanding at the forces at play than speculating in TH-cam comments. Engineering has many non-intuitive answers that can only be solved via math. The Engineers at BMW are not stupid. They did the math, and they put small tires on the car and retained its *utility* to hold four people and drive around a typical European city for distance requirements. You cannot store anything of practical nature in this apreta, it is 100% for only commuting. I cant take this for even a quick run to home depot and grab a 2x4. I *have* put a 6' long 2x4 into my Mazda 3 hatch (and a lot of other crap) and got real utility out of the vehicle. This is why I reiterate, this is a *very expensive proposition* for a car that only can be used, realistically, for going to work and back and nothing else. In a Tesla, I could put boxes and all sorts of crap in the back with the rear seats folded down (if they did fold down). My main gripe is that this car is extremely niche in its use cases. End note: it is possible, at their weight, and tire size, that their cross over point between aerodynamic drag and rolling friction is at a lower speed of 30mph for the aperta. I can see that, similar to the cross over point of 10mph for road bicycles. But that is coming at a heft expense of sacrificing a lot of utility. This is exactly like being in a two seat small aircraft. They reduce frontal area of the fuselage by making it narrow. I can see this seating being shoulder to shoulder with your passenger to narrow the teardrop frontal area as much as possible. Hopefully that is not the case, because that will get old fast. I can see this car being very fun to drive because it will be very might like sitting in the cockpit of a small plane. It will be a lot of fun and a great alternative to a motorcycle because it's a lot safer. So you could grab a lot of people who are unwilling to take the risks on a motorcycle even though they really want to ride one.
@@cabdolla I am not discounting rolling resistance, it's one of the reasons the Aptera has three wheels. It will have significantly less rolling resistance than a Tesla as well as significantly less drag. This car is bigger than you seem to think. It is not "shoulder to shoulder" It is a comfortable two seat cockpit. And it has 25 cu ft of cargo capacity, which is more than a Tesla model 3 and about the same as a Model S. The sleek design makes it appear small in photos and videos, but when you see the Aptera in real life you will be surprised at what a substantial car it actually is.
I am 100% in on Aptera, i love the design and am dying to see them come to market . In My dreams My driveway has an Aptera parked next to my Cybertruck ;)
I can't see myself driving a car like this. But this is the sort of comment I am looking for when deciding the feasibility as an investment. I guess some people will love it.
I bought their stock. I can't afford one, yet. See a lot of directions they could go with it to improve. Like an Aptera, with Tesla self-driving, and SpaceX package, active suspension, and arero. I want to use mine to jump the Grand Canyon.
The USA government need to stop subsidies for oil and gas. But, the US economy is built on cheap subsidised gas so that’s not going to happen overnight. If gas was suddenly $9 per gallon, energy efficiency would be top of the agenda. Change will be slow, but we will get there.
According to the book "Drawdown", the world-wide subsidies to fossil fuels (including what people and governments pay for healthcare costs caused by pollution) amount to $10 million per minute.
@@johnbutterfield1855 A very apt comment. And people living in the poorest areas are paying the biggest part of the cost. This is the primary reason I am so passionately involved in Aptera and other ways to solve this issue.
In Western Europe we are not to far from that number, it is around 6.5 to 7 euros per gallon, some countries a bit less, some other a bit more, and it is because the prices have been slightly lower in the last year, but no major changes in reality, and the infrastructure still not easily available.
the way things are heading, not having to rely a person's access to fuel, or even a place to charge, really appears like a game changer with this vehicle............
Yea, oh yea just make sure you live in a place like Southern California (where they obviously live) to have access to 360 days of clear skys and sun a year AND that you park outside in a PERFECT AREA with full southwest facing sunlight all day. Even with that, when you fully use a charge, have fun waiting literally a week to charge it back up to full capacity... It's a toy like a motorcycle which already exist. Imagine the excuses in the future if we ever out of useless lockdown if you rely on this vehicle... You, calling boss: "Uhh, sorry I can't come into work for the next week" Boss: "Why not?" You: "I had to pick up my wife after work in my aptera and drove an extra 80 miles...so, yea...gotta wait for the sun to recharge since uhhh, I kinda banked on that based on the place I chose to live where I don't have access to a charger"
I live in SD and have seen them on the road, thinking what kind of Arcimoto is that? Now I know! Some might find the Aptera ugly; not me. I think it’s exciting and truly representative of our 21st “new century” disruptive space age.
The appearance and shape of the vehicle will have negligible impact on sales. The big question is whether or not this will make it to delivery. If it does, it will find a niche among EVs.
People keep saying that the APTERA does not look good. The first thing that I thought was, what a great looking ride, and I can’t wait to get mine. By the way I will be 82 next month😆
The most important thing's that we learned is Munroe Associates is involved in the production process, better chance to see a production Aptera on the road and near the price announce!
This is the car the world has been waiting for. Simple. Clean. Efficient. Self fueling. Elegant. Beautiful. Low cost. Though I know nothing on earth is perfect, this is a huge leap in the right direction.
DON'T! WAYYYYY too early! You're basically gambling at this point! This company is nowhere near ready to play in the big leagues. They're still basically just a startup with a great concept. There could be many practical reasons why they still won't succeed at scale. I would definitely keep my eye on them though! See if they survive and THEN think about buying in!
@@yvanpajevic9680 sure, but there's nothing wrong with investing early if you understand that it's basically gambling and you have money to spare. most important part is that you're well informed on the company, its concept & leadership resonates with you, and that you're in it for the long run.
I think this car is great. I am retired and just drive local for shopping and will purchase one when available. My awesome 14 mpg 1996 Chevy C2500HD ( just under 5000 lb in weight) would only be used for heavy cartage. With the 50 gal 2nd fuel tank it costs over $300 to fill up.
The Aptera will be one of the most significant & important vehicles in automobile history. Super efficient and (mostly)self-sustaining. It will quickly make all other EVs without similar attributes completely obsolete.
My desireable distance from previous trips (in a Saturn SW) was to see my daughter who had a free weekend [1,600 miles in 24hr including a brief nap. Then took my time driving home [2,000 miles going home.] A few days later, I drove to meat cove at Nova Scotia. Years earlier, while changing duty stations, I drove 2,100 miles (900 + 1,200mi in 47 hours in a Plymouth Valiant. (San Diego to Indianapolis).
Formula one cars look similarly vulnerable, very lightweight, yet 200mph powerful and pretty safe in high-speed crashes. These people know they don’t stand a chance if they don’t comply with crash testing legislation around the world. They will surely have this covered
Seems alot safer than a smart fortwo and those tiny cars sold like hotcakes for awhile. Still the smart fortwo had a Mercedes class safety chassis so it was like a very hard bouncy egg. Still you have vehicles like a polaris slingshot that would be cool or mini trucks that were 3 wheels (asian vehicles, Mazda etc)
How would anyone not like the looks of this vehicle? I think it’s a work of art. I already put a deposit down - too bad because I’d love a ride in the roadster.
I was enamored with Aptera initially and was surprised that they floundered, but am happy to see them back and definitely think they have a product with a future.
The only reason they floundered the first time is because they hired a CEO from Detroit as requested by their startup incubator. He decided he didn't want to build the production ready car, kicked the founders out of the company and then bet the future on a totally new 4 wheel design that required a DOE loan that never came through. They won't be making that mistake again.
If Aptera is delivering vehicles when we're ready to buy, it's going to be a tough call. I've been in love with the design, even in the old days when it was a hybrid.
Aptera has been tested stable in 110 mph side winds - much better than slab sided SUVs. There is little for wind to push against. Safety has been as big a design focus as efficiency. It will be crash tested to automotive standards before production begins and will do very well.
But - they are not. Look at Toyota - "in 50 years, electric cars may be half of the market" They are using linear extrapolation for the growth, and feeling WAY too safe. In the meantime, Tesla will go from 2 factories with a half million cars this year to 4 factories with about a million cars next year... Thats exponential - not linear.
@@AdventurousJohn Yes , but Toyota sold 10 million cars last year and the global car market is 70 million. The world can’t charge that many EV vehicles yet, so the ICE manufactures are keeping us mobile and making some profit whilst relatively tiny Tesla grow. When the time comes the ICE guys will switch it’s starting to happen.
