Stability and 3 wheelers. Is the Aptera going to tip?

[@christophersiano969]

In recumbent bicycles, we call the Reliant Robin a "Delta" style trike and the Aptera is a "Tadpole" style. People have been making bicycles with two front wheels for a long time now and they are amazingly stable. I had the pleasure of running a tandem trike around the suburbs of Boston (easily keeping up with traffic) with a friend and while the bike was as long as a Honda Accord, we could easily take corners at any speed and it was as if on rails. Part of that was the low CoG, but the design allows that kind of action. In the Aptera, the battery and motors (the heaviest parts are down low and even the bulk of the occupants are down low. I suspect people will discover that they will corner like go-carts.

[@tims8603]

I was just about to comment on the tadpole/delta thing. I have no worries about the stability of Aptera for the reasons you mentioned. I would add that there is also a downward force at higher speeds due to the shape so it should resist crosswinds better than a boxy vehicle. I owned a few vans in my younger years. Diving on the highway with crosswinds was a harrowing experience.

[@RadicallyHonestAutist]

I hope you're right and I hope the SCCA allows them in autocross. This car could be more then freedom from oil, it could get me back into cars and driving for fun.

[@bloepje]

I drove trikes with a single front and with a single back wheel. I have yet to ride a trike in which the single front is not dangerous, because you need almost no speed to tip over. With a single back wheel, you still need to be careful if the front wheels are not spaced out (about 75cm on a velomobile, 83cm on an alleweder), but I never tipped. However, there is one that has 1 front wheel and will not tip, that's the velotilt. This is because it has a tilting mechanism to shift the center of gravity away from the tipping point. Anyway: the aptera has a good setup. I will not worry about it.

[@jackoneil3933]

Thanks, good information I just posted a comment in the main section with some Solidworks modeling and calculations I did for the Aptera and a light reverse solar electric trike I've been designing and some of the results were surprising

[@TheJesusFreeke]

I loved when I heard someone from Aptera say, essentially, "We tried to flip it. We couldn't."

[@wingsounds13]

That was probably Chris Anthony, that's certainly the kind of thing that he would say.

[@johntrotter8678]

@@wingsounds13 Actually, it was the test engineer, although Chris would certainly repeat it.

[@chrisbailey5055]

This made me chuckle, because I suspect the people confused by wheel pants are also confused by stability/layout of three-wheelers.

[@madmotorcyclist]

Actually the suspension is a contributing factor which you didn't mention. Given that the Aptera has hub motors places weight at the apex of the front triangle points so besides the forward leaning center of gravity you have more weight closer to the apex than a regular four wheel vehicle. The other fact is that the centrifugal force on a much lighter body in the center also plays a role to the Aptera's stability.

[@pfunk768]

Top Gear famously modified the Robins to make them prone to tipping over, especially by locking the rear differential. They were hard to tip over actually because if the inside wheel left the ground, the vehicle lost all power because of the open differential. See the Aging Wheels video.

[@ccibinel]

Ya but that doesn't make comically insane rollover videos...

[@KiltedTitan]

Glad I don't have to mention that. It was an interesting ride I am told.

[@apteraadventurers7033]

Another great job Mr Steve. Thanks again for all your hard work and excellent content!!

[@jeannepv9712]

Thanks for the deep dive, once again. Helpful visuals as well.

[@faceman929]

Moose Test Video!! Nuff Said!!! Can't wait for my Noir!!!!

[@wingsounds13]

Yep. The tail end swung out a bit but otherwise the Aptera stayed firmly planted on the road.

[@mattb6001]

Looking forward to your video going over Aptera’s latest video on their solar production :) thanks as always for the best Aptera content Steve!

[@Crunch_dGH]

Very critical for a version of this to be included in Aptera marketing! Great job!

[@david.e.h.]

Nice Job Steve! That diagram is incredibly simple and makes it so easy to explain how stable the tadpole layout is compared to a delta layout. Thanks again for a great share!!!

