Aptera 2e three-wheeler deemed a car by the DoE, eligible for funding
By Donald Melanson 
posted Oct 30th 2009 10:31PM
posted Oct 30th 2009 10:31PM
For a time, it looked Aptera might be missing out on the US Department of Energy's funding bonanza for energy-efficient vehicles due to its car's three-wheeled nature, but it looks like President Obama has now had the final say on the matter, and signed legislation that makes both two-wheeled and three-wheeled vehicles eligible for the same funding as their four-wheeled counterparts. Of course, that doesn't yet mean that Aptera will actually receive any funding, and the legislation doesn't have anything to do with safety regulations, where the 2e is still classified as a motorcycle by the Department of Transportation. For its part, however, Aptera says that it'll be filing another application to meet the updated requirements, and it still insists that it'll hit "volume production" of the car sometime in 2010, and get it on the road for between $25,000 and $40,000.
Nice!!
looks like a giant sperm with no tail
This car reminded me of the ship Darkwing Duck used to fly... man those were the days.
looks like a white naboo fighter to me...
I'm all for electric vehicles but, the Aptera is impractical and over priced. And I don't even want to think how expensive repairs to this car will after even a minor accident. Four wheels and bumpers in the front and back are really good idea ....
I think maybe you should read up on the safety technology used in the Aptera. Those damn F1 machines without any bumpers sure get a great deal of people killed when they crash ;) Besides, do you understand crumple zones in regular cars? A 10 MPH accident in a Five star rated Toyota cost 13k in repairs when a friend was involved in an accident this year. Why... crumple zones and saftey.
Alex: (from another Alex), I have done much research into the Aptera - and without any doubt, it is the most exciting, fun, practical and robust such vehicle to date. And when you find out who is behind it, your confidence will be further boosted. It has cred.
The radical shape, like the iPhone (different looking from prior devices due to lack of buttons), means it will stand out and excite people away from dirty noisy polluting alternatives.
Best of all, it's retro futurist white look makes you feel like you're in the future - today. Just ensure you purchase a MacBook White, a Sony X series white Android phone (or white iPhone), don your tight sexy space spandex, and you'll feel like Mr. Jetson!
Back to the future, baby...
He didn't say safety, he said the cost of repairs. Don't quote F1 crap when trying to talk about affordability. You can't even start the motor in an F1 car to hear it run for under $1,000.
Yes I understand how cars are designed, and while you might survive an accident intact I'll bet that the Aptera is very like to get totaled in an accident where in a regular car you would replace bumpers and fender etc... in this car you will have replace the car. Survivability of the passenger and the car are two different things.
25k is he same price as on of my BMW bikes .... anything short of a mild drop will total it. and I pay 50 a month for full 100/300 coverage. Insurance is cheap. Life isn't. And like I said... A 24k Toyota sustained 13k in damage in a 10 mph accident. If you have a car without insurance you deserve to be out of pocket for the repairs.
tracknod has a point. There are plenty of conventional vehicles which have expensive repair bills even in minor accidents ($5-10k). But it doesn't seem to play much into the buying decision of a typical buyer.
The front of the car isn't part of the main shell so that should help repair costs. The rear of the car is part of the shell and that's the place where you might run into problems, but I suppose that is the sacrifice you make for this type of car (the tail is needed to get lower Cd).
how is it overpriced? it's cheaper than a Volt
One of the things that the Aptera folks talk about because this vehicle (its not a car, but considered a motorcycle under the law ) which was supposed make it cheaper then a car and it doesn't have to meet the same safety requirements. So now your talking about a 25K to 40K for a glorified motorcycle. How easy will this this vehicle roll if it gets hit from the side ? How much will it cost to fix if someone rear ends you ? Aptera says that are trying to meet car like safety standards, but they also say they have not done all the crash tests. EV's are coming but I'll wait for something better. Until then I have my Jetta TDI.
