[Jason Lattimer]

Just seen a couple of videos on the Aptera type 1. It has a bunch of wonderful technologies and wonderfully simple ones as well. The Solar Powered heat pump looks like something I want to build into a three wheeler myself. At $28,000 base it should be a maintenance free car and last the owner for the rest of his life, with little maintenance.

Lets see if it takes off or flops like so many other startups. If I had the money I would buy one myself.

[donmurray]

Aptera has some savy investors (Google), so they may get to a profitable production point. Seems to be a very smart bunch running the company. A lot of original thinking has gone into the Aptera. I've been especially impressed with their emphasis on light weight and aero efficiency.

All of us here know that solving energy issues requires efficiency and conservation as much as it does power generation. I don't think we'll ever see a big steel box EV produced in much volume. We will be forced to compromise on our ride style, stay home, pedal, or ride the bus. The reality of this will not fully sink in to most people until the next (bigger and longer) fuel crises comes along.

[speculawyer]

I think there is more hope for the Aptera than for pretty much any other pure-EV.

Batteries are still very expensive but to build a car that people will buy, you need to have a decent range (People are generally not going to buy cars with 50 mile ranges). The Aptera addresses these conflicting design issues by making the car extremely efficient. It has a very low weight and a very aerodynamic shape. This allows the Aptera to achieve an acceptable range without breaking the bank such as the $109K Tesla.

One of the few other pure-EVs out there is the Th!nk City . . . and they are currently in bankruptcy. :-(

[AMX/3]

I hope there is hope for the Aptera. A recent article in the local paper brought to my attention that the company has taken a 37,000 building close to my home in Vista, they already had a Carlsbad location they are keeping as well. I could not resist driving by and I noticed of the 20 cars in the front parking lot, three were full size BMW's with Michigan plates. Perhaps with the economic problems for the big 3, Aptera may be drawing some brain power out west for this project. I am very interested in this company since I am planning on building the AMX/3-EV http://www.amx390.com and I would also like to do a story for my tv show Planet X. http://www.planetx.tv
Tom
http://www.aptera.com/

[JRP3]

I just don't see a large market for a weird looking, 3 wheeled, 2 passenger vehicle for 25K+. Especially when the Mitsu iMiEV is supposed to come out this year for less than $30K.

[donmurray]

Originally Posted by JRP3

I just don't see a large market for a weird looking, 3 wheeled, 2 passenger vehicle for 25K+. Especially when the Mitsu iMiEV is supposed to come out this year for less than $30K.

Some people really like the appearance, but you're right about the larger market. Appearance ranks high in the factors that influence the normal car buyer, and they are not going to make radical changes in what they think is good looking. But, they can change slowly. Once big fins were consider attractive.

I'm usually attracted to designs that have the appearance of function (function is beauty), and the Aptera has that look of efficiency about it. Haven't seen anything with better weight and aero characteristics. These may give it a range and speed edge over the competetion, and range and speed are going to determining the success of many EVs.

[JRP3]

Similarity to existing vehicles will sell EV's. Four wheels, at least four seats, highway speeds, and 100+ mile range for a decent price. Dropping battery prices and improving technology will make that happen without the need for Aptera like vehicles.

[Stunt Driver]

I personally like Aptera.

95% of trips I take alone in car, and wouldn't mind having such daily driver. Ofcourse there would be another family car in garage to fit the whole family.
There are many 2-seaters on US market, clearly in the same segment of one-man's fun driver

Due to low weight - less expensive batteries will be required, and this advantage will always stay with Aptera

[JDMBill]

Originally Posted by Stunt Driver

I personally like Aptera.

95% of trips I take alone in car, and wouldn't mind having such daily driver. Ofcourse there would be another family car in garage to fit the whole family.
There are many 2-seaters on US market, clearly in the same segment of one-man's fun driver

Due to low weight - less expensive batteries will be required, and this advantage will always stay with Aptera

I like it also, too bad only cali gets it and I agree with your post

[IamIan]

I agree with other statements that the Aptera initially has a target market that is only a small % of the overall much larger current automotive market.

I see the Aptera targeting principally people who want to use less energy for transportation needs but are not able or willing to do more bicycling.

I also agree as the price of batteries comes down things will get cheaper... but batteries are not the only big ticket item that can and I expect to benefit from larger mass production of EVs... When there are millions of new EV motor controllers needed every year those prices will also fall ... so will BMS ... so will chargers ... etc ...etc... I expect all of those big ticket items to come down in price and get better over time ... not in a month or a year ... unfortunately it takes longer than that ... but all of those things get less and less expensive and get better over time.

These prices that make the Tesla $100+k and the Aptera $25+k are related ... when the parts drop enough for a Tesla like vehicle to go for $75k the Aptera will be down around $20k ... etc .... the efficiencies of the Aptera like design will always see a benefit to that type of vehicle.

I see Aptera like vehicles with their low weight and great aerodynamic profile becoming more and more dominate as fewer and fewer people see good looks in the inefficient , heavy , less aerodynamic designs of the past... Already the big heavy gas guzzlers have begun to submit to the pressures of better Aerodynamics and lower weight ... little by little the old ways give way to the new... Although I expect it to take a few generations before efficient designs like the Aptera to become part of the mainstream.

Now if only Aptera like vehicles also included pedals or some other means of getting exercise while in transit ... but that Twike like option will remain an even smaller niche market than the efficiency vehicles like the Aptera ... and unlike the efficiency vehicles I don't see a desire to be active and exercise becoming more popular... Although I would love that option ... I expect it to remain for the foreseeable future a tiny niche market.

Eventually if Aptera makes it... I greatly hope they do not get bought by one of the crappy car companies ... they don't get the Aptera concept and would only butcher it ... I would rather see those companies try to mimic them with their own models.

I am also very much in favor of more car companies each smaller than the current larger GMs and Fords ... if an extended recession were to hit again ... it would be more stable for the over all economy .. and it would help drive competition more as well ... but I see this happening as well ... but Technology that allows the smaller niche companies to compete is still in its infancy in the automotive sector ... but eventually it will be like electronics and groceries with there being hundreds of independent 'no-name' companies providing non-name brand automotive options ... but that too will probably take a few more generations.