[@ronaldclarkson1146]

Just a thought, you may want to increase the size of your mouse pointer and change the color to make it more visible.

[@yanpingyang9028]

A great visual aid to effectively explain the stability of the Aptera design vs. four wheel and normal trike. The visual and the accompanying description should help all to have confidence in the stability of the Aptera for normal driving conditions to include any encounter with a moose. Of course if driven irresponsibly, any car will be subject to "Flip" or otherwise exceed its safety design envelope.

[@adam-g7crq]

I owned a Reliant Robin for a while, in the UK you could drive them around on a motorcycle licence found the car very stable, re top gear the Reliants were rigged to be unstable.

[@robertkirchner7981]

The Reliant limits its cornering speed by allowing the inside rear wheel to spin as the weight lifts off it in a turn. The Top Gear Reliant had a welded differential to prevent that from happening.

[@richpate9436]

Just watched the Robin Three-wheel video you mentioned. Hilarious, yet horrifying at the same time. No wonder the stigma about three-wheel vehicles. Thanks for pointing out the significant difference.

[@Leonardokite]

Stability isn't just 2 dimensional. A higher CG leads to more instability. Fortunately the heaviest parts of the Aptera are low.

[@chrisbarrett2512]

The basic physics of it all can be summed up with a body in motion, tends to stay in motion. Inertia carries the game. Again, good video, and wondering if traction control, or torque vectoring doesn't add greatly to the stability.

[@larry4fire]

The torque and rotational speed of each Elaphe hub motor, like those used on the Aptera, is individually controlled. On a four wheel vehicle this leads to exceptional control over yaw rate, slip angle and traction. I don’t know how this capability will play out on a three wheeled vehicle with two or three driving wheels like the Aptera but I strongly suspect handling and safety, particularly anti-roll will be much improved.

[@hammertlme]

There's a bit more to it than that. Torque vectoring will help with stability, as well as all attributes of weight distribution, not just front and back but bottom vs top and center vs outbound. Having outbound wheels distanced at like 80 inches apart is rare, and probably never been done before on a light vehicle, 3 or 4 wheels. Also, Aptera has stated that they failed in trying to flip the car.

[@mikafiltenborg2291]

Aptera = low center of gravity + 2 front wheel = safe! 👍

[@sojourner4726]

I have seen some videos of the Polaris slingshot flipping on the road. However, the vehicle is 77.6 in wide. I have a feeling that’s why they made the Aptera as wide as it is.

[@n.brucenelson5920]

The main reason was to cut the Cd, but it also helps with stability.

[@matthewmanzi9504]

The slingshot will have a much higher center of gravity then the aptera which is a huge component to a cars ability to flip. Same reason why an tesla is so hard to flip vs a regular car.

[@Airman749]

Great technical explanation of why Aptera is stable.

[@mkmac9539]

Very informative. Thanks.

[@gospelofthomas77thpearl22]

Your work & explanations are much appreciated 🖖🏼

[@jackoneil3933]

