Europe offers Aptera huge market opportunity. Aptera should start homologation soon.

[@apterasolar]

It was a great pleasure spending the day with you in Nürnberg and discussing so many aspects of Aptera's journey. Thanks for putting this together.

[@Rich1Rodriguez]

My pleasure!

[@robinpettit7827]

I hope Aptera takes advantage of this or designates someone to Europe to take charge.

[@Rich1Rodriguez]

This regulatory opportunity only happens once every 10 to 15 years and Aptera Motors should certainly get involved. Aptera.Solar is well connected and one of their team members maybe making a presentation to after Motors for this work. Let’s get it done. Open this big market. Charge on!

[@charangohabsburg1]

Thank you Rich, for regarding Aptera also covering Europe!

[@Rich1Rodriguez]

Thank you for your comments. Your KZbin handle is awesome ! When you realize the European market can be larger than the United States, it makes total sense to start the homologation work now, especially when regulators are updating the standards now. This can open up a huge market . Charge on!

[@harriettanthony7352]

@@Rich1Rodriguez WHERE is the money coming from to do the European work? They DO NOT have the money to make the metal frame for the ones in the USA! By the FTC filing they could be out of business in a year or less, if no money comes in. To date- but very little has show up, the Note is a failure.

[@rngalston]

Glad to see the enthusiasm "across the pond". Encouraging

[@Rich1Rodriguez]

Enthusiasm for Aptera is quite high in Europe. Potentially a larger market, too. Charge on!

[@rngalston]

'harmonization" great​@@Rich1Rodriguez

[@ChasingAptera]

Thanks, Rich. Very interesting to hear a European perspective. Clearly, If Aptera seeks homologation, it could be very lucrative for the company.

[@Rich1Rodriguez]

Thanks, Bill. I WAS interesting to hear European perspectives. I was especially keen when I realized potential market may be larger for Aptera in Europe than in U.S. Charge on!

[@luxfino]

Agreed. Thank you for casting light on EU and thanks Jochen for the recap and emphasise to lobby for a new vehicle class.

[@apterasolar]

Pleasure. This is one chance in 10 - 15 years. Could save a lot of development money.

[@Rich1Rodriguez]

Thank you for your comments. When you realize the size potential of the European market, it’s no wonder global manufacturers design for global market. With the current EU regulatory work now going on, this is an ideal time for Aptera Motors to become involved - very inexpensive and big reward potential ! Charge on!

[@kevinscott8642]

Excellent interview, big thanks to both of you - to Rich for making the video and to Jochen for the work you’re doing!

[@Rich1Rodriguez]

Our pleasure! Europe is a huge market for Aptera in homologation work soon should bring deliveries to Europe sooner. Charge on!

[@kevinscott8642]

@@Rich1RodriguezVery much looking forward to part two!

[@cruzer01]

Great video, thank you both.

[@apterasolar]

As I cannot give you a red heart sticker: pleasure! ;-)

[@robinpettit7827]

I think Aptera can, with minimal mods, add lane assist.

[@Rich1Rodriguez]

Lane assist I believe when be possible when the autopilot kit is added. comma.ai/ Charge on!

[@brunotaupin7104]

I would love to see the Aptera on European roads, unfortunately it’s width is way too large to be practical. Would be as clumsy as a Hummer ! 😢

[@Rich1Rodriguez]

Thanks for your comments. In my recent trip to Europe, I drove a Mercedes EQE AMG. I had reserved a smaller car, but only the EQE was available for the length of time I wanted. It was definitely larger than I wanted, though it drove nicely on the autobahn. I’m thankful it had lots of cameras which made things easier in tight parking places. Charge on!