Ah yes. On New Years Day too. HNY to you. Just while I'm waiting for dinner to cook; enjoying a cocktail [ok, several], and you guys [inc Brent and Bobby] put in the effort to keep with the In-Depth series. It's appreciated. 👍
I love the look of the Aptera; It's so futuristic functional. People are scared of change and therefore won't think out of the box. Even Tesla is guilty of that to a minute degree when it comes to body design and solar options. Honestly if you are going to be progressive in EV/green industry then you can't limit yourself. After all the sun power is free even on a cloudy day and who would turn down a free meal when they're hungry? Personally, I still like the idea of a hybrid gas engine rear wheel option even if it's just to get you home for one reason or another. But that's just me. The best options in any vehicle are Affordability, Comfort, Reliability, Inexpensive maintenance and of course mileage. in this day and age Purchase Cost, let's not forget why VW and Honda really made it in the competitive energy business market their affordability and just barely. Volkswagens cost $1200+/- and if you bought a Cadillac, they gave you a free Honda Civic. LOL Truly...
Wonderful, wonderful. Wonderful squared! We have owned and maintained 40+ cars and trucks for over 40 years. Currently we have a 12 wheel Peterbilt roll-off platform for machinery moving. Had lots of motorcycles too. We know auto-mechanics! However this Aptera takes the cake AND the brass ring too....for economic, applied aerodynamic ergonomics for human transport, and some charging by sunpower to boot! What's not to drool over? I'm signing up!
@@bernardthedisappointedowl6938 thank you! I appreciate the description. Could you translate it for my more pedestrian understanding of safety? “ it’ll protect the occupants in crashes as well as a formula one vehicle(?)” “the lower center of mass means the car is less likely to flip.”
@@n.brucenelson5920 really!? It looks flimsy. I’m glad I’m learning more about them instead of jumping to conclusions ( hee hee, I almost wrote “convulsions”)
@@walkeren The original version was more than three times stronger in roof crush test than any previous vehicle tested up until that time, and this version is stronger, with more crush zones and far more developed design safety. The proof will be when crash testing is done on the pre-production vehicles shortly before they start shipping.
I would love to have solar on my model 3, because when I leave it parked on the street (in winter) it looses 15 km's per day, just by sitting on the street. I hate to loose this energy.
The Aptera only uses 100 watt hours to go 10 miles at EPA highway cycle speeds. This is much less than what the Model 3 requires, and is the reason that the 700 peak watts of the Aptera works so well. It would help the model 3, but not to the same extent.
Aptera admits they have yet to test one yet, but they are hopeful. The original gas aptera had a roof crush rating much higher than most cars on the market. I know they are incorporating airbags, which far surpasses the requirements set in the US for autocycles. Many of the other tadpole trikes Sandy Munroe is a consultant for are using a new lap belt airbag that may prove better than traditional airbags. I also wonder if the high strength light weight design will reduce the kinetic forces we are used to with metal cars. These are all just wishful thinking as nothing has been tested yet, but I like to be hopeful too.
Weight is about 2k lb vs 3k-5k Range of cars to trucks/vans on the road... So that means it will be unsafer technically. But not a huge issue in the sense that we all don't drive trucks for safety... As for crash safety, let's hope it's safe. If not safe, then all the improvements they offer don't matter. Then again, it is technically a motorcycle in terms of classification, so it will be safe than all the vehicles in it's weight & category at best...
36:57 So, hold up! He's saying they could use a 200kWh battery pack to travel 2000mi or 3200km on a single charge. That means by using a battery pack with 20kWh, smaller than the 1st generation Nissan LEAF, they can travel 200mi / 320km on a single charge. They'll easily be able to sell the cars at a low price with high margin! :O
He's just saying 200 kWh is enough energy to make the Aptera go 2000 miles. But yes, the cheapest ($26k) Aptera configuration does have a 20 kWh battery and claims a 200 mile range.
Adding Altra thin solar panels could make it nearly non chargeable or less charging. I really love this design.... Awesome . What about adding lightweight super compactors the options are amazing. Thank you
Do you mean super capacitors? There are no in-expensive production quality examples available in the market place yet. They could possibly become a thing in the future.
I have been reading about and watching videos about Aptera and this is one of the most informative. Great video. I'm editing while watching. It could use a retractable bumpers for and aft. The Aptera, to me, looks absolutely stunning. Looks like Airwolf helicopter without the blades. Here's a question: The pictures on the Aptera Motor website show the battery layout. Now is that for the full 1000 mile range battery? If that is the case, then what does the 600, 400, 250 range model battery holding framework look like? Can the least expensive model with the least range be upgraded after delivery with more batteries and software upgrade? What kind of batteries are being put into the Aptera? Will somebody be able to come up to an Aptera and vandalize it by peeling off a piece of solar collector like a scab? How difficult will it be on the side of the road to change that rear tire. For instance, how do you remove those panels that surround that rear wheel? How would you pay and take delivery of an Aptera? That is putting a whole lot of trust in a car company only known by a website and video's. Next model Aptera Ethos. And I just have to ask this question. You guys say that you are paying for a car. With Aptera Rewards you guys are certainly getting a free base model car, maybe two of them. Is that not true? Pretty good deal for you two.
The Aptera is amazing. Besides the crazy efficiency, the right to repair is baked into it! The parts have QR codes that bring up videos on how to repair them.
1000% Visionary vs every other box like automakers, including Tesla , I really hope we see this type of innovation continue. It's also interesting to note the rising cost of electricity in most countries so a car that can recharge without the grid even more attractive.
It looks great , I like It so much ! I would like to have an Aptera for my weekly trip from Milan to Tuscany i am sure Leonardo da Vinci's land would greatly appreciate its hyper-efficient design. I remember that Leonardo was the first to understand that friction is the most important obstacle to overcome in order to be able to build functioning machines.
I opted for Noir exterior, two motors, full solar package, 600 mile range, Vida interior. I like the unique look, I have a motorcycle endorsement already. So, that is not a problem. I like the efficiency of the shape and that helps increase the range the batteries can carry me. The solar charging option was paramount, and not having to pay for liquid fuel (gasoline) was the best part. $5/gallon in the Pacific Northwest for regular 87 octane is very annoying for 14 gallons on my ‘clown car’ (small econobox). Then there is oil to change, oil filter, air filter, alternator (PITY) for my car = back of engine out the bottom of the car). If all I am paying for are tires?!?! Really!?!? Is there any question why not to get one of these Apteras? No. Aside from me and one other person as a max occupancy, then I’m good. There are no worries there.
I would ALWAYS want solar panels on my electric car. Absolutely free transportation of ANY distance is amazing. If I just let my car sit in the sun and I get free miles, *WOO HOO!* Especially relevant the higher the prices for gas and maintenance are.
shoutouts from Uganda Africa. I think its quite low so you may need to consider an option for lifting the car incase of big humps or rather large pit holes. but I would so love to have one its such an innovative kind
Maybe Tesla will take some notes from Aptera and produce the model 2 .Then the model 2 will most definitely change the speed of transitioning to sustainable energy. :)
Absolutely love this concept! The ingenuity incorporated into it is amazing. I do however have a problem with calling it a car. A lot of the weight savings are due to this technically being a trike (motorcycle), and not having the same regulatory requirements of a car. That said, this kind of aggressive counterculture thinking will push the industry in and the market into a more sustainable direction.
Prescott Bates: Egggszakly..for design and concept. I wholly disagree about "only 3 wheels" though! America is in a rut, thinking it needs 4 wheels; a guy passes me yesterday- way Faster than the cars in traffic and, burns/ banks around the corner. Compact. Cheap. Low weight. 3 wheels? No. 2 wheels? Nope. ONE wheel! motorized, Incredible smooth and looking effortless...and inexpensive. (Ok, winter us different). But... The planet is overheating! We're doing it. Nothing could be better for us AND the world, than Aptera, when with it- often NO juice from the grid, is needed for an average trip! And that trip will burn Zero fossil fuels altogether!
Couldn't I carry with me a Jackery and it's solar panel for emergency charging? If it starts out charged the solar panel wouldn't even be needed but it also doesn't take a lot of space.