Great information Thanks Steve! I've been modeling the latest Aptera based on available data in Solidworks and estimating possible center of mass and tipping points using Solidworks and AI based on the Aptera's likely stability triangle and comparison the Aptera to a very lightweight EV I've been designing and modeling for some time, and the results give pause for questions. Firstly, that with a vehicle front wheel track of 83" and a wheelbase of 110", a 2/3, 1/3 weight distribution a loaded gross vehicle weights between1800lbs and 2200lbs and a likely center of mass between 13" to 18" above the tire contact patch simulations and calculations suggest the Aptera might reach it's tipping point at about .7 to under .4 lateral G-force, depending on weight and loading. Average 4-wheel sedans are typically about .8 to 1.0 Gs of later acceleration and performance cars such and a Tesla model 3 are up to 1.2gs Best I can derive that's comparable to a minivan, SUV or possibly a motor home, and not indicative of the Moose tests shown in Aptera's 'Moose Test' vehicle, which is very stripped down compared to production versions. With the test vehicle lacking doors, windows and a windshield, interior, rear hatch and possibly a much smaller battery, the production the vehicle could be as light as 1200 to 1500lbs gross weight as tested with passengers, which modeling suggested a tipping lateral G-force of between .7 to .85 Gs. However, modeling of what best I can estimate a production Aptera to be, and my 3-wheel reverse trike vehicle design, a 30% increase in total vehicle weight results in about a 30% decrease in lateral force required to tip a three-wheel reverse trike vehicle with a 2/3 - 1/3 distribution and triangle of stability such as the Aptera and my design. When I run the numbers and simulation of possible estimated weights of a production Aptera with average 170lb passengers and with heavy 230lb passengers and 70lbs of cargo in the rear, the lateral tipping point numbers drop to 0.7gs with enter of mass at 14" above the tire contact patch, as low as .35gs with a center of mass 20" above the contact patch, which if true, many might consider to be marginal and possibly in in the range o the Reliant Robbin in some handling scenarios. Of course, it's important to keep in mind that what I observe and calculate are just basic estimates and may not reflect the actual stability of the production Aptera which may differ and may benefit greatly from active stability control not included in my estimates, but I think that from what I'm observing that it's worth asking Aptera if they can provide a better sense of what to expect in terms of later stability of the Aptera. I may do that but if you Steve or others are interested in doing so I can provide data and calculations. Thanks again, Stay Charged!

[@bradriedle6535]

On pedal powered tadpole trikes, blowout of the rear tire can lead to loss of control because the trailing wheel traction is needed to maintain directional stability (front wheels in front). Has Aptera created and publicly demonstrated active stability control using the two front motors to keep the rear wheel from swinging out to the side due to a blowout or washboard road or rumble strips. Or maybe making some kind of airless or run flat tire standard? Being a three track vehicle, how will it handle snow covered roads where the other traffic is helping to keep the two outside tracks clear but the rear wheel will be riding on the piled up snow in the middle? If the rear wheel slides to the side, the vehicle can roll easily.

[@n.brucenelson5920]

Aptera has very sensitive traction control that can sense wheel slip and adjust torque 32 times per wheel revolution, or about every 2.5" of tread travel. An airless or run flat tire at this stage of development has far too much weight and rolling resistance to fit the mission of efficiency. Of course this could change in the future. My Gen 1 Honda Insight doesn't have traction control and weighs about the same as a 40 kWh Aptera. The rear tires don't follow directly in the track of the front ones. It still does surprisingly well in snow. I will be reporting on the performance of my Aptera in Iowa, but based on my experience driving other vehicles in snow, I am not too worried.

[@bradriedle6535]

@@n.brucenelson5920 thanks. I would like to know or see demonstrated how well the system can react to the rear wheel swinging to the side in a failure mode situation assuming that the two front wheels have traction and two front motors are functioning correctly. Does the physics and software allow for the system to keep the rear from sliding out too far. I know that a bike tire is more like to come off and result in a low friction point at the rear and tadpole trikes don’t have front wheel drive to try to apply power to help with stabilizing such an event. I am hopeful that it can and is being handled.

[@n.brucenelson5920]

@@bradriedle6535 I know that they have tested front tire failure but I don't know about rear. I do know that there are vehicle sensors that can detect unwanted attitude change and apply corrections, but I don't know more than that they exist. The rear suspension was changed by Roush Performance from a swing arm to a dual link, providing more conventional car-like handling. We are likely to get many more of these details once the deltas are in production.

[@danam0228]

Like I always tell people, apteras are an autocycle, not a trike. Althiugh both have just three wheels, the stability on autocycles are not at all like on tricycles which most every kid has had growing up and had lots of fun popping wheelies and wiping out on. I destroyed 4 or 5 as a kid.

[@fgxw8]

In the red triangle, an accelerating turn that would cause a flip would be so extreme, the strong centrifugal force on the driver could cause a loss of control before it flipped.