[@brunotaupin7104]

⁠If I am not mistaken the EQE AMG width is a bit below 2m. 25 cm less than the Aptera and already a challenge in most streets and parking lots. I hope that the Aptera will get the success it deserves in the US and that you will then downsize it in a more EU friendly/pratical version. I am sure the Aptera would rock here because like the 2CV in another time (best car ever IMHO😊) it perfectly responds to simple and essential needs. Except EU roads size unfortunately for us. Looking forward for your success 🤞🏻

[@elertus]

Thank you Rich snd Jochen for this explanation in Germany / Europe. I wish I knew something about this industry to make a useful comment.. while Aptera tries to get the company production launched ( final assembled ) out of Carlsbad…which can only help with Homologation , getting you to an compliant International Launch Edition. Thanks for the reminder on “ what comes out of Europe “ in this journey ! If it was only a question of the Aptera’s front width… I wish it was as simple as a engaging a suspension transformation switch to narrow the Aptera width for slow city driving, reverting to the wider stance for safe higher speed / non city roadways😞 Keep the sharing going!

[@Rich1Rodriguez]

Thanks for your comments. At the end of the day, my takeaway is for only a small amount of money, Aptera Motors can engage with regulators to define how the vehicle can fit into their standards. This creates sales opportunities.

[@robinpettit7827]

I agree completely. I may be moving to Europe late next year. I am an accelerator. How do I move it there?

[@Rich1Rodriguez]

Thanks for viewing. If you want to take your car to Europe, I would talk to Aptera.Solar. we already have accelerators in Europe.. Charge on!

[@apterasolar]

You are very welcome to Europe. Maybe you want to consider joining our forum. There are several Accelerators who want to import the vehicle early. It's easier together as there are also people who have done this process with other US cars.

[@adimchionyenadum2962]

If you are visiting, you can bring your American car with you as a private property. No big hassles, I reckon. I don't know what happens if you are relocating permanently

[@billsmith5960]

In the end, give this guy $100K and then the Aptera is homologated. Come on Aptera, open up that checkbook. Maybe all of the reservation holders. Send him money.

[@Rich1Rodriguez]

Thanks for your comments. Even if we raised some GoFundMe monies for the homologation work, the initiative is something Aptera Motors needs to get behind - soon as I understand it. Then a big hole new market opens up Charge on!

[@apterasolar]

The roughly 100k is the total cost. At the beginning it would be sufficient to assign somebody to work with these working groups on vehicle classes. So the 100k would not even be needed in full right now.

[@billsmith5960]

@@Rich1Rodriguez - Where is the GoFundMe page for this? Talking about it and doing it is completely different. For the people that believe in the project, this would have been done by now. Maybe it has and if it has, please point me to it. Last thing you want to do is make it look like that someone else should do it. Plus, Aptera would be 100% behind it, but will they actually throw money at it?

[@adimchionyenadum2962]

It is not as easy as that. You can't give the guy 100K and all is well. Aptera has to be 100% behind it. They know that and they are not ready for it. Besides, there is not even a vehicle to homologate.

[@billsmith5960]

@@adimchionyenadum2962 - So it sounds like, having the cart before the horse.

[@RajGiandeep]

Great interview. Hopefully with the homologation changes that Aptera can get accepted fully.

[@Rich1Rodriguez]

Thanks for your comments. I believe the European homologation process for Aptera should start soon. The regulations are being updated now and this is the perfect time for Aptera Motors to become involved in those discussions. Charge on!

[@billsmith5960]

Also, Aptera has never had a fully functioning prototype. So getting a vehicle that is still in the R&D phase is a bit hard to get it homologated. I suggest Aptera get to the going of making a fully functional prototype and send it to the EU. Remember, Aptera has admitted that it's never been fully functional. A good example is full solar and the battery.

[@Rich1Rodriguez]

Thank you for your comments. I believe we will have fully functional vehicles in a matter of weeks. Then many things will be possible, including sending some vehicles to Europe for homologation purposes. Charge on!

[@e-economy-]

The first thing to do and also the most important is to commit somebody to the working groups here in Europe. That does not require a vehicle. The second thing to do is to issue international standardized technical documents so experts can have a look and give feedback. That also does not require a vehicle. But the process starts. By then a PI** vehicle will be available and the hands-on work can start.