@7:51 Be careful not to fall into the rut of thought of 'The only thing solar adds to a vehicle is range'. What if (as happens more every year) the grid goes down and there isn't a powered Supercharger for 50 miles? What if you power the vehicles 12v system load (a 300 watt plus constant cycling of your battery!) off the solar? Then your massive investment (in the HV battery) lasts longer. What about grid stabilization for the Tesla Semi? Each Semi will be a MASSIVE load on a grid that is designed for essentially constant output. 10kw of solar on the 53' Trailer would reduce the load placed on the grid when charging AND overall. There are numerous benefits to solar on EVs beyond just range extension.
I think the conclusion is strengthen the grid, if it goes down that frequently... I don't think I've experienced even one blackout where I live. But if that's the case, install independent systems, like solar on the roof. Solar car should be the last thought... And you're massively overestimating the ability of solar to power semi trucks... It's one thing for shape optimized tricycle, quite another for boxy semi weighing tens of thousands of pounds. Weight goes far faster than available roof/side space for solar.
@@fobusas Smaller independent grids, or micro-grids like what you're describing are considered to be the future of power. Jack Rickard used to make the case for them quite frequently. As far as the solar semi, I'm not suggesting it generate ALL it's power required to operate from onboard solar, just that it can make enough to lighten the grid load by 50kwh/day/truck. And that that figure multiplied by thousands of trucks is a significant reduction of intermittent load on the grid. I did a little back of the napkin math on this subject in this video th-cam.com/video/YVduBQfTlyE/w-d-xo.html @ 3:42
Reading some of the comments, yes probably not a car for the snow . It’s not going to haul lumber out f the woods either. But in cities the snow doesn’t get deep so it would work all year round, For lots of other folks it could be an interesting and fun second car , and thats a bigger market than the super efficiency and EV Geeks!
As a Canadian who has driven through 57 winters and never owned a set of snow tires, I don't understand why some people take one look at the Aptera and conclude that it wouldn't be good in snow. Why not?
We’d now entered the Jetson era. I remember watching the Jetson cartoons some decades back and wondering if cars like this would ever exist in my lifetime. Not only did this come true. I can actually buy one.
One word. Safety. If this car passes well on all the safety tests, I'll be on board. It's so easy for everyone to get excited about all the flashy or nerdy stuff, but just remember; the Tesla Model 3 is the safest car ever tested in all categories in both the US and EU. If I have a choice, I'll sacrifice efficiency for safety all day, everyday.
Im driving electric Cars since 2014. In this Time i have the Ioniq, a Twizy and i think about to order an Aptera. My Question is: What about Snow on Roads? I live in Germany. I thinking about the open tie rod an the Wheels Covers/Fenders. What is when Snow get higher, or Iceblocks lying on the street? I'm looking forward to an answer. Greetings from an ex V8 Petrolhead. 😊
Cool. A lot of Americans are intrigued by the Twizzy!.. To answer your question, Aptera is recommending the 3 wheel motor version for more control in slick conditions. The traction control updates 32 times per wheel revolution, so it is likely to be able to respond much more quickly to loss of traction than other vehicles. Next winter Elaphe will be testing under these conditions on their cold weather test track so we will have more definitive information on the way.
@@n.brucenelson5920 Hi 😊. I think I put myself wrong. I mean what happens or how stable are the long steering parts, such as B the front tie rod if hit by a block of ice. The fenders are very deep and would drag in the snow if the snow was deep enough. And can be badly damaged .....
Yes, the Lightyear One is the only other planned production vehicle that comes close to the Aptera. However, you can buy 3 to 4 Aptera for less than the cost of a single $120K One. And they only plan to make a hundred or so of the Ones.
Wow! I was so curious about how this company's claims conflicted with Elon Musk's statement from a few years back about deciding not to put solar panels on the Model 3 and now it makes so much sense! Thanks for your brilliant explanation and insight into why their claims seem plausible and why this car could truly be built to match the claims in 2020! Simple, clear, concise, brilliant! Thanks for posting!
Tesla fanboys don't understand how important price is. Price is HUGE. If this is cheaper than Teslas and usually doesn't have to be charged and when it DOES need to be charged can be done with a simple extension cord from an ordinary outlet, it will sell.
I remember late 70's and early 80's my father and his generation saying "That Jap cr** can't be safe, give me American steel." My father drove a Lincoln Continental with a hood so long you couldn't see the road 40 feet in front of the car. Well those Hondas and Toyotas turned out to be smaller lighter be actually safer. Yes a low speed collision in my dad's Lincoln might only make a minor dent in the steel bumper. It didn't have crush zones and it had a whole lot more inertia to overcome when breaking before a collision. I suspect the Aptera will prove to be reasonably safe. And lets face it tens of thousands of people choose to ride motorcycles, scooters and mopeds every day that offer no safety. They do it out of necessity or for the joy of riding or some other intangible reason. Before having a daughter I commuted on a small displacement motor cycle simply to use less fossil fuel in the 90's.
By the time this is out on the road, a huge percent of the vehicle miles traveled will be done in autonomous mode. Both for this vehicles and other vehicles on the road. I think it will be safe to experiment with lighter designs.
Next winter there will be a production Aptera under test on Elaphe''s cold weather test track. The AWD version is likely to be very good with snow tires due to state of the art traction control.
@@willaerley7140 2 front tires will track well in the snow ruts but that 3rd wheel is going to have a hard time deciding which one it wants to track in. Yikes.
You charge the Aptera to its 1,000 range (or whatever it ends up being), and then keep it there with the free charging supplied by the solar skin of the car. You might need to plug it in once every 6 months, or once per year, depending. This car has an electric charging port, so you can charge it. You can charge it overnight just like Tesla, but with a standard 110 volt plug. Twenty five thousand dollars, deduct all the federal and state incentives, and you end up with a totally affordable car for most people.
If govt were smart, they would give an incentive for all 3 wheel electric vehicles. But big car company lobbyists won't allow it. ☹️
Yep big car will be the entire reason why it doesn't qualify for the ev incentives. It happens every day in every industry. Lobbyists are the biggest enemy to the general public and getting fair prices. They should honestly be banned and lobbying made illegal but that will never happen because the politicians make way to much money from them
The version with 1,000 miles of range doesn't cost close to $25.000. Check the web site; it's more like $45K, plus another $1800 for the full solar panel treatment, which is necessary to achieve 40 miles of charge per (sunny) day. Also, it doesn't exist.
@@richarda3659 This guy is simply saying a long term potential. To debunk it you put forth a shot term worst case scenario. Like if you were a commuter with a 50mile commute, complicated by rainy days. Lol Good luck with that year long charge bud!!! Hahahahaha
Sounds like an argument for Globowarming. Solar cars! Just kidding. They will kill everyone first.
I think you are discounting the look as being negative. I think many people will buy it because it looks distinctive.
its gotta be cool man
its a big negative, look at the
Mitsubishi i-MiEV, people said when that thing came out that it would sell like hotcakes and i argued with them that it wouldn't do well as it was so bloody ugly, and we all know how that turned out don't we lol yep it was a massive flop, people want good looking cars, yeah some people might like these ugly little cars, but they will never do well, if you ask me they should be making them look more like a suzuki swift or mini or down that path if they want them to be successful, but as long as they do over 200 miles and the cost is not to much more than a ICE car of the same size and build quality.
Deon Hamilton Please...Dont EVEN try to compare this sleek bird to a butt ugly i-MiEV.
In my heart I want to agree with you, but I think you are underestimating how many people want to have the same house and the same garage and the same SUV and the same dog and the same pool and the same television as their neighbour. Social validation is incredibly and stupidly powerful.
I think they nailed it. To my senses there something classic about it.
Quite possibly the only car that you DON'T want to park in the shade.
I was wondering how that might work out here in AZ. Great charging, but how is the a/c and how much would it offset the charging to have to run it before you get in so you don't flash fry.
@@enmiredbythelazy4401 Don't forget that if you had the full range of PV a lot of the heat would be turned into extra travel - and if you were a night worker you could just sleep in the summer and have free travel to work!
So glad you interviewed Steve & Chris! The Aptera is not for everyone, but I'm sure there will be plenty of people who will want one, just because it will be so very cheap to operate.
They have already sold out for the first production run. I think there is lots of interest. It only took a few days to sell out.
@@BTSflyer not difficult to sell out a production run these days, whether they will sustain sales remains to be seen. It is very niche and not many would be able to afford to buy it as a second vehicle at $26k
@@davedyer3654 True, the first exclusive production run was small. Last I heard they now have over 5000 pre-orders. That's over a year into their production rampup plan, which they plan to ramp up to 10,000 / year, then introduce larger, 4 wheeled true cars.