[@lsh3rd]

I must say I'm somewhat concerned about my very steep driveway... backing down and having the front wheels at different points of the slope when turning/braking onto the road is definitely a bit concerning. The first time I do this will involve a bit of "pucker factor". My live axle car with very stiff suspension (foxbody Mustang) will break traction on the inside rear wheel if you don't hit the driveway square when pulling in.

[@Crunch_dGH]

Maybe the off-road kit for you? But don’t know if they’re still doing it. Also, the self-abrading pant edges were added for those cases.

[@lsh3rd]

@@Crunch_dGH I'm not super worried about the pants scraping - my driveway is steep, but the approach angle is decently gradual. My guess is that the team will probably have the approach angle accounted for, but Steve's video on the pants tipping with steering angle has me slightly concerned. I'd really rather not go with the off-road version, but if it becomes an issue I'd consider purchasing a set of the off-road pants - I'd consider swapping them back and forth for road trips and local use. I'm hoping the aftermarket comes up with a set of mini-fenders to go pant-less as well - my daily commute has a max legal speed limit of 45 anyway.

[@georgepelton5645]

Thanks for this informative video. It explains the improved stability of a “reverse tricycle” vs. a conventional tricycle clearly. I still have concern about snap oversteer with the reverse tricycle layout, espically with cargo in back and when accelerating out of a corner. I would like to see a four wheel highly aerodynamic EV option in the market. Something just like the Aptera, but with two rear wheels and a smaller track for the rear wheels vs. the fronts. This has been done in the GM EV-1 and the original two seat Honda Insight, both highly aerodynamic cars.

[@n.brucenelson5920]

I own a Gen 1 Honda Insight. Aptera will be my next vehicle. I expect that it will greatly exceed the performance of the Honda in every respect, including aerodynamics. I have ridden in the Luna alpha prototype and it is thrilling.

[@jordanyamamoto9350]

Thats pretty interesting. I was curious about the reliant, as this is the second thing my friends mention after saying what the heck is that??

[@BrianBetron]

Great job!

[@OmegaF77]

Have you seen the Citroen Ami flipping over in Monaco? It looked hilarious.

[@mikafiltenborg2291]

3 wheel is safe - but only if 2 wheels are in the front!

[@wingsounds13]

Not a bad video but very much incomplete. Vehicle stability is a 3 dimensional problem and the height of the CG is a dominant factor. The height factor is why SUVs are so easy to roll over and sports cars (or the Aptera) are so difficult to do so. Being a Delta or Tadpole trike has almost nothing to do with stability, it is the longitudinal location of the CG. Regardless of being Tadpole or Delta, if the longitudinal CG is the same height and the same distance from the wide end they are equally stable. The Aptera is very stable because the CG is close to optimally placed longitudinally (close to the wide end) and very low because (like most EVs) the battery is in the belly - the lowest that it can be placed in the vehicle.

[@n.brucenelson5920]

Yes, and the center of mass of the motors is at axle level.

[@robertkirchner7981]

Good point. One of the sources of the Reliant's relative instability is that the engine and its mass are located just aft of the single front wheel. If the Reliant were rear-engined, it would be more stable.

[@_sticks_]

I can't wait to autocross my Aptera.

[@robertkirchner7981]

The main problem will be its width, if it is a tight, low-speed course.

[@_sticks_]

@@robertkirchner7981 that's definitely a factor. You're right. There are a few courses near my house that can accommodate thankfully. My bigger concern is battery life and needing a trailer if range will be concerned ect.

[@CaptainJack63]

There's a lot more going on than what Steve aluded to in automobile stability. I don't have enough time to build a video lesson. Had the Robin been built with the reverse trike it would have been much more difficult to roll it over. Even with it's crappy suspension. Those who know about autoracting know that most of the time making high speed turns your four wheel car becomes a three wheeled car. The inside (to the turn) rear wheel tends to lift off the road. This creates a similar triange that is found with a three wheeled car. This is a problem with rear powered cars is you tend to lose power on the inside wheel because the contact patch is essentially gone and the weight is mostly moved to the outside wheel.