They made it 3 wheels and unibody design for the best reasons: engineering over aesthetics. I appreciate the pragmatic arts, and I think it happens to look like the coolest vehicle ever brought to market, but the fact is the body and 3-wheel design is all about efficiency, so your personal tastes are meaningless here. The unibody design is necessary for the aerodynamics, and the 3 wheel design minimizes drag and friction losses. Yes it is certified as a motorcycle, but Aptera is doing their own safety testing to make sure it exceeds 4-wheel auto safety standards. $25,000 and $40,000 is an excellent price range for the kind of engineering you're getting -- full electric for same or better prices than mere hybrid. Looking into the engineering and efficiency benefits of 3-wheel designs lately makes me think the automobile industry was really dumb for starting out with 4 wheels.
I should have added this to my previous comment:
FTA: "Aptera considered a conventional four-wheeler but found the added weight and rolling resistance cut efficiency by 34 percent. Making up for it would have required making the 13 kilowatt-hour battery 50 percent bigger, the company says."
4 wheels = 34% less efficient than 3 wheels. What a waste the rest of the auto industry is forcing on us.
All my life, I have searched for a car that feels a certain way. Powerful like a gorilla, yet soft and yielding like a Nerf ball. Now, at last, I have found it.
lol like a nerf ball wow
Why are you not highest ranked yet? Engadget has disappointed me...
This comment is so full of win...I don't even know where to start!
It's like a strong woman with soft tits. Mmmmm. I want her to hold me at night.
25,000? Pounds, right? That can't possibly be USD.
That's waaaay too affordable for an electric car in 2010. I mean... I could afford it.
Does this mean we're less than five years away from a $15,000 electric car?
This car is produced in my hometown. And everything they say about it is true. However, the Detroit big three are just too consumed with the economy and other 'issues' to care right now. Otherwise Aptera (and or/its founder) would all be... shall we say, preoccupied with "weight issues".
As in cement shoes at the bottom of a lake. Seriously.
I wish them luck. There have been so many before them that didn't make it this far. The former designer of the EV1 had several, went independent when Saturn killed it, moved to Cali with his family. But the key difference is that Aptera started in California and has never been touched by any of the big three. Otherwise it'd be yet another political puppet that is hauled out every election year from its closet, as its been for the last 50 years.
The Chevy Volt is nothing new. Its the identical 50 year old car (perhaps older) and will never, ever, ever, EVER, see the light of day or production. Period.
Then there is Tesla, also completely California based... curious to see if maybe its California that is far enough from Detroit's grasp.
Time will tell!
The Volt is not the same car, and it will likely see production. You need to learn a little something.
Tesla is dead in the water now, their sales have come to a halt because the market for $100K EVs is saturated.
How will you get into an accident?
You'll be the only person in a flying car.
Well you can crash into UFO Balloon Boy.
But you do know it is not a flying car right? Yes?
No you didnt read it didja?
With the lines on that thing, even if it was gas, I bet it would get decent mileage.
There is a gas-electric hybrid version of the car. Being that the original concept was for an electric car and they did a good job of getting range out of it, the hybrid version gets amazing gas milage. For short trips (50 - 75 miles) you're getting between 400 and 1000 MPG. On long trips (100 miles or more) the MPG curve levels out at about 300 MPG. Anything less that 50 miles is considered 1000 MPG because the engine is mostly just idling while you're running off of battery.
This model you see in the picture is one of the prototypes. I am fun of aptera and can't wait for the production to start. You can go to apteraforum to find out more.
The new liked design does have a front bumper, which theoretically could be replaced in an accident.
The aptera does not have too many parts, it is very simple and I believe that if production numbers increase the price could go even lower.
I want that car!!!!! This is the first real step forward in marketable car engineering. It will not be for the soccer moms or the kids in college though at first . It is like when vehicles were first introduced back in the day only some had them.
Why do people expect millions to be sold in the first 5 years? EVERY new type of product starts small and builds from there.
As for safety..well being in a car period is not safe. arguing over what is slightly more safe and what is slightly cheaper to fix is silly. YES there is an established infrastructure for existing vehicle designs. YES its cheaper to fix. BUT the industry must give way to new designs. We do not need box shaped 4 wheel vehicles forever. An excuse against this car based on price comparison is silly. It is the future it is not being forced down your throat. I bet you as well if 90% of the vehicles on the road were this it would be alot safer. We do not need giant vehicles that only have 1 person in it. That pisses me off. 1 person driving around in a hummer or any odd suv. If people would just drive safe and not multitask while driving we would not have an issue.
its nice... untill you are up against a heavy hauler on the highway. then its not so nice
Yes, because there are so many other vehicles you can buy in which you won't be at a significant disadvantage against a semi. /sarcasm
This is a tired and spurious argument. Let's all agree to retire it and move on.
how many heavy haulers have you hit? I know more people hit by lightning (1) than by big rigs.