Imagine this car with the new solid state batteries. 2000 miles
@@fotoguru222 Hard to believe that a company can survive on only 5000 cars a year @ only ‘$26k’ each
That's where it went wrong for Aptera - they hired a management company from Detroit.
That's right. Nobody in Detroit has any idea about how to build a BEV.
Yah, their subliminal body language looked like a morgue as soon as those words came out. The "expert auto management team" they hired led them down all the wrong trails, and the company bled out of cash spending for hype campaigns instead of functional production.
Now their advisor is Sandy Munroe? His team will keep them grounded in the real world, not wandering in fantasy la-la land.
My only concern for them is that the next model cheaper Tesla, and the Arcimoto FUV, could compete directly with them for the economy-sport market share, and those both have a big head start on production & brand establishment.
@@animistchannel2983: as for Arcimoto, it looks waaay fun until you get broadsided at ANY speed. Aptera provides some protection, and greater practicality.
@@billdale1 I'm not going to argue that point. I just think there are other factors at work.
The thing is, Arcimoto is identity-linked to the motorcycle/trike market, where rock-safety isn't the primary selling point. The Aptera is more protection for more money, but less free-to-the-wind. The Tesla is even farther down that scale, super safe but basically a regular car. None of them cost much to run, so no real deciding factor there.
That leaves Aptera wedged between the other two, without the major selling point of either one: it doesn't have Arcimoto's nimbleness or Tesla's support structure. That's a hard place to market. If Tesla puts out the economy version that competes in price, that could squeeze Aptera hard, leaving it in a niche/novelty cul-de-sac.
Now, given my choice and a giant magic wand, I'd want everyone to want an Aptera-like vehicle with Tesla's self-driving future. It's basically what most of them need, and it would speed that transition to a cleaner, more efficient society by a lot. Unfortunately, there may not be enough people who take it as far as $27k-$47k given the other equally easy options.
I wish them well and agree with their philosophy, but I am just looking at the realities and thinking they may need more leverage on the market. At 19k they would clean up. At the current price, they can maybe survive to develop a clique. Their best hope to get big may be that Tesla and Arcimoto just couldn't handle the EV demand curve, which would leave people looking for that other way to go in between.
Buckminster Fuller foresaw this very kind of market/concept when he designed the Dymaxian Car back in like the 1930's, but technology at the time wasn't up to the task. Today it is. Maybe Aptera can fulfill a piece of that future while it's still developing...
@@surferdude4487 Or build a profitable business...
I always wanted to get an Aptera, paint it T-Rex lizard skin with teeth and name it the RAPTERA.
But why tho
Why ruin the aesthetics
Yes! 🐸🦖🦕
Pinky promise. Show me proof of aptera booking
The RAPTERA sounds like a high performance Variant of the Aptera, like how the Shelby GT350/500 is a high performance version of the Mustang
Luna class starship done up like TNG Trek; think my wife would kill me?
I got this from the Aptera site. not as dangerous as it looks?
We will not know Aptera's actual rating until we pass a production vehicle through the full safety test. But we are designing to exceed all passenger car standards and the previous version had the highest roof crush strength of all passenger cars on the road, and it performed exceedingly well in actual side and frontal crash tests. Aptera features a Formula One-inspired safety cell with advanced composites and metal structures for impact strength. Similar to aerospace and racing, these energy-absorbing methods are a core part of our safety strategy and have proven effective time and time again in high speed impacts. Aptera also makes use of today’s best forward and side airbag systems in case of an accident.
Thank you! This is what I most wanted to know.
I was in Brad's boat -- my first and last thoughts were this doesn't look safe
Same here my biggest question was safety , surprised they didn't mention this in this show kind of important note.
@@Mac_an_Mheiriceanaigh that’s interesting I saw it an thought “genius” it look like an egg the strongest shape found in nature. The external wheels are just external crumple zones and and it’s light weight means much of the force in a major accident will be dispersed in movement verses being crushed , I am glad they are moving away from the belt based air bag and moved to a traditional system. Now let us see it in the Moose Test avoiding an accident is more important than surviving one.
I’m liking the all black with neon green branding - This is what a car in 2021 should look like. Something out of blade runner
dark colors are hard to see at night.
I know, i love the design of the aptera
@@jetah50 Cars have lights lol 😆
car using solar panel will definitely get problem regularly...
If they can deliver this will be the first solar powered car which seems worth it to me. Good compromise between efficiency and practicality at a reasonable price.
This channel is the most expensive thing in my life, first a cybertruck now an aptera, next maybe solar roofing who knows, but I'll probably find it here.
I have ordered 13 Cybertruks and now an Aptera too.
Next order, Semi 😁
LOL. Well done Andrew. I've also ordered a couple of CT's. (Paid for by the Tesla share "profits" I'm making.) Fingers crossed, of course! Cheers.
@@jeremydable2468 - Why 13?
@@yogiyoda I live in a country where many people do weekly commutes from city to city of between 200 to 300 miles but where public transport is about the most expensive in the world for such distances. As an ordinary shared taxi door to door, they would be competitive with both bus and train. Plus-not long to TAAS transport as a service by robotaxi ( at least I hope so)
Honestly I wish Tesla had a small solar panel to offset phantom drain, any range increase would just be a bonus
The cost's will just increase and no one want's that
Would probably add extra weight (panel and converter), which impacts efficiency, so you'd lose your extra miles. And - costs would increase too and so you'd pay more. Probably not ever get a return on that extra cost.
the glass roof
There's one thing automakers need to take into consideration: a big percentage of auto work commuters do go to work on their own. Therefore no need for a super giga SUV for that kind of use. And as far as single ppl go, the Aptera can do everyting for them.
When I heard Sandy was part of the gang I was sold.
Yes.
Same here. I am thinking of putting a second deposit.
@@635574 Yes, gyro/car, great concept. Probably bound to stay niche because of the pilot license constraint tho.
@@635574 I have been following for years. Theoretically the price could be drastically lower.
I feel like id buy this in australia.
I would literally never have to charge, be a perfect commute car. I heard they were looking at 4 wheel, 4 seater version in the future. If so thatll definately be coming home with me even if it is less efficient version. Its unique look just adds to the appeal.
Yeah. I’m in Australia and this would be on my buy list. Advantage here in Australia is it will charge twice as quick too on a standard outlet!
For australia, considering how high the prices of tesla are and import costs cos of luxury vehicle tax, would be interesting to see how this one goes
@@hardcoreclassicenjoyer Luxury car tax only kicks in at $77k for EVs. We will still pay top dollar though. The Tesla 3 should only be a bit over $40k here based on the current exchange rate but instead it’s $66k. If they sold the Tesla 3 here for around $45k (extra $5k for compliance etc) they would be selling shit tons of them.
@@David-lr2vi good point..As an American in Oz I thought I understood a little “Protectionism” when Holden still made cars. All imports seemed unaccountably expensive compared to what the same car sells for in the USA. Now ALL cars are imported and the cars are still more expensive. Australia is a wealthy country and I don’t think Australians realize they are getting ripped off, presumably by the government with import duties. Understandable given the current climate change denying government in the pocket of big (foreign!) coal. Tesla built hornsdale in south Australia which has opened some eyes here and, after the fires last year and the droughts and the Great Barrier Reef dying before our eyes, Australians are waking up to the fact that they live on the frontier of climate change. Solar/wind are plentiful here and lots of local governments are at least beginning to offer solar rebates again. BEV’S should be given preference as part of the solution to the bigger problem and not taxed out of existence. Hopefully a Biden US administration will re commit to this issue and some meaningful progress can begin from the biggest economy in the world. Low cost modern liquid salt nuclear is an attractive option for the big projects like terra forming the outback.
@@robertthomas2673 It’s not really taxes that are the problem. Cars come into Australia tax free provided they are below the luxury car tax thresholds ($68k for normal vehicles and $77k for fuel efficient vehicles) and the purchaser just pays 10% GST and state stamp duty taxes. The problem is it’s basically too difficult to import cars to here because the government makes compliance as difficult as possible (and personal imports are restricted). This was done to protect the local car manufacturers but now they don’t exist anymore there’s no reason for the protection racket to be there.