[@billsmith5960]

@@e-economy- - Sounds like to me that there are a few things: 1. No prototype exists that actually works 2. It's a US company 3. No proof of the claims 4. When you say, "commit somebody", that is secret code for, we need to pay somebody that is experienced in this field. From my experience, that costs at least 50% more than in the US. 5. No timeline. I hear, a few weeks. Instead of saying that, just give the actual number of weeks. Is it 2, 5, 12, 15 ? Few means nothing. Without holding the company to a timeline, all this does is raise the cost of homlogation. Because you can't just keep thinking regulators will just sit around waiting for you. Plus those expensive consultants you hire will go onto other jobs as they just can't afford to sit around and wait for a company to make a product of some unknown time frame. I wish I could tell customers, "I will get that project done in a few weeks." Then they would just say, "Sounds great!" Instead, the real world response is, "How many weeks?" Aptera is a transparent company yet no number of weeks for a complete fully functioning Pi. When I mean a fully functioning Pi, I mean, it better be complete, not just 20% and hope that's good enough. I deal in the real world and know how it works. When dealing with the EU and especially the Germans, you better prove your data and not just claim it.

[@apterasolar]

@@billsmith5960 to 1: we have seen one on video and I have spoken to people who have seen PI02 personally and actually driven the prototype (Gamma) to 2: yes - but what's your point on this? to 3: which claims?

[@billsmith5960]

@@apterasolar : 1. Please reread point #1. When I mean works, it needs to be fully functioning. Not just something driving around in a parking lot. Not something with a small battery pack of a different design. Not something with a lack of solar, not hub motors, not skin cooling. That Gamma you drove is nothing like what they intend to make. So, those were ideas and that Gamma is over two years old. Plus not one has published results and tested by a third party to make sure that the company is telling the truth. 2. US companies have a harder time when it comes to certain countries home markets. For example, cars. Germang is quite protectionist when it comes to that, so it makes it harder for an unknown startup with no vehicle to get people to change the EU regs for a theoretical vehicle. 3. Claims? The solar, range, price and efficiency. Show me one that has been proven and you must use the current design, not some old one. Look at point #1 for a reference to this. Also, if you ever had to deal with a German company and their engineers, they are persistent on you proving the claims with a real product. Sounds like you have not or if you have, they give you the benefit of the doubt as you are not from the US (referring to point #2). As an American and also my wife (who works for a German company) we both have to go through much more rigor when it comes to what we claim will work. I doubt Aptera will get a pass, thus the lack of interest there.

[@roelhellemans2451]

With 30 years of automotive engineering working for the company that is now Vitesco Technologies I think your wildly optimistic to think that a 88"wide (22m09) vehicle can be homologated by the EU. Simple reality is that when parked in line on the aug you left wheel sticks out of line of the other parked cars by over 14" (Model 3 considered to a wide car in Europe 1850mm). No regulator in Brussels will sign off on that ever. Much easier route is to create an EU version and maybe an EU partner to manufacture it here.

[@billsmith5960]

I agree. This past summer I hiked in Switzerland, Germany France and Spain. I had lots of time to see what the Aptera would fit into. Unless it's a main road, I do not see where the Aptera would be practical. I would look at it as you'd need to park it outside of the city and go in by foot or public transport. There's pretty much nowhere you can park them and forget about parking garages. Even in Frankfurt, they want you to park part of your car on the sidewalk because the streets are not wide enough. I thought it was interesting how far a Jeep Wrangler (which seems that Europenas like) is around 14" narrower than the current Aptera. I find it ironic that this video shows narrow European streets too.

[@Rich1Rodriguez]

Thanks for your comments. The point is many areas, not all, in Europe are perfectly suited for an Aptera. If I drove the Mercedes EQE through Europe, I’m sure an Aptera would do OK too. Many tight places, yes, but with good cameras, you can do OK. Second point is homologation needs to start for Aptera. As mentioned in the video, the standards are being updated now and it’s a perfect time for Aptera to get in the middle of these discussions. Charge on!

[@billsmith5960]

@@Rich1Rodriguez - Looking at the market and comparing it to the US doesn't work. I doubt that when people find out the width and length (looking at the footprint) it literally uses up more space and contributes to the traffic issues. Especially in large and small towns. So, Aptera has a huge issue and they need to convince the Europeans that it's fine to have something that takes up so much space because it's solar and efficient when it comes to consumption. The US is way better as you can drive all over the country and just avoid old legacy cities. Too bad Europe is not that way when it comes to all of their open space. You do have a pic of the town you were in and that would be a real issue for an Aptera owner.