[@Skylancer727]

Actually the Reliant Robin from Top Gear was actually modified to make it look worse than it even was. Yeah it already want great because of the shorter distance from the front to back and really thin width, but when they were doing the show they wanted to flip it on purpose and they just couldn't do it intentionally. To fix this they openly say in interviews that they actually welded the rear suspension so it had no give to it and the one rear wheel was replaced with one larger than stock so the car was naturally off balance. Remember, they are a TV show, they aim for the views. They did do similar manipulation with the first Tesla saying it broke down on their first drive when all that happened was they blew a fuse and when they showed it being pushed back into the shop for the show it had actually already been fixed by then. This is why Tesla later sued Top Gear. Reliant never did because they had been long out of business by the time Top Gear got theirs.

[@weatheranddarkness]

And all the episodes of Mr Bean where he trolls the guy in a Robin had already aired before Top Gear had those hosts

[@thisisme379]

This is all good and positive but we also need to take into consideration the amount of weight on each wheel and therefore his much traction it will have at a given moment. If the rear wheel gets too light there is the possibility that it wouldn't flip but would just spin out in extreme cornering. It's probably fine but I'd love to see that data.

[@wflzoom6219]

So I am curious, I assume this does not carry a spare tire, and if you get a flat, the only method for the driver to fix it, is to plug the hole, but my question is regarding maintenance, how does one change tires on this thing? lets say I go to a tire shop, and want to replace the rear tire? pretty sure the designers thought of this, just have not seen it explained.

[@n.brucenelson5920]

The wheel pants come off easily and the wheels unbolt just like on any car, whether or not they are attached to a wheel motor. There is a jack point that can be used, or some lifts can accommodate it as well. I have already spoken to my local mechanic and tire shop in rural Iowa and they can't wait to work on it.

[@davidparsons5513]

Steve has a video on changing the tire, "How to Change the Tire on an Aptera'.

[@wflzoom6219]

@@davidparsons5513 cool will look for it, thanks.

[@Zyzzyx42]

I'm curious to see the first person taking an Aptera to an autocross course.

[@adamscott263]

This addresses the center of gravity for the footprint of the vehicle, but the center of gravity on the vertical axis also plays a major part, which I think you slightly alluded to. Since the Aptera is an EV, I would assume it has a very low center of mass compared to an ICE vehicle, given that the battery is a massive contributor to weight and is very low in the vehicle. Im not super familiar with how the vertical center of gravity works, but I would assume having a center of gravity closer to the center of the wheel would almost negate the possibility of rolling over. Thus why Teslas are incredibly difficult to flip. Taking this into account, I think the Aptera would be similar to a Tesla, if not even more stable as the car itself weighs a lot less than a Tesla, meaning the battery might have even more impact on the center of gravity in the Aptera.

[@adamscott263]

That being said, I could see the Aptera being easier to flip in reverse.

[@n.brucenelson5920]

It is not only the battery pack. The center of mass for the motors is centered on the axles.

[@adamscott263]

Good point! The skin cooling system is also very low, though I'm not sure how heavy that is.

[@kennystrawnmusic]

Unless you’re flooring it in reverse - something the Aptera clearly wasn’t designed for - I for one don’t see any problems at all on the stability side of things. Weight distribution always matters when there’s 3 wheels instead of 4. 2 in the back and 1 in the front? Sure, that’s going to create stability issues, but in the case of the Aptera it’s 1 in the back and 2 in the front which is *far* better for stability because, after all, that moves the center of balance forward.

[@tommorgan1291]

Please explain how wheel mounted sensitive electric motors are cushion against road shock? Also please explain how wheel mounted fenders/ skirts attachments are protected from road shock? 99.9999 vehicles protect motors, engines and fenders by using shock sbsorbers, cushions, leafs and stabilizers. What does Alters use?