For example all cars sold here by major cars importers have to have their own ANCAP crash compliance done and have to comply to Australian design rules. This is stupid for a small country that doesn’t make its own cars anymore and should be changed to a bigger standard (EU or US compliance), that way any vehicle can be imported provided its right hand drive and compliant with a large international standard.
The government was supposed to get rid of the restrictions on personal imports once local manufacturing ceased so anyone could import their own vehicle provided it complied to current EU or US standards. The new car importers union/lobby group didn’t like this idea because then they couldn’t gouge Australian customers blind on new cars so the promise (they even had a press conference announcing it was happening) was quietly dropped.
Let’s face it, it’s not in the best interests of the government to see us pay less for anything as this reduces the amount of GST they get and also has the perverse side effect of lowering GDP growth which makes them look bad. They try their hardest to prop up any cartel that wants to gouge Australians as the corporations and the government are both on the same side (against us)!
I’ve been watching Aptera since they started years ago in San Diego. I’ve got email from them as early as August 2009, when I considered buying one. Seriously wanted to work for them. Then they got caught up in Detroit madness, then overcooked the batteries in the challenge they entered. They faded away and were rumored to have sold to some Chinese investors. Glad to see them back! Still want one!
I wish that Elio Motors could get some traction too.
Actually... the “p” must be pronounced.
The word aptera is inspired by “apteron” which means “wingless”: a-pteron; the “a” denotes “lack of” and “pteron” is Ancient Greek for “wing”.
Scholarliness intensifies.
@@marcagray he s Greek. look at his name
so a road course racing version of it would be the Ptera
So glad you guys covered Aptera. I've been following them since 2006 and was one of the investors in 2019 that helped them come back. Looking forward to getting an Aptera myself. My driveway is going to be the only non-boring driveway in my neighborhood with an Aptera and a Cybertruck side by side.
I immediately fell in love with the looks of Aptera, It doesn't look weird at all. Now, I've really had to strain to appreciate the Cybertruck. This one was easy!
I have had a hard time accepting a Cybertruck. I find myself accepting the Aptera much quicker. What bothers me is can you survive a crash in this car?
Safety is a major focus for them--you can learn more about the materials they use on their intro video--similar build to an F1 car.
@@tlf50501 Line it with some thick EVA foam in common impact areas, and that will help a lot as well as whatever they build into the vehicle.
Width is kinda a problem (functional not cosmetic) for Europe. 2M (current european regs) is unrealistic - hoping they stupid rules because 4 wheels can be 2.58. Active suspension to narrow the width when parking would be super useful as an option in cities or in these markets. Where I live I can work with the width but it is a challenge. For bigger small family cars they should take inspiration from the bionic concept / box fish.
It's ok to look different. Witness Cybertruck.
Witness Me!!!!!
I like everything about Cybertruck. I could even get over its "look'. But as a farmer and a tradesman, I need practicality. I only need a single cab that I can wash out with a garden hose. I do need a an eight foot box. As it stands, I couldn't see myself buying any of the EV trucks out there due to either cost or lack of practicality. Aptera is different though, in that it is a commuter vehicle -- a grocery getter. It fulfils these requirements quite nicely. I hope it doesn't follow Betamax into the bin.
I hope it's successful. I want to be able to look back in 20 or 30 years and realize all the cars in 2050 are completely different from the cars in the early 2000s.
I have the 400 mile Aptera on order. I'm big on efficiency and this car has that covered. I live in the Sunny Phoenix AZ area so the Solar will be perfect.
Well done everyone! I’m an engineer and obsessed with form following function. I would buy one of these in a heartbeat. If you focus group design a car, you always end up with a compromise. It’s worth remembering that VW did this with the XL1, but it was £100k design exercise.
This is the EV I'd choose (the 1000mile version) out of all the EVs available right now If I had the money and it was available in my country.
You guys nailed it with this interview (still rest of the world hasn't got it and keeps building large boxes and ton of battery).
This is a follow up to my last point, the drag on a car is minuscule below 50 mph. The predominate issue is tire friction. That being said, if you are driving to work in this every day on surface streets, then you completely killed utility due to the tear drop shape for no gain at all in aerodynamics. This is likely why the BMW car - made for city use - did not compromise on internal utility. You are not going 60mph driving inside the city. BMW is not stupid. They are heavy into formula 1 racing. They know EXACTLY about aerodynamics. This is fundamentally why it has skinny tires.
That is not true at all; drag on a car is significant at 30 mph and increases with the square of the velocity. It is *very* significant at 50 mph.
@@TitoRigatoni
Rolling resistance on a car, the example is a Telsa Model 3:
441 Newtons
source:
www.engineeringtoolbox.com/rolling-friction-resistance-d_1303.html
Aerodynamic drag on same car at 55mph:
217N
source: www.engineeringtoolbox.com/drag-coefficient-d_627.html
This example was at 90km/r (55mph) way faster than the 30 I claimed. You were saying? Doing the math will give you a better understanding at the forces at play than speculating in TH-cam comments. Engineering has many non-intuitive answers that can only be solved via math. The Engineers at BMW are not stupid. They did the math, and they put small tires on the car and retained its *utility* to hold four people and drive around a typical European city for distance requirements.
You cannot store anything of practical nature in this apreta, it is 100% for only commuting. I cant take this for even a quick run to home depot and grab a 2x4. I *have* put a 6' long 2x4 into my Mazda 3 hatch (and a lot of other crap) and got real utility out of the vehicle. This is why I reiterate, this is a *very expensive proposition* for a car that only can be used, realistically, for going to work and back and nothing else. In a Tesla, I could put boxes and all sorts of crap in the back with the rear seats folded down (if they did fold down). My main gripe is that this car is extremely niche in its use cases.
End note: it is possible, at their weight, and tire size, that their cross over point between aerodynamic drag and rolling friction is at a lower speed of 30mph for the aperta. I can see that, similar to the cross over point of 10mph for road bicycles. But that is coming at a heft expense of sacrificing a lot of utility. This is exactly like being in a two seat small aircraft. They reduce frontal area of the fuselage by making it narrow. I can see this seating being shoulder to shoulder with your passenger to narrow the teardrop frontal area as much as possible. Hopefully that is not the case, because that will get old fast. I can see this car being very fun to drive because it will be very might like sitting in the cockpit of a small plane. It will be a lot of fun and a great alternative to a motorcycle because it's a lot safer. So you could grab a lot of people who are unwilling to take the risks on a motorcycle even though they really want to ride one.
@@cabdolla I am not discounting rolling resistance, it's one of the reasons the Aptera has three wheels. It will have significantly less rolling resistance than a Tesla as well as significantly less drag.
This car is bigger than you seem to think. It is not "shoulder to shoulder" It is a comfortable two seat cockpit. And it has 25 cu ft of cargo capacity, which is more than a Tesla model 3 and about the same as a Model S. The sleek design makes it appear small in photos and videos, but when you see the Aptera in real life you will be surprised at what a substantial car it actually is.
@@TitoRigatoni if they have sandy Monroe helping them, they are in good hands for sure
I am 100% in on Aptera, i love the design and am dying to see them come to market . In My dreams My driveway has an Aptera parked next to my Cybertruck ;)
Right on, me too!!!
I can't see myself driving a car like this. But this is the sort of comment I am looking for when deciding the feasibility as an investment. I guess some people will love it.
Great for highschool kids to do sports and get home, by the time my kids get to HS one of these with 100mile range would be smart
Exactly the line up I'd go for
Are you me?
Pre-ordered mine with your referral code! Wishing all the best for Aptera!
I love the design. So futuristic.
I bought their stock.
I can't afford one, yet.
See a lot of directions they could go with it to improve.
Like an Aptera, with Tesla self-driving, and SpaceX package, active suspension, and arero.
I want to use mine to jump the Grand Canyon.
I like the design. It’s an airplane body without wings and a vertical stabilizer. I love it.
I see a vertical stabilizer. It is the rear wheel shroud. I think it is necessary.
@@cookiedough5374 the design honestly throws me off, yah sure it looks cool, but imo it looks funny
@@yuxanne. I agree. When your cost to operate your car is close to zero it will start to look really, really cool.