[@RAHellemans]

@@billsmith5960 Yes agreed with you: the current Aptera width cannot work on EU roads and no EU regulator will sign-off. What is worst is that I don't see any technical reason why it should be that wide. I think that Aptera should be about 2ft narrower and it will loose nothing.

[@RAHellemans]

@@Rich1Rodriguez Delusional: no EU governing body will agree to a vehicle wider then the widest you could find. Yes I like the Aptera concept, love to have one but at current dimensions it cannot ever be homologated in Europe. Experience of 30 year of EU automotive homologation work.

[@adimchionyenadum2962]

Nice interview with Jochen. Unfortunately, I don't see Aptera doing anything in Europe until they have the US market rolling. It's not a question of time and money. It is a question of whether the Aptera experiment would succeed or fail. Thanks, Rich, for the interview.

[@apterasolar]

This seems to be their current approach. We hope to have good arguments to convince them to assign somebody to participate in these working groups for vehicle class overhaul. That's the most urgent next step as it could save a lot of development, cost and time for market entry.

[@Rich1Rodriguez]

Totally agree. This effort may offer big (sales) payoffs. Charge on!

[@TV1862Dillingen]

I fear that the Aptera is too wide for our infrastructure

[@Rich1Rodriguez]

Thanks for your comments. In my recent trip to Europe, I drove a Mercedes EQE AMG. I had reserved a smaller car, but only the EQE was available for the length of time I wanted. It was definitely larger than I wanted, though it drove nicely on the autobahn. I’m thankful it had lots of cameras which made things easier in tight parking places. Charge on!

[@vic321344]

It is too wide to even be able to register.

[@ksairman]

I believe the kick off will be in Europe first not in the USA with Trump!

[@luxfino]

As we know that Apteras CEOs are wise enough to have fallback plans (see motor) this is not out of question. Maybe they sorted that Naples location production in Italy turns out to be cheaper. Just a guess.

[@Rich1Rodriguez]

I would not be a bit surprised if Italy became their first non-US production site. Charge on!

[@thomascorbett2936]

I mnver heard that word homologation.

[@Rich1Rodriguez]

Thank you for your comments. The word homologation is relatively new to me as well. As you can see, I actually had difficulty saying the word when the video was recorded. Now I can say homologation… most of the time. 🤭 Charge on!

[@dimitriborcak6698]

They're nearing their 20th birthday and so far have always found something that supposedly stands between their current status and releasing a product. A better stereo, an advanced driving assistant, solar panels, better solar panes, different batteries... Homologation for foreign markets? Sure, why not. That takes them through the next decade of not quite getting anywhere but still burning through tons of money while not doing so. What is the opposite of "focused"?

[@adimchionyenadum2962]

Sorry, Aptera 2.0 is not even 4 years old. Still in the kindergarten.

[@Rich1Rodriguez]

Thanks for your comments. Aptera Motors management can write a contract with specialists to get this homologation process started - very little money can open big market.

[@dimitriborcak6698]

@@Rich1Rodriguez That wouldn't even be true for a normal car. There are reasons why OEMs only offer certain models in certain markets and not in others. In the EU, there would be demand for Japanese Kei cars. Not millions every year but certainly steady demand justifying export cost. The reason why they don't sell them in the EU regardless is that homologation is expensive, time consuming and in most cases impossible without drastic tech changes. The opposite of "very little money".

[@dimitriborcak6698]

@@adimchionyenadum2962 And in a few years you'll say the same about Aptera 3.0.

[@vic321344]

Aptera cannot be homologated in Europe. It is too wide.

[@richardryley3660]

II not going go say that if Trump follows up on his threat to place tarrifs on imported goods into the US, Aptera should move production and sales to Europe. But I'm thinking it real loud. I'm actually hopeful Trump and Elon Musk like the Aptera and are willing to support it despite the Italian components and green energy emphasis.