[@ApteraOwnersClub]

Please search my channel. I have several videos on those topics

[@tinatran356]

If the Aptera is stable, because the center of mass is within the triangle of stability, would towing a camper trailer cause the Aptera to easily tip over?

[@robertkirchner7981]

You would not want to tow a trailer with a high tongue weight. That could cause oversteer in a corner.

[@davidparsons5513]

No, if you follow some common sense rules for towing. I tow a Sylvansport GO trailer, 1200lbs GVW with my Slingshot. Tows and handles beautifully. Balanced tongue weight is less than 100lbs.

[@tinatran356]

Thanks for your comment. Right, I wouldn't want to risk towing a heavy camper. I was thinking about ordering the Aptera Off Road package for camping trips to tow a light weight camper, like 1500 lbs or less. Then I saw a youtube video, kzbin.info/www/bejne/q5a5dYCIhrB6jqM, estimating that Aptera's towing capacity might be around 2000 lbs or so, but comments from viewers suggested 300 lbs. I had emailed Aptera 3 weeks ago to ask what the towing capacity would be, but so far I only got the generic response that they are working as quickly as possible on answering emails.

[@tinatran356]

Thanks for your response. I was looking at the Sylvansport GO trailer, too! It's so compact yet practical! There aren't too many light weight camping trailers for small EV out there.

[@davidparsons5513]

I've owned a Slingshot for 5 years. It is the most stable vehicle I have ever driven. No kidding, I can make a 90 degree corner at 35 mph without fishtailing, leaning or feeling like it will get away from me at any time. In fact, I've never been able to get one wheel off the ground. The Slingshot is as close to the suspension and expected handling of the Aptera as can be expected. If you want to experience what an Aptera might feel like, see if you can rent an Slingshot. There are a few places that do rent.

[@grantn9328]

Q: Have you driven the Slingshot in snow/slush and/or ice? Does it fishtail? How about during heavy rain on a twisty road? One of the big questions some of us have is how well the Aptera will handle scenarios where there’s a track through the slush for the front wheels (made by all the 4wd cars) but the rear wheel must slip-n-slide its own way down the middle. I imagine deliberate spin-outs are easy and fun - especially with RWD - but I worry about the rear suddenly swinging around unintended in certain situations. Slingshots are RWD, right? So, not the best comparison. A Vanderhall would be a good comparison - power to the front, with the rear doing whatever….

[@davidparsons5513]

@@grantn9328 The Slingshot is an open cockpit rear wheel drive sports car. It is not suited to adverse weather, and mine doesn't leave the garage if it's raining, let alone ice and snow. I also have no plans to drive an Aptera in ice or snow. With it's low-slung body, damage from an ice chuck or an ice ridge from a snowplow, or getting hung up on just a few inches of snow just isn't worth it. That's what my 4x4 is for.

[@n.brucenelson5920]

@@davidparsons5513 I live in Iowa and will be getting an early 2WD Aptera. I will be reporting on its performance on gravel roads, ice, and snow.

[@davidparsons5513]

@@n.brucenelson5920 Yes, you've mentioned that, and everyone is looking forward to your road trials. I'm number 25580 on the list and in Maryland, so it's going to be a long while before I see mine.

[@n.brucenelson5920]

@@davidparsons5513 Thank you.

[@surgerymeme]

Do you think the extra battery on a 1000 mile aptera will make it more unstable since the extra pack will be more to the back and hence shifting the center of gravity further back.

[@stevendunn264]

Just watched the BBC video. I like the comment about because it is 3 wheel and light weight it doesn't get stuck in the snow.

[@AllanSustainabilityFan]

Top Gear is known for faking videos for entertainment, so keep in mind that things they show are often rigged or exaggerated for comical effect. They shield themselves from libel by claiming they are not reviewers but entertainers in court filings. Otherwise yes people do confuse the two 3-wheel configurations in terms of balance and handling characteristics.