@@cookiedough5374 if operational costs are that low, you'd have to be stupid to not get yourself said car
@@yuxanne. I’ve been called a dumbarse plenty of times. In this case my deposit on one will hopefully manifest as an Aptera.
Function over Fashion all day, all year!
correction: 34k gives you 600 miles not 400. You can get that one for 30k.
Like Lotus Racing car company owner Colin Chapman said, to go faster add lightness not horsepower
The USA government need to stop subsidies for oil and gas. But, the US economy is built on cheap subsidised gas so that’s not going to happen overnight. If gas was suddenly $9 per gallon, energy efficiency would be top of the agenda. Change will be slow, but we will get there.
The trend will accelerate under the new Administration.
According to the book "Drawdown", the world-wide subsidies to fossil fuels (including what people and governments pay for healthcare costs caused by pollution) amount to $10 million per minute.
@@johnbutterfield1855 A very apt comment. And people living in the poorest areas are paying the biggest part of the cost. This is the primary reason I am so passionately involved in Aptera and other ways to solve this issue.
In Western Europe we are not to far from that number, it is around 6.5 to 7 euros per gallon, some countries a bit less, some other a bit more, and it is because the prices have been slightly lower in the last year, but no major changes in reality, and the infrastructure still not easily available.
the way things are heading, not having to rely a person's access to fuel, or even a place to charge, really appears like a game changer with this vehicle............
Yea, oh yea just make sure you live in a place like Southern California (where they obviously live) to have access to 360 days of clear skys and sun a year AND that you park outside in a PERFECT AREA with full southwest facing sunlight all day. Even with that, when you fully use a charge, have fun waiting literally a week to charge it back up to full capacity... It's a toy like a motorcycle which already exist.
Imagine the excuses in the future if we ever out of useless lockdown if you rely on this vehicle...
You, calling boss: "Uhh, sorry I can't come into work for the next week"
Boss: "Why not?"
You: "I had to pick up my wife after work in my aptera and drove an extra 80 miles...so, yea...gotta wait for the sun to recharge since uhhh, I kinda banked on that based on the place I chose to live where I don't have access to a charger"
@@Dr.FeelsGood its a collectors item. You drive it once a week or show it off to people. Its not an everyday car.
the efficiency is what makes me want this thing
I live in SD and have seen them on the road, thinking what kind of Arcimoto is that? Now I know! Some might find the Aptera ugly; not me. I think it’s exciting and truly representative of our 21st “new century” disruptive space age.
The appearance and shape of the vehicle will have negligible impact on sales. The big question is whether or not this will make it to delivery. If it does, it will find a niche among EVs.
People keep saying that the APTERA does not look good. The first thing that I thought was, what a great looking ride, and I can’t wait to get mine. By the way I will be 82 next month😆
Congrats. Hope you have "experience a self driving car" on your bucket list. I certainly do
Total game changer. I bet they can do a 4 seater and still be efficient beyond the most efficient other EVs.
The 2nd vehicle they produce is likely to be a 4 wheel 5 passenger sedan.
The most important thing's that we learned is Munroe Associates is involved in the production process, better chance to see a production Aptera on the road and near the price announce!
This is the car the world has been waiting for.
Simple. Clean. Efficient. Self fueling. Elegant. Beautiful. Low cost.
Though I know nothing on earth is perfect, this is a huge leap in the right direction.
I think it's ugly. But I'd DEFINITELY buy it for all the benefits...
And more important, invest in the company.
The tesla model 3/Y is uglyer.
DON'T! WAYYYYY too early! You're basically gambling at this point! This company is nowhere near ready to play in the big leagues. They're still basically just a startup with a great concept. There could be many practical reasons why they still won't succeed at scale. I would definitely keep my eye on them though! See if they survive and THEN think about buying in!
@@yvanpajevic9680 sure, but there's nothing wrong with investing early if you understand that it's basically gambling and you have money to spare.
most important part is that you're well informed on the company, its concept & leadership resonates with you, and that you're in it for the long run.
I ordered 1. Well see how it does
I think this car is great. I am retired and just drive local for shopping and will purchase one when available. My awesome 14 mpg 1996 Chevy C2500HD ( just under 5000 lb in weight) would only be used for heavy cartage. With the 50 gal 2nd fuel tank it costs over $300 to fill up.
Honestly I love the way the thing looks it’s this futuristic tear drop coup and that’s dope
The Aptera will be one of the most significant & important vehicles in automobile history. Super efficient and (mostly)self-sustaining. It will quickly make all other EVs without similar attributes completely obsolete.
Now what would that range look like if you built one to carry 4 people and luggage like midsize four door sedan?
My desireable distance from previous trips (in a Saturn SW) was to see my daughter who had a free weekend [1,600 miles in 24hr including a brief nap. Then took my time driving home [2,000 miles going home.] A few days later, I drove to meat cove at Nova Scotia.
Years earlier, while changing duty stations, I drove 2,100 miles (900 + 1,200mi in 47 hours in a Plymouth Valiant. (San Diego to Indianapolis).
Would like to see how safe it is in a crash .
I think the way it looks answers that question. Can you say motorcycle?
@@irongoose3865 motorcycle can whitstand a poke from an dull pencil, that thing can't
Formula one cars look similarly vulnerable, very lightweight, yet 200mph powerful and pretty safe in high-speed crashes. These people know they don’t stand a chance if they don’t comply with crash testing legislation around the world. They will surely have this covered
Seems alot safer than a smart fortwo and those tiny cars sold like hotcakes for awhile.
Still the smart fortwo had a Mercedes class safety chassis so it was like a very hard bouncy egg.
Still you have vehicles like a polaris slingshot that would be cool or mini trucks that were 3 wheels (asian vehicles, Mazda etc)
@@jonsstuff760 Yeah, they are "covered" because as a motorcycle they don't have to meet car crash regs.
How would anyone not like the looks of this vehicle? I think it’s a work of art. I already put a deposit down - too bad because I’d love a ride in the roadster.
Performance during much colder weeks/ months during the year? Driving in snow?
I was enamored with Aptera initially and was surprised that they floundered, but am happy to see them back and definitely think they have a product with a future.
The only reason they floundered the first time is because they hired a CEO from Detroit as requested by their startup incubator. He decided he didn't want to build the production ready car, kicked the founders out of the company and then bet the future on a totally new 4 wheel design that required a DOE loan that never came through. They won't be making that mistake again.
If Aptera is delivering vehicles when we're ready to buy, it's going to be a tough call. I've been in love with the design, even in the old days when it was a hybrid.
Two concerns here. First is how safe is this vehicle in crashes. Second is how safe is this vehicle in high winds...
Aptera has been tested stable in 110 mph side winds - much better than slab sided SUVs. There is little for wind to push against.
Safety has been as big a design focus as efficiency. It will be crash tested to automotive standards before production begins and will do very well.
Efficiency grows exponentially
Gas car companies must be going crazy right now.
They got a few decades to rewrite their business models.
No, they are just making EV’s and some very good ones.
But - they are not. Look at Toyota - "in 50 years, electric cars may be half of the market" They are using linear extrapolation for the growth, and feeling WAY too safe. In the meantime, Tesla will go from 2 factories with a half million cars this year to 4 factories with about a million cars next year... Thats exponential - not linear.
@@AdventurousJohn Yes , but Toyota sold 10 million cars last year and the global car market is 70 million. The world can’t charge that many EV vehicles yet, so the ICE manufactures are keeping us mobile and making some profit whilst relatively tiny Tesla grow. When the time comes the ICE guys will switch it’s starting to happen.
Crazy like an ostrich, head in the sand, saying over and over "nothing to see, nothing to worry about".
Just love Aptera, and so excited to drive one...can't wait...it's a real deal...always excited to hear news about it.
Ah yes. On New Years Day too. HNY to you. Just while I'm waiting for dinner to cook; enjoying a cocktail [ok, several], and you guys [inc Brent and Bobby] put in the effort to keep with the In-Depth series. It's appreciated. 👍
I love the look of the Aptera; It's so futuristic functional. People are scared of change and therefore won't think out of the box. Even Tesla is guilty of that to a minute degree when it comes to body design and solar options. Honestly if you are going to be progressive in EV/green industry then you can't limit yourself. After all the sun power is free even on a cloudy day and who would turn down a free meal when they're hungry? Personally, I still like the idea of a hybrid gas engine rear wheel option even if it's just to get you home for one reason or another. But that's just me. The best options in any vehicle are Affordability, Comfort, Reliability, Inexpensive maintenance and of course mileage.
in this day and age Purchase Cost, let's not forget why VW and Honda really made it in the competitive energy business market their affordability and just barely. Volkswagens cost $1200+/- and if you bought a Cadillac, they gave you a free Honda Civic. LOL Truly...
