Thinking about the Aptera sEV

Weaselinsuit said:
My 2012 F-150 came from the factory with the backup camera screen in the rear view mirror. I actually preferred it there to a screen in the dash.

I think it looks cool as heck and I bet it would be a blast to drive. Any sense of the crash worthiness of the Aptera? It's a bit different here in BC than it was when I lived in Alberta where everyone had a pick up and an F-150 was a starter truck but there's still enough SUV's etc here that I would want pretty decent crumple zones etc.
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The video I linked to in post 18 addresses a little bit of the crash worthiness of the design. The aluminum chassis has crumple zones and is designed to eject the electric motor down and out to prevent that from going into the cabin. The CF that the primary body is made of is stronger than steel. CF is what F1 and other race cars are made of since it is stronger and lighter and safer than steel bodies. The outer body panels and much of the interior are fiberglass and are simply coverings not related to safety or structure.

Oh, and there are airbags for both occupants. The Aptera does have ABS as well.
 
I know I come off as being confident that this sEV will make it to production and beyond. But I am being realistic understanding that this is new start up company of a radically different kind of vehicle and not associated with any mainstream company. That means they don't have the deep pocket backing to carry them forward. There is still a very good chance that they don't make it. But I am still hopeful that they do. It would be really nice if some wealthy benefactor were to step up and provide funding, even as a business loan, to enable them to take it to completion.
 
Al st1100 said:
Wait a few years till they work all the bugs out. Look at the Rivian, it's new, modern has all the bells and whistles and yet it's one of consumer reports least reliable brands.
  • In 2024, Rivian ranked fifth lowest overall in Consumer Reports' annual survey.

  • The survey considered vehicle road test scores, predicted reliability, owner satisfaction, and safety.

  • Some reported issues with Rivian vehicles include:
    • Premature pad/rotor wear

    • Squeaks, rattles, and wind noises

    • Air and water leaks

      • Electric drive failure
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One would think a new manufacturer could get some of the basic things right - like brakes, leaks and the drive train. Squeaks and rattles might take a bit longer.
 
Two things struck me when I looked at the Aptera:
1- How visible are those front wheel pods from the driver's position? If they are always visible like on the Can-Am Spyder type of three wheeled vehicles there would not be any problem. On the Aptera, because these pods stick out so far from the body of the vehicle, if they are not visible at all times I could see people whacking things with them.

2- I wonder what type of vehicle these are classified as. As of right now as far as I am aware all three-wheeled vehicles operated in Quebec require wearing a helmet even if they do not fall in to the motorcycle vehicle category and don't require a motorcycle license to operate. I believe that Ontario is the same but they are currently conducting a pilot project to determine how three wheeled vehicles will be handled in the future. The Aptera goes a step further in that it is fully enclosed so I would consider it no different than a car but the determining criteria for classification currently seems to be the three wheels. I guess laws will need amending as these type of vehicles come on to the market.
 
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SMSW said:
One would think a new manufacturer could get some of the basic things right - like brakes, leaks and the drive train. Squeaks and rattles might take a bit longer.
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no, just get it done as fast as possible, not enought time in the day to revisit auto recalls. BMW M/C drive shafts and final drives ring a bell?
 
I would LOVE to see one of these in person, and a production model at that. Regarding the front wheels, my only criticism if I’m allowed one is that the front track of this 3 wheeler is quite wide, such that if you see it in a typical parking space, it looks like the front wheels would touch the lines (or pretty close) laterally. Not sure if that matters to many drivers (I’d also be concerned about curbing the wheels as well). For Robert, I’d really like to see you get yours (and if not the deposit is fully refundable).
 
I think this is like many big purchases in life...the lust of thinking about it, dreaming about it, going through the "what ifs" constantly...is all consuming. Once we have it, whether it be a big screen TV, a new pick-m-up truck...or an Aptera...our minds move on to the next thing. It's just the way people are wired.

You will get a crowd around you whenever you stop at a rest stop with the Aptera. I pity you though if you have to pee, because it'll be hard getting away from the car with the admiring crowd. :D Be sure to allow for that additional time or wear Depends. :D

I looked up one at the link you provided. Basic configuration is $40K, "* Final purchase price to be announced prior to delivery". I doubt it'll go down. Which puts you in the realm of a lot of good new cars. I'm not saying the cars are equivalent...but they are competition for Aptera orders and the success of the company. (BTW, a new Tesla Model 3 will cost me less than $37K.)

I'm curious about a couple of the design elements. I'd want some kind of evaluation on them before putting money down to actually buy one. The headlights look cool...but how well do they work at putting light on the road where I need it? And the way they are integrated into the body makes them part of the 0-MPH bumper. Somebody using the park-by-feel method with their F-150 could do a lot of damage here.

The range is variable, depending on the batteries you purchase I guess. So when I get to the end of my 400 miles for instance...how long till I can continue? What do I need to recharge? Do I now need to wait overnight ...or through the next day for the solar cells to recharge my batteries for the next 400 miles?

The shape looks cool...from the front. As the recipient of wind turbulence from semi's...what would happen if a semi comes up and passes in the adjacent lane? Would that bow-wave from the semi lift the rear of the Aptera? Could it flip the Aptera? It looks like a huge wing to me.

And then I'm asking myself...if it looks like a wing...does it act like a wing?

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The upper profile of the Aptera resembles a wing. The lower side design may counteract that lift effect...or it may not. I have no clue. But if it did generate lift and not downforce, could you lose traction with the road at high speeds? I've had times where I've been blown from one lane to the other, without having any chance to react. Both on my motorcycles...and my 66 VW Beetle.