Hippstermobile - no one outside of LA will drive this. The money would be better spent on real, practical e-cars like Tesla's sedan, the upcoming Fisker entry-level sedan, the Volt, or additional battery research.
You are the opposite of right. No one outside of LA can afford any of the other cars you list. The Aptera is not only more affordable, and more practical for the average commuter in Anytown USA, but it looks like a friggin air plane. Anyone into aerospace, or not embarrassed to fly a crop duster, will feel pretty cool driving around in this. All the other 4-wheelers you list look like 90's throwbacks by comparison.
The Aptera is one of those vehicles you just have to test drive. I know they will start off in California, but I hope they will soon after expand. I can't wait to push that pedal, wait, does it even have one?
I thought this was a hover car.
backward compatibility.
How am I supposed to get DoE funding for my energy efficient unicycle???
My thoughts exactly!
i don't understand how someone can have any faith in Tesla when their car(s) cost more than the average american's yearly income. If turning the curb on fossil fuel emissions lies in cars then green cars have to cost less then $27,000 to really be effective.
I have been following the Aptera for a long time. A long long time. That has been frustrating and will continue to be so, as it is very unlikely that we will see any dealerships in range of Houston, TX anytime soon.
You may have better luck in California, but most of the country shouldn't get too excited or attached.
A top of the line Harley costs more than the price point for the Aptera--and the Aptera has A/C, heating, sound system, weather isolation, etc. The WORST thing about the Aptera is that it'll only be available in California initially. I can understand them wanting to moderate its release--so they can set up a good network of dealerships and repair shops--a proper support network is imperative for any new product such as this to succeed. As far as safety goes, you're probably safer in an Aptera than you'd be on a more expensive Harley should they be involved in any given accident.
Too bad about the California thing, though. I've given serious thought to flying out there and becoming a citizen if only so I can get in on the ground floor with these guys! I hope they blow Detroit out of the water!
i'm figuring out how can i drive this one.
Wow, what a mess it would be to read-end that thing?!?!
Damn, just attach some wings and thrusters and your ready to go.
Aptera has only done computer simulations and static crush tests on the 2e.
Last year they said actual crash tests would be done that summer, but they're already more than a year behind that promise.
Now that they're eligible for the money don't hold your breath waiting for actual crash tests.
Remember, it's not about how rigid a vehicle is, but how much energy gets transferred to the occupants in a crash.
Even at surface road speeds (not highway), there's a heck of a lot of energy you want to see absorbed in the "crumple zone" of the vehicle instead of it being transferred to the occupants.
Since Aptera is marketing the 2e as a conventional, highway-capable vehicle (not a low-speed NEV) they should be required to perform the same tests as for any 4-wheeled vehicle before it can be sold.
I agree with Bill. Aptera is way way behind and they do not provide any updates at all.
I was too optimistic about Aptera because:
1. The car is an order of magnitude less complex than any gasoline vehicle. Just think no emissions controls or sensors, no radiator, no 20,000 piece transmition, no oil , no gasoline engine.
2. This car will be safer than my motorcycle and now that I am getting older it will also be easier to drive.
What I underestimated and what Aptera underestimated was how difficult it is to create the feel and fit of a modern car.
A friend of sat in an aptera and he said just closing the door was very flakey. It took detriot 60 years to get that right.
But the biggest mistake by Aptera is that the windows don't open.
Two mistakes on this vehicle:
1. They are trying to make it in California, that will drag down any manufacturer
2. There isn't a GSX-R engine in it.
Do you really think this is a less safe car/motorcycle than the Smart car? Yet nobody but me seems to look at them and see the ball-like shape (low moment of inertia) that'll roll in any direction when hit....
i don't think George Lucas would like the naboo starfighter to be on the streets without some kinda intergalactic battle going on.