Wonderful, wonderful. Wonderful squared!
We have owned and maintained 40+ cars and trucks for over 40 years. Currently we have a 12 wheel Peterbilt roll-off platform for machinery moving. Had lots of motorcycles too. We know auto-mechanics!
However this Aptera takes the cake AND the brass ring too....for economic, applied aerodynamic ergonomics for human transport, and some charging by sunpower to boot!
What's not to drool over? I'm signing up!
I want to see a three seater,center driver in the front,longer chassis obviously
What is the "5 star" safety rating on these?
I wondered the same. How many aptera can you balance on top of the aptera before the vehicle caves in?
@@bernardthedisappointedowl6938 thank you! I appreciate the description. Could you translate it for my more pedestrian understanding of safety? “ it’ll protect the occupants in crashes as well as a formula one vehicle(?)” “the lower center of mass means the car is less likely to flip.”
@@walkeren At least one military HumVee.
@@n.brucenelson5920 really!? It looks flimsy. I’m glad I’m learning more about them instead of jumping to conclusions ( hee hee, I almost wrote “convulsions”)
@@walkeren The original version was more than three times stronger in roof crush test than any previous vehicle tested up until that time, and this version is stronger, with more crush zones and far more developed design safety. The proof will be when crash testing is done on the pre-production vehicles shortly before they start shipping.
I would love to have solar on my model 3, because when I leave it parked on the street (in winter) it looses 15 km's per day, just by sitting on the street. I hate to loose this energy.
The Aptera only uses 100 watt hours to go 10 miles at EPA highway cycle speeds. This is much less than what the Model 3 requires, and is the reason that the 700 peak watts of the Aptera works so well. It would help the model 3, but not to the same extent.
Do you have Sentry mode turned on? If it’s not necessary then the car can go to sleep which stops it losing range.
@@n.brucenelson5920 100 wH per mile, not per 10 miles.
@@SirHackaL0t. Oh, you are so right! Thanks for the correction. Pesky decimal places, especially New Years morning. I will let your correction stand.
@@n.brucenelson5920 lol, no worries. Btw, you can edit your initial response to correct your figures. :)
How long do the solar panel charging units have an effective life? Tire changes?
I was disappointed that the elephant in the room of **safety** was not addressed in this video.
Aptera admits they have yet to test one yet, but they are hopeful. The original gas aptera had a roof crush rating much higher than most cars on the market. I know they are incorporating airbags, which far surpasses the requirements set in the US for autocycles. Many of the other tadpole trikes Sandy Munroe is a consultant for are using a new lap belt airbag that may prove better than traditional airbags. I also wonder if the high strength light weight design will reduce the kinetic forces we are used to with metal cars. These are all just wishful thinking as nothing has been tested yet, but I like to be hopeful too.
I IMAGINE it behaving in a wreck, similar to a punted football...
Weight is about 2k lb vs 3k-5k Range of cars to trucks/vans on the road... So that means it will be unsafer technically. But not a huge issue in the sense that we all don't drive trucks for safety...
As for crash safety, let's hope it's safe. If not safe, then all the improvements they offer don't matter. Then again, it is technically a motorcycle in terms of classification, so it will be safe than all the vehicles in it's weight & category at best...
Spot on, this will have the same "safety rating" as those trikes....which is to say you are dead if anything touches you or you touch anything else.
@@w0ttheh3ll We will see when it gets tested, just not enough structure and airbags are not a cure for lack of crumple zones and structure.
Safety, HVAC?
Sure wish an "In Depth" would have covered this.
i want to see their small overlap and side crash tests
This will happen likely late next year when there are delta production vehicles available for third party crash testing.
36:57 So, hold up!
He's saying they could use a 200kWh battery pack to travel 2000mi or 3200km on a single charge.
That means by using a battery pack with 20kWh, smaller than the 1st generation Nissan LEAF, they can travel 200mi / 320km on a single charge.
They'll easily be able to sell the cars at a low price with high margin! :O
That's exactly what makes this vehicle feasible.
He's just saying 200 kWh is enough energy to make the Aptera go 2000 miles. But yes, the cheapest ($26k) Aptera configuration does have a 20 kWh battery and claims a 200 mile range.
I pre-ordered an Aptera several weeks ago. Where can I find my own Referral Code?
Login in on the website and hit the crown symbol
Adding Altra thin solar panels could make it nearly non chargeable or less charging. I really love this design.... Awesome . What about adding lightweight super compactors the options are amazing. Thank you
Do you mean super capacitors? There are no in-expensive production quality examples available in the market place yet. They could possibly become a thing in the future.
i'd love to see more diversity in vehicles on the street so this has my support :D
I have been reading about and watching videos about Aptera and this is one of the most informative. Great video. I'm editing while watching. It could use a retractable bumpers for and aft. The Aptera, to me, looks absolutely stunning. Looks like Airwolf helicopter without the blades. Here's a question: The pictures on the Aptera Motor website show the battery layout. Now is that for the full 1000 mile range battery? If that is the case, then what does the 600, 400, 250 range model battery holding framework look like? Can the least expensive model with the least range be upgraded after delivery with more batteries and software upgrade? What kind of batteries are being put into the Aptera? Will somebody be able to come up to an Aptera and vandalize it by peeling off a piece of solar collector like a scab? How difficult will it be on the side of the road to change that rear tire. For instance, how do you remove those panels that surround that rear wheel? How would you pay and take delivery of an Aptera? That is putting a whole lot of trust in a car company only known by a website and video's. Next model Aptera Ethos. And I just have to ask this question. You guys say that you are paying for a car. With Aptera Rewards you guys are certainly getting a free base model car, maybe two of them. Is that not true? Pretty good deal for you two.
The Aptera is amazing. Besides the crazy efficiency, the right to repair is baked into it! The parts have QR codes that bring up videos on how to repair them.
it looks like a plane had a kid with a 3 wheel motorcycle. i like it
1000% Visionary vs every other box like automakers, including Tesla , I really hope we see this type of innovation continue. It's also interesting to note the rising cost of electricity in most countries so a car that can recharge without the grid even more attractive.
Aptera is the vehicle that the world actually needs. I am so sick of the boring 5000-pound massive inefficient flat grilled SUV vehicles.
That's more like it! I'm sick and tired of SUV's even if they are electric.
It looks great , I like It so much ! I would like to have an Aptera for my weekly trip from Milan to Tuscany i am sure Leonardo da Vinci's land would greatly appreciate its hyper-efficient design.
I remember that Leonardo was the first to understand that friction is the most important obstacle to overcome in order to be able to build functioning machines.
I opted for Noir exterior, two motors, full solar package, 600 mile range, Vida interior. I like the unique look, I have a motorcycle endorsement already. So, that is not a problem. I like the efficiency of the shape and that helps increase the range the batteries can carry me. The solar charging option was paramount, and not having to pay for liquid fuel (gasoline) was the best part. $5/gallon in the Pacific Northwest for regular 87 octane is very annoying for 14 gallons on my ‘clown car’ (small econobox). Then there is oil to change, oil filter, air filter, alternator (PITY) for my car = back of engine out the bottom of the car). If all I am paying for are tires?!?! Really!?!? Is there any question why not to get one of these Apteras? No. Aside from me and one other person as a max occupancy, then I’m good. There are no worries there.
I would ALWAYS want solar panels on my electric car. Absolutely free transportation of ANY distance is amazing.
If I just let my car sit in the sun and I get free miles, *WOO HOO!*
Especially relevant the higher the prices for gas and maintenance are.
I’m on board with this company. Definitely investing in this SEV
shoutouts from Uganda Africa. I think its quite low so you may need to consider an option for lifting the car incase of big humps or rather large pit holes. but I would so love to have one its such an innovative kind
How long before availability for any model? I drive an F150. Gasoline alone could pay for one.