Lastly, and this is just a feeling. The video you attached in post #24 seemed ...off. In the first few seconds (I'm guessing) the CEO starts with "Don't get me wrong"...usually that's a lead in to apologizing for something. Then at about 2:35 or so, he again apologizes. He mentions leaving that second set of seats down. I couldn't find a picture that showed a second set of seats anywhere. Are they worse than the pony cars of the 60's where you wouldn't put your worst enemy in them?

And then in what I would assume is a promotional video for the Aptera, he spends a lot of time trying to distance himself from Elon Musk and Tesla. Why mention them at all? Unless its an indication things are not going as smooth for your future rollout that you'd like the public to think.


In the end, it's like purchasing a motorcycle. It's not an investment. If you ride it at all, you need to consider (if buying new), that you won't get but a fraction of your money back. But unlike a motorcycle that you can walk around, kick the tires and sit on now...you can't with the Aptera.

Good luck, with whatever you decide.

Chris
 
I have many of the same concerns mentioned.
But...
In some videos I've watched it was said that you have to lean up to really see the wheel pants on the side opposite. In others it was reported that there is no problem seeing them. I guess it depends how short or tall you are. Then again, a lot of SUVs, including my Rav4, the hood shape tends to hide the outer bits of the fenders anyway so it's a matter of knowing and becoming one with the vehicle (why my wife tends to get too close to things on the far side now).

The Aptera is 87 inches at the widest point. Typical parking slots range between 90-108 inches. It is a little more than a foot wider than my Rav4, 7 inches more than a Ford F150 without the side mirrors (9 inches narrower with the side mirrors). So I wouldn't have too much concern about fitting in a normal parking slot. Nor in my garage.

The Aptera is classed as an auto-cycle. So a motorcycle class for most aspects of law. Only one or two states down here require a helmet and those are considering a change for auto-cycles.

As to lift... Since the bottom has as much curve as the top it would be neutral or no lift. The bottom of a wing is relatively flat compared to the top and that difference enable lift. Plus, with the narrow space under the vehicle air would be forced to flow a bit faster under the vehicle compared to over resulting in lower pressure = downward force = slight improvement in traction. Likely not much different with a side wind pushing a bike or car sideways... Maybe. It's possible the efficient aerodynamics of the Aptera will ride out that force better than a box going down the road.

I consider buying any car or motorcycle to be nothing more than an expense. Resale is not in consideration to me, only what I get out of owning it. I know there are a lot of vehicles, Tesla included, that cost less. That's not what a decision to buy an Aptera would be about. I could also buy a new motorcycle for less than 1/3 what I paid for my current ride. But it wouldn't be the one I want.
 
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When I consider headlights on my cars vs on the bikes I've owned I am reminded that the size of the vehicle does not indicate directly how well the view ahead is illuminated. Some of my bikes put out a better spread of light in front than any of the cars I've owned. LED headlights always do better than other types of headlights in my experience. The Aptera headlights may be centered, like many motorcycles, but from what I see they possibly put out a very good lighted path ahead. But only personal experience will tell. I can see even maybe adding LED driving lights to the wheel pants on each side if needed... as I did on my CTX1300. The lights I added to that bike were miles better than any factory lighting on any vehicle I've owned (20 w per lamp, 10 deg spot pencil beam). But the reduction in range using such additional lighting would be rather insignificant due to the short amount of time I'd be driving at night when I might need it.

That video in which the host spoke of the separation of Tesla and Mr Musk made sense to me. I didn't take it as him distancing himself from Elon. But instead, pointing out the fact that anyone who wants to truly do something that will impact the Trump/Musk situation is going about it all wrong. Yes, Elon Musk headed up the company that developed Tesla. But currently he doesn't have much to do with the daily operation of the company if any at all. Other executives run Tesla now. I agree that retaliating against Musk by vandalizing everything related to Tesla is like retaliating against the descendants of Henry Ford by vandalizing Ford dealers, owners and vehicles. The message would fail to impact the intended people and would instead be abuse of those who are innocent. Or maybe even the same as retaliating against Honda by vandalizing anything made by Kymco (who used to be a division of Honda many years ago).
 
Daboo said:
Lastly, and this is just a feeling. The video you attached in post #24 seemed ...off. In the first few seconds (I'm guessing) the CEO starts with "Don't get me wrong"...usually that's a lead in to apologizing for something. Then at about 2:35 or so, he again apologizes. He mentions leaving that second set of seats down. I couldn't find a picture that showed a second set of seats anywhere. Are they worse than the pony cars of the 60's where you wouldn't put your worst enemy in them?
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The person in that video is not the CEO of Aptera if that is what you meant. He is a content creator expressing an opinion. The rear seats that he doesn't use and just leaves down are the ones in his Telsa model 3, not in the Aptera.
 
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Andrew Shadow said:
The person in that video is not the CEO of Optera if that is what you meant. He is a content creator expressing an opinion. The rear seats that he doesn't use and just leaves down are the ones in his Telsa model 3, not in the Optera.
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Not complaining or being negative about it but just curious... why are you spelling it "Optera" instead of Aptera?
Don't know if there is a reason so just asking.:shrug1:

Yes, obviously the Aptera doesn't have rear seats since it is a 2 seat vehicle so he is talking about his Tesla.
I wonder how many people you can fit into the rear 32 sq ft of storage area lying down? The rear hatch is solid, covered by a big solar panel so no window for law enforcement to see in.
 
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