Aptera 2e gets taken for a test drive
By Donald Melanson 
posted February 13th 2009 6:08PM
posted February 13th 2009 6:08PM
Aptera only just unveiled the complete specs for its Aptera 2e all-electric vehicle a little over a week ago, but the folks at Road & Track Magazine have already managed to talk their way into a test drive, and they've naturally shared their impressions for those of us still stuck in our non-space age vehicles. While there's obviously still a bit of refining to do before the final production model, the magazine nonetheless seems to be pretty impressed with the head-turner, saying that it seems far quicker than it actually is due to its go-kart-like handing and aircraft-style windshield, which gives the driver an up close view of the pavement ahead. They do say that the not-quite-gullwing doors will take some getting used to, however, but once inside there's apparently plenty of room, even for someone with a 6-foot-3-inch frame. Be sure to hit up the read link below for a video and plenty more pics, including a glimpse at the development process.
It looks like crap.
are you crazy!!!!11!!!?
Speaking of crap, I see Vista in the vista.
Matter of opinion. Unlike GM's Volt, this actually works. Anyone see the video of the Volt dying at 5mph? Its a joke, its the same electric car they pull out every election year for the past 50 years. This company, which is in my backyard hometown sprang up and outpaced GM in less then a year. Why? Because they are actually serious, not hype.
Brent. What are you talking about?!?! The Bolt is functioning in better condition now and is slated for production soon. Check your facts before you blurt out wrong information.
Penis with wheels. Ugh.
S.L.O.W
Are you guys serious? it looks awesome? Really? You would buy one and drive it down the street? (just asking)
It looks awesome.
It'll only be a matter of time before people force themselves to "re-define" what good looking is.
I don't know how you came to that assumption, and I don't think I want to know.
Otis Peabody: "It looks like an airplane... without wings."
Sherman Peabody: "That ain't no airplane!"
Where's Ja...the beef?
I see Jason took care of you mid sentence.
sweets
I guess it looks great
I have mine on order....
This car and a dump truck should race.
Whoa! Looks awesome. Where do they plan on assembling it?
Here:
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Were you born in the 50's?
So why is it that all of those new electric concept cars, have to look like something from a 70's sci-fi???
and the rest of teh world (out of cali) awaits patiently
Anyone who says vehicles like this with narrow tires has "go-kart" like handling has never driven a go-kart.
I'm glad they made valiant effort in making the car green and so forth. That's a good thing. But this car is really unattractive.
I realize it has a "futuristic" look to it, but it's definitely not a style I'd want to be driving around in. The thing is, you can have really nice, even concept styling, without standing out completely like a sore thumb. The point of putting out a car like this is the hope that it would be a daily driver for those who drive it, but I'd love to see how this thing handles speed bumps, gravel, ice, snow, slush, and so forth, with those low, low wheel skirts.
Very few will buy this thing. I like concept styling a lot of the time, but the styling on this thing is just too radical. Or stupid. No one will take someone seriously driving around in that. This car announces, "I'm pretending its da fyoochur and we're wearing spacesuits!"
This guy would be the perfect match for that car... he'd drive it: http://www.hulu.com/watch/34464/saturday-night-live-digital-short-space-olympics
It's almost as if they want electric cars to fail or something.
I think the problem is that people care too much about what their vehicle looks like, forgetting that a vehicle is a vehicle - a tool to get you from point a to point b. You're not having sex with it (most of us aren't at least). I'm pretty sure the design is not so much about 'looking futuristic' as it is about getting the drag coefficient closer to 0. I think it looks a hell of a lot better than something like a Honda Element.
brent
i think your onto something
have you ever seen the movie
"who killed the electric car" ?
@Brent
I didn't say I don't like electric cars. I said I don't like the STYLING. Since when does every electric car have to look like this? Have you seen the Tesla? The Fisker? Or something even more exotic like the Velozzi? What about the Chevy Volt?
@Paul
"I think the problem is that people care too much about what their vehicle looks like, forgetting that a vehicle is a vehicle - a tool to get you from point a to point b. You're not having sex with it (most of us aren't at least)."
Good grief, Paul, are you serious with this statement? What in the freak are you talking about? You need a good strong jolt back into reality. Please silence yourself with those statements. They add nothing and make you sound like an immature fool who's disconnected from society.
@Cassini
I'm dead serious. Please explain how pointing out the flaws in how our society views automotive design makes me sound like a disconnected, immature fool. I'm completely aware that people care about what their vehicle looks like. In my opinion, function should take precedence over appearance.
@Paul
I don't have a problem with us disagreeing about whether or not we like the styling of this car - that's no big deal to me. But why would you think people are flawed for caring as much as they do about styling on such an expensive item as a car?