I wish a car like this would already be out and available here in Europe
Maybe Tesla will take some notes from Aptera and produce the model 2 .Then the model 2 will most definitely change the speed of transitioning to sustainable energy. :)
Well, there is the Sion from Sono Motors. Already covered well by NYK.
@@ramblerandy2397 and what does it have to do with Aptera?
Absolutely love this concept! The ingenuity incorporated into it is amazing. I do however have a problem with calling it a car. A lot of the weight savings are due to this technically being a trike (motorcycle), and not having the same regulatory requirements of a car. That said, this kind of aggressive counterculture thinking will push the industry in and the market into a more sustainable direction.
It is still designed to and will be tested to full automotive crash test standards.
Prescott Bates: Egggszakly..for design and concept. I wholly disagree about "only 3 wheels" though! America is in a rut, thinking it needs 4 wheels; a guy passes me yesterday- way Faster than the cars in traffic and, burns/ banks around the corner. Compact. Cheap. Low weight.
3 wheels? No.
2 wheels? Nope.
ONE wheel! motorized, Incredible smooth and looking effortless...and inexpensive.
(Ok, winter us different). But...
The planet is overheating! We're doing it.
Nothing could be better for us AND the world, than Aptera, when with it- often NO juice from the grid, is needed for an average trip! And that trip will burn Zero fossil fuels altogether!
Auto cycle.
Couldn't I carry with me a Jackery and it's solar panel for emergency charging? If it starts out charged the solar panel wouldn't even be needed but it also doesn't take a lot of space.
@7:51 Be careful not to fall into the rut of thought of 'The only thing solar adds to a vehicle is range'. What if (as happens more every year) the grid goes down and there isn't a powered Supercharger for 50 miles? What if you power the vehicles 12v system load (a 300 watt plus constant cycling of your battery!) off the solar? Then your massive investment (in the HV battery) lasts longer. What about grid stabilization for the Tesla Semi? Each Semi will be a MASSIVE load on a grid that is designed for essentially constant output. 10kw of solar on the 53' Trailer would reduce the load placed on the grid when charging AND overall. There are numerous benefits to solar on EVs beyond just range extension.
I think the conclusion is strengthen the grid, if it goes down that frequently... I don't think I've experienced even one blackout where I live. But if that's the case, install independent systems, like solar on the roof. Solar car should be the last thought...
And you're massively overestimating the ability of solar to power semi trucks... It's one thing for shape optimized tricycle, quite another for boxy semi weighing tens of thousands of pounds. Weight goes far faster than available roof/side space for solar.
@@fobusas Smaller independent grids, or micro-grids like what you're describing are considered to be the future of power. Jack Rickard used to make the case for them quite frequently.
As far as the solar semi, I'm not suggesting it generate ALL it's power required to operate from onboard solar, just that it can make enough to lighten the grid load by 50kwh/day/truck. And that that figure multiplied by thousands of trucks is a significant reduction of intermittent load on the grid. I did a little back of the napkin math on this subject in this video th-cam.com/video/YVduBQfTlyE/w-d-xo.html @ 3:42
Reading some of the comments, yes probably not a car for the snow . It’s not going to haul lumber out f the woods either. But in cities the snow doesn’t get deep so it would work all year round, For lots of other folks it could be an interesting and fun second car , and thats a bigger market than the super efficiency and EV Geeks!
As a Canadian who has driven through 57 winters and never owned a set of snow tires, I don't understand why some people take one look at the Aptera and conclude that it wouldn't be good in snow. Why not?
@@danmoyer4650 Those wheel covers and motors will pack with snow and ice and overnight will freeze solid. Good luck chipping that lot free -40C
Wonder how this will work during a Canadian winter? This is a great concept though.
We’d now entered the Jetson era. I remember watching the Jetson cartoons some decades back and wondering if cars like this would ever exist in my lifetime. Not only did this come true. I can actually buy one.
We have entered the apocalypse era
Age of AQUARIUS things is just starting
More like the Muskism era. :-)
One word. Safety. If this car passes well on all the safety tests, I'll be on board. It's so easy for everyone to get excited about all the flashy or nerdy stuff, but just remember; the Tesla Model 3 is the safest car ever tested in all categories in both the US and EU. If I have a choice, I'll sacrifice efficiency for safety all day, everyday.
I think this is wise. I would not be too surprised if the Aptera beats it, at least in some categories. We will find out before production starts.
Im driving electric Cars since 2014. In this Time i have the Ioniq, a Twizy and i think about to order an Aptera. My Question is: What about Snow on Roads? I live in Germany. I thinking about the open tie rod an the Wheels Covers/Fenders. What is when Snow get higher, or Iceblocks lying on the street? I'm looking forward to an answer. Greetings from an ex V8 Petrolhead. 😊
Cool. A lot of Americans are intrigued by the Twizzy!.. To answer your question, Aptera is recommending the 3 wheel motor version for more control in slick conditions. The traction control updates 32 times per wheel revolution, so it is likely to be able to respond much more quickly to loss of traction than other vehicles.
Next winter Elaphe will be testing under these conditions on their cold weather test track so we will have more definitive information on the way.
@@n.brucenelson5920 Hi 😊. I think I put myself wrong. I mean what happens or how stable are the long steering parts, such as B the front tie rod if hit by a block of ice. The fenders are very deep and would drag in the snow if the snow was deep enough. And can be badly damaged .....
Can you do the same on the Lightyear, please.?
Yes, the Lightyear One is the only other planned production vehicle that comes close to the Aptera. However, you can buy 3 to 4 Aptera for less than the cost of a single $120K One. And they only plan to make a hundred or so of the Ones.
Wow! I was so curious about how this company's claims conflicted with Elon Musk's statement from a few years back about deciding not to put solar panels on the Model 3 and now it makes so much sense! Thanks for your brilliant explanation and insight into why their claims seem plausible and why this car could truly be built to match the claims in 2020! Simple, clear, concise, brilliant! Thanks for posting!
Most beauty full.
nope the "p" is pronounced just normally. And it just means "wingless" without explicit notion of flight.
Tesla fanboys don't understand how important price is. Price is HUGE. If this is cheaper than Teslas and usually doesn't have to be charged and when it DOES need to be charged can be done with a simple extension cord from an ordinary outlet, it will sell.
If it’s a decent EV then it will sell. Look at the Honda E, no real range, small boot but people buy it.
Sorry to say I used someone elses aptera refferal before finding this channel and seeing this excellent video. Great job guys
Danger, Will Robinson!
Just doesn't look safe in a collision, but I'd be interested to see what the crash-testing shows.
I think it's a trike, so won't have to meet car standards... I think that was part of the idea...
I remember late 70's and early 80's my father and his generation saying "That Jap cr** can't be safe, give me American steel." My father drove a Lincoln Continental with a hood so long you couldn't see the road 40 feet in front of the car. Well those Hondas and Toyotas turned out to be smaller lighter be actually safer. Yes a low speed collision in my dad's Lincoln might only make a minor dent in the steel bumper. It didn't have crush zones and it had a whole lot more inertia to overcome when breaking before a collision. I suspect the Aptera will prove to be reasonably safe. And lets face it tens of thousands of people choose to ride motorcycles, scooters and mopeds every day that offer no safety. They do it out of necessity or for the joy of riding or some other intangible reason. Before having a daughter I commuted on a small displacement motor cycle simply to use less fossil fuel in the 90's.
By the time this is out on the road, a huge percent of the vehicle miles traveled will be done in autonomous mode. Both for this vehicles and other vehicles on the road. I think it will be safe to experiment with lighter designs.
I’d hate to get into an accident in this thing lol
I’m with you. Love the look (I’m a lane guy). But I do worry about crashability.
Egg shapes are strong.
I wonder how this vehcle would fair in the states that have snow fall to contend with?
No word on how this car does in our harsh Canadian winter conditions.
Next winter there will be a production Aptera under test on Elaphe''s cold weather test track. The AWD version is likely to be very good with snow tires due to state of the art traction control.
Not all of Canada has snowy winters. On the west coast it will need efficient heat and windshield wipers.
@@hughwaller6789 In Montreal it can get pretty bad at times.As a matter of fact they are forecasting 15cms overnight.
Light weight and only 3 tires will make for a scary as f experience!
@@willaerley7140 2 front tires will track well in the snow ruts but that 3rd wheel is going to have a hard time deciding which one it wants to track in. Yikes.