[@wingsounds13]

@@JorgTheElder if it breaks then it probably will turn, even if you don't hit the brakes. 😁

[@Chapooski]

A lot depends on how a three wheel vehicle is set up and where the CoG is in relation to the paired wheels. Reliant three-wheeler hill climb: kzbin.info/www/bejne/r4i9lICigcmZpqs

[@merrickhurst4150]

That robin was modified to make it easier to flip. It's funny but it's also bullshit and a dishonest.

[@jamesengland7461]

comedy.

[@n.brucenelson5920]

Yes, exactly. Top Gear later admitted that they modified the differential for comic effect. The Robin sold around 1/2 a million copies and took Reliant to the # 2 automaker position in GB. My question is since both the Robin and the Tesla Roadster have been launched on rockets, when does Aptera get its turn?

[@adimchionyenadum2962]

@@n.brucenelson5920 Maybe the Noir being the first prototype gets to get launched.

[@ericpotter7954]

Jeremy Clarkson, dishonest? No, say it ain't so!

[@n.brucenelson5920]

@@ericpotter7954 LOL!

[@lamboman2]

High speed reverse might tip

[@2cartalkers]

My concern is if it is hit from the side more towards the rear it will spin out of control like a top. Wheeeeee!

[@ApteraOwnersClub]

That'll happen to any vehicle. Police do it to stop vehicles. It's called the PIT maneuver.

[@2cartalkers]

@@ApteraOwnersClub Only if you are trying to outrun them. Less stability with a 3 wheeler, sort of like a Hot Wheels trike. I will defer judgement until I see the snow/ice testing and NHTSA crash tests I hope the Aptera performs well.

[@drakeillusion6533]

So, if aptera goes on reverse it will tip over?

[@davidparsons5513]

That was a big concern for the Slingshot, so to prevent that the engine is "detuned" when in reverse so you can't get enough speed to get into a flip situation. I would not be surprised if Aptera implemented something similar.

[@drakeillusion6533]

@@davidparsons5513 That is good to know. Sad that I will never see fast and furious with an aptera on reverse in a chase scene. lol

[@jaybusby8299]

My guess is no, or not easily, because the rear wheel does not steer. The car in the video did steer with its front wheel.

[@JamaicanMeCrazy]

You can thank Jeremy Clarkson for this misconception

[@lsh3rd]

For those that don't understand this comment, Top Gear did mess with the Robin's suspension to make the car more roll-over prone.

[@JamaicanMeCrazy]

@@lsh3rd he indirectly fakkd Aptera. I remember that episode like it was yesterday because it was funny as shit and I'm an auto enthusiast. Obviously I know better and I know they tampered with it but most people are gonna think it's really dangerous. And by the way they screwed over Tesla too making it seem like it was unreliable and wouldn't start and I also remember that episode very well. They took a lot of 'creative liberties' (they lied a lot) in that show.

[@n.brucenelson5920]

@@lsh3rd Specifically, they locked the differential.

[@Montezuma0]

I'm worried what would happen going up a very steep driveway at an angle. On some cars, the suspension is so stiff that one of the front wheels will lift off the ground when going up a steep driveway at an angle but wth 2 wheels in the back it's no problem. However, if you're making a left turn the right wheel will lift off the ground, which means that the weight will transfer to the left wheel which is also the one uphill, so it should still be stable. But it might depend on how much weight is on the front vs the back. I hope Aptera has tested this

[@matthewmanzi9504]

Shouldn't be a problem as your momentum is still forward now if you are turning going backward down the hill it could be an issue but that is a rare situation.

[@krtong]

Im not worried about it tipping on the road, im worried about it tipping offroad.

[@catamounts]

The ultimate tip test for Aptera: Single heavy driver >200lbs, parallel parked facing uphill on the left side of a steep San Francisco street. Right turn at full lock and then floor it as if rapidly merging from a parallel parked position. I would not be surprised in that situation if the passenger front tire comes off the ground.