[@Rich1Rodriguez]

Thanks for your comments. I’m uncertain what the Trump administration will do. Likely they will drill baby drill, which is asinine from a climate perspective. Despite that they may continue encouraging clean technology like EV’s because it provides the US some competitive advantage. I think this combination may be what we end up with, but we have to wait and see. Having Elon Musk on board his team may prove beneficial for EV’s as you say. Charge on!

[@bobhellman8676]

Aptera won’t be produced as it’s own data, as contained in the USCG offering, shows that they are off by a factor of over 2, on their BOM cost relative to their promised MSRP. Their design/process/program is not financially viable. The design could have, and should have, been global and less than 2m (1.75) from the get go. My Vanderhall is 1.75m, for example. Homologation is not an answer for something that is a mistake. Good design is. An 88” wide vehicle with cosmetic wheel pants would not fare well in the US either. In a metro setting, and parked against a curb, the entire wheel assembly would be hanging out in the street. By actual measurement, the typical sedan here is 73-74” curb to body. Fans of this thing have used mirror dimensions to try and justify the excessive width. Mirrors can be folded and they may be at different heights/miss. But all vehicles go from the ground up, so those pants will be shredded. If Aptera were ever to be produced, it has a better chance of bringing the 2m rule to the US than it has of getting homologated in EU. We have places like Key West where an Aptera would likely result in street signs with its silhouette surrounded by a circle with a diagonal line. The width was always blatantly stupid and ignorant. Passengers closer together, a more forward CG/pack placement, and some intelligent foresight was the answer. Too late now. Again, it won’t matter because they can’t justify the remaining tooling to build a vehicle that won’t come close to hitting its price point. That’s what THEIR USCG data shows. It’s why no savvy investor will touch it.

[@didierpuzenat7280]

A very large market opportunity in Europe ? A Tesla model 3 is already too large for Europe and a Tesla model S cannot enter in many underground car parks without damaging its wheels. And a model 3 is 1 850 mm wide, a model S is 1 987 mm wide, and an Aptera is *2 230 mm wide* !!

[@Rich1Rodriguez]

Thanks for your comments. While I was in Europe recently I rented a Mercedes EQE AMG. I was too big for me, but was great on the autobahn. Aptera has a place in Europe. Once we go through homologation process we will know better. Charge on!

[@didierpuzenat7280]

@@Rich1Rodriguez Ok, I guess that is you paint the front wheels in orange they may not be ripped off by passing cars when parallel parked in a city. At least don't forget to switch from NACS to CCS2 or you will just have to rely only on the sun and then not sure it will be so great on the autobahn. But sure, Aptera has a place in Europe, it has just not be designed for Europe so don't expect big sales, not to mention there are plenty small electric cars in Europe.

[@EbenBransome]

@@Rich1Rodriguez The Merc EQE still fits European cities so long as you don't want to find a parking space on the street.

[@billsmith5960]

@@EbenBransome - You bring up a good point. Plus what is not discussed is the excellent public transportation in Europe and people are not afraid to walk. Here in America public transportation is a disaster and people are not willing to just walk across a parking lot to get to their vehicle. Remember, this is more or less catered to the US market. Not the EU. If it was, Aptera would have designed accordingly. Not design and then ask for an exemption, all in the name of saving the planet.

[@adimchionyenadum2962]

@@billsmith5960 Aptera is fully aware of that and that is why it hasn't done anything and won't do anything about homologation in Europe until the American experiment has been proved successful. Then, they will build a European version in Naples, Italy.

[@EbenBransome]

Won't even fit in our cities, restriction gates or parking spaces, and indeed many garages.

[@Rich1Rodriguez]

Thanks for your comments. I rented a Mercedes EQE on my recent trip. A very big car for European standards and I still managed quite nicely. Some of the garages were tight though. The same will be true for Aptera once it goes through the homologation process. Charge on!

[@vic321344]

@@Rich1Rodriguez EQE is a standard sized car for german roads. Nothing special. The E-Class vehicles from Mercedes are the most popular. And it is still 300mm smaller at the front than the Aptera motorcycle.