People care about styling in everything they buy. This is a part of life, Paul. Cars are not simply about getting you from point A to point B. They are about getting you there in style. The fact that you don't seem to grasp this or grasp that it's OK, not only proves you are completely out of touch with how society functions, but it also serves as strong proof that you will never work in a design capacity on anything ever made.
@Cassini
"This is a part of life, Paul. Cars are not simply about getting you from point A to point B. They are about getting you there in style."
You've just made Paul's point the stronger. Shit, who cares what the mileage is right? So long as I can be "in style." Like style never changes. Or is some metaphysical law independent of people.
@facebookfake
Either you clearly don't know how to interpret what you read, or you don't possess an ounce of wisdom, so please be quiet. All you're doing is getting everything twisted.
@ Cassini
Sure thing Euthyphro.
@facebookfake
Good dog.
The reason this car looks the way it does is because it is the best shape for aerodynamics, stop being silly, besides i think it looks amazing, smooth and stylish. But for those who can't let go there petty ideas about what a car should look like, suck it up we need to get off oil or our children will never forgive us. and @Cassini you speak as though you can predict the future but you can't, your assumptions make you sound blatantly uninformed and simple.
@Cassini...Dude it's about function over form in this case. Suppose Jason was chasing you in the woods...would you want a really unattractive gun that actually worked the way it's supposed to or a 'pretty' gun that only worked half the time? People need to learn that function is more important than form 99.999999% of the time!
Oh and one other thing Cassini...speaking of wisdom you might want to take your own advice instead of shooting people down for not agreeing with your point of view. You assume that we should all care about the way it looks versus the way it performs. If you think this car won't sell then you haven't done your research. As a matter of fact depending on how well it does sell I wouldn't be surprised to see other major car companies (who by the way have almost always put form over function) changing their approach to focus more on functionality first and looks second. Honda and Toyota are already doing it with their hybrids/plugins which is why they look like blocks of soap. I can say with complete confidence all car companies will soon be taking the approach of function over form. I would drive a damned cube designed by the borg if it saved me money and helped America in the process and right now I think alot of American's would agree. There's a shift going on here and you're not paying attention. So much for wisdom, eh? Think about how different our society would be if we cared more about how it performed and less about what it looked like.
@Guyzen
I'm not shooting anyone down for not caring about the looks or for not agreeing with me. If that's what you think, you have NO clue what I was saying. I was talking to Paul because initially, HE was shooting others down for not agreeing with HIS ideals. Not the other way around. I don't care if your opinion of the car is different than mine. That's perfectly fine, OK? I don't know how much more clear I can make that. And Guyzen, don't talk to me about wisdom when you've failed to track what was being said to begin with. Scroll down the page a bit and you'll see more of what I posted to Paul and both his and my responses to each other, and you'll understand more of my position. Besides, I just don't like others trying to step into the middle of what I was saying to someone else and try to pick a fight with me - it really has nothing to do with you or anyone else. That all was between Paul and I, not anybody else.
In terms of vehicles, cars are about form AND function to most people. Most people don't walk into a showroom and look for a car simply based on performance or technology. They first notice what a car looks like, because that's the first thing you see. If a person doesn't like what it looks like, then they're most likely not going to be spending any time looking at anything else "under the hood". It doesn't mean that looks are necessarily MORE important. It just means, that looks are AS important as function. Of course no one desires a beautiful car that FUNCTIONS like crap, but it's also true that no one desires a beautiful functioning car that they feel LOOKS like crap. Form and function are EQUALLY important (which is what I happen to believe, personally). THAT'S reality. THAT'S the way people are. And there's NOTHING wrong with that. And even if someone chooses to place looks over function, so what? Who are you to judge that, simply because it doesn't agree with your ideals? I don't understand why it's so difficult for some of you to understand all of this. You judge society because they don't agree with YOUR ideals (which you believe are superior, but are not) that function should be over form in terms of shopping for something like a car and whatever else, and you're talking to me about wisdom and acceptance? Yeah, whatever, pal.
Why would you think I care about what someone else likes and doesn't like, ultimately? Because I don't. Like whatever you want. Dislike whatever you want. I'm not the one with the closed mind here. Where I have a problem, is when other people act as though their ideal is the only one that matters and that others are inferior if they don't accept it. That's not what I was doing. That's what Paul was doing at first, but then later understood what I was trying to say. That's what you are doing now. You're preaching about how much better society would be if they would accept your ideals. I'm not the one preaching that. You are. If I'm judging anything, I'm judging a closed-mindedness and an attitude of superiority which you're exhibiting. If you can't understand that, then you're just right-fighting.