[@andrewcrisp4495]

Aptera is better compared to a Morgan 3 Wheeler (first ones where about in 1905) than a Robin Reliant. The Top Gear segment with Jeremy Clarkson was done with a sense of humor - so not to be taken seriously - the segment overly pushed a valid point about the Robin Reliant. I'm sure if anyone is interested they will find the segment on youtube. Could also search for a youtube video of a Morgan 3 Wheeler at Nürburgring. I wonder if their are plans to take the Aptera to Nürburgring - that would be an interesting to see.

[@lsh3rd]

It's important to note that Top Gear had messed with the Robin's suspension to make it more susceptible to roll over.

[@bojanmajdandzic]

So overloading the hatch of the Aptera can make the Aptera quite unstable.

[@robertkirchner7981]

Yes. Especially since the cargo space is both high and at the end of the vehicle with the single wheel.

[@ztyhurst]

You can probably flip an Aptera in reverse if you try hard enough, but going forward it’s probably as stable as a 4 wheeled car.

[@zencone]

If you can't flip the Aptera on level ground when cornering at high speed, then they should bet Elon $20M on that proposition. That would gain them a quick $20M they could use and garner enough publicity to raise another $20M along with a bunch more orders.

[@machobunny1]

The explanation needs to be practiced and smoothed a bit, but this is the first time I've looked at the question, and the point does get across. Aptera needs to make a professional video that explains this.

[@Devastatin777]

Tax credit every action page isn't accepting submissions "Sorry, the page you are trying to access is not accepting submissions at this time."

[@wingsounds13]

You might want to report that to Aptera. Certainly there are contact links on their web site.

[@fanfare100]

...In before ApteraQ claims that the Aptera is extremely unstable when you drive it at 120 mph, in reverse. 🤣

[@adimchionyenadum2962]

So, moral lesson, you can negotiate your turns at high speeds as long as you are applying the brakes concurrently. Otherwise, beware!

[@robertkirchner7981]

I alway apply my beak in a turn.

[@adimchionyenadum2962]

@@robertkirchner7981 You means brakes?😂

[@charangohabsburg1]

"Reversed trikes" are actually called tadpoles, while those trikes with one front wheel are called delta trikes. The southern hemisphere or our planet isn't called reverse world either.

[@h8GW]

MOOSE TEST! This technical explanation will fly over most fools' heads, which would make the moose test video much more convincing for them.

[@h8GW]

Also, don't forget the Top Gear segment with the Reliant Robin was rigged to help it flip more easily.

[@steveflor9942]

I always think of the Harley Davidson trike.... Which were originally designed for letter carriers. Never meant to go fast. Still,.... people get hold of a Harley trike and put a small block Chevy in it. A death wish or just plain stupid?

[@chrisbailey5055]

not just braking...decelerating.

[@Dichiara1rg]

Dude, your videos would be 10% shorter and more interesting if you’d stop repeating the same information several times in the video. Don’t shoot the messenger!!

[@robertkirchner7981]

No messengers were harmed in the production of this video.

[@wingsounds13]

Yes, Steve does tend to dither and repeat himself. Things could be better, but he is far from the worst youtube presenter.

[@n.brucenelson5920]

@@wingsounds13 It is difficult to be as smooth as Steve is, I know. Even though I have a lot of radio experience I find it a challenge. Try making a KZbin video yourself!

[@wingsounds13]

@@n.brucenelson5920 Words appear to have failed me yet again. While I was agreeing with the comment to which I was responding, I was also trying to give some support to Steve. Yes, he could be better but he could easily be a lot worse. At least he is not one of those worse presenters. I have no doubt that my efforts would be a LOT worse. :) As an aside, I appreciate your presence in the comments. Your responses tend to be well reasoned and provide good and seemingly accurate information.

[@n.brucenelson5920]

@@wingsounds13 Thanks for that. I admit to not being a polished content creator, but I do work at having the best information i can and correcting my mistakes. I appreciate the contributions of everyone interested in Aptera. Even the trolls help drive traffic to Aptera related sites