Again, if you like the looks of the car, fine. I don't care. Personally, I don't like how it looks. It's as simple as that. It doesn't mean I can't read this article and appreciate the technology behind it. Some of you seem to think that there's a synthesis between me liking the looks and appreciating the technology, and that if I don't like the looks, then I don't appreciate the technology. You're going to have to work out in your head that those two things CAN be separated. They are in my mind. But some of you fellas don't seem to grasp this very simple concept. I like the technology. DON'T like the looks. The end.
Let's move on.
It's interesting how many wieners see the Prius or Civic hybrid and start whining "how come American auto makers can't do this, yadda yadda?"
I look at this, and the Tesla Roadster and the Fisker Karma, and they all look pretty badass. Furthermore, they're all American-made, and all electric - not hybrid, so *zero* emissions. Looks like America's way ahead of the competition in terms of market-entry for truly green cars.
I too laugh at the 1970s this-is-the-future styling.
I recall that the first version of this car had problems with side winds.
Ok, so why is there the guy with the mask in the picture? Isn't that "Vista" on the truck scary enough for one picture?
But it takes two elastic bands! Not good.
Nice, but it makes the current cars look dated
they are now
Form follows function in this instance. I suppose the car will be bought by people who can live with the design and those who don't like it won't buy it. Sounds kinda like mad crazy capitalism. Choice and all that. The combined might of "the bankrupt 3" has yet to produce an affordable electric car. And the volt is pretty pathetic ... as "best of breed." Why some people are so horrified by the shape is beyond me. Must push some atavistic buttons detroit installed when they were in pampers.
fuck that
@ Paul
Let me clarify one thing here...
I don't care that you value function over appearance. I really don't. What I have a problem with, is that you fault other people who care about styling equal to or even more than function. That's what I have a problem with.
You also compared people who don't think like you, as people who "want to or do have sex with their car" which is completely absurd and immature. That, I also have a problem with.
People differ in their thinking, but don't fault someone for thinking different than you, Paul. It was your attitude that I was annoyed at. Styling is a part of life in everything we make and buy. It's a part of who we are. Faulting someone for placing more value and importance on it than you do, is just narrow-minded.
Fair enough. I was not suggesting that people actually want to have sex with their cars, rather I was pointing out that for many people, style comes above everything when it comes to cars. I personally know people that spend $100 on a coat of wax, are willing to get a $600 paint job because of a little nick in the paint on the hood, etc. and I think it's completely absurd especially for a daily driver. Styling is certainly a part of life, but not in EVERYTHING we make and buy. Styling can take a back seat when it comes to designing the most efficient tool for a purpose, which is what the designers of the Aptera have done. The teardrop shape is widely accepted as the most aerodynamic design humans have come up with for something like this. Honestly, I think the car is downright ugly, however it is not a BMW or a Ferrari. It's a beautifully engineered, highly efficient piece of machinery. To dismiss it simply because it looks like something out of the jetsons I think is short sighted.
Anyway, perhaps we would think this is the most beautiful car ever made if our culture was tuned to find practicality to be more attractive. For instance, some cultures value wide, child-bearing hips in a woman to the point where they would find someone like Jessica Alba repulsive. The Aptera indeed strays from our current paradigm, but with the "green" movement that seems to be catching on, perhaps in 10 years people will have a different definition of "stylish" when it comes to cars.
Enjoy your weekend, sir. I'm done with the internet for now.
@ Paul
I hear you. And I do understand what you're saying there.
Styling does play a lesser role in terms of tools you'd buy for your garage, but styling does play a role even in that. Some people may not want to admit that's the case with certain things, but it is. Colors, patterns, finishes and so forth, are still considered by every company that manufactures something - someone had to make a decision regarding those things, and those choices impact the buying decisions we make as consumers, even in terms of something as simple as a hammer. In those cases, function is more important than form, true, but it does still play a role in everything (even in industry) as the looks of things communicate all manner of things: durable, powerful, long-lasting, sleek, sexy, bla bla bla. We live in a visual world and see with our eyes and things have their own set of appropriate checklists in terms of what is important visually, whether obvious or not.
I like the efforts manufacturers are making to make vehicles electric and clean. I have no problem with that. I applaud their efforts. I'm sure one day, I'll be driving one. And I deeply appreciate a very nicely designed machine. I just simply don't get this design choice.
Perhaps some may think form followed function here... but I wouldn't agree with that assessment. They could've made this car look like anything they wanted to. I see the car in three parts: the front end looks like slant-nosed Chrysler Prowler with wheel skirts, the middle looks like an AMC Pacer, and the back end looks like one of those weird aerodynamic bicyclist helmets that extend way out to a point and lay flat on someone's back while they're leaned over their handlebars. Downright ugly? Yeah, I'd agree with you there.
Have a good one.
It looks ridiculous. I'd pick Tesla's car over this any day.