We Drove America's First Solar Car

[@hollyjarvis1131]

Shoutout to Aptera's pledge to uphold owners' rights to repair.

[@drew.-]

That's awesome. I really hope Aptera delivers and this thing is a success

[@esahg5421]

this why i like this company

[@Eduardo_Espinoza]

A true green company!! :D

[@Wang_Thunder]

It's worth pointing out that parts will have qr codes that link to repair videos and tech specs for the part as well.

[@SubUwU509]

​@@Wang_Thunderswear!?

[@alexandroneale4060]

This is what future EV cars should be, cheap efficient and and aerodynamic. Not 5000lb monsters with brick aero and unnecessary huge batteries. I hope the best to Aptera for their brave decisions.

[@theglitch99]

Tesla fanboys are loosing thier minds over this comment!😂

[@JakeyBaby6]

Essentially the Mini, Fiat 500, Beetle of the future. (What they were when they came our not what they are today, as much as I love my 16 Cooper S it's not revolutionary)

[@john2g1]

Nah there's room for both. You sound like Enzo over here sorry, but we need tractors too. I will say this much: EV trucks and off-roaders make sense. However, they don't all need to cost north of $80K and they don't all need a sub 4 second 0 - 60. Range, torque, affordability, and durability are far more important.

[@LC-sc3en]

​​@@john2g1the huge cars might be needed but they don't need to be marketed to suburban folk who only use them for things that can be accomplished by a minivan.

[@john2g1]

@@LC-sc3en Is this your first time in American capitalism? Welcome it's a bit of a dumpster fire unless you're a capitalist; then let's just call it warm and cozy.

[@PbPomper]

I absolutely love the focus on efficiency. It always bothered me we drive around in huge pieces of metal shaped like bricks, when 95% of the time we drive alone or just with two people.

[@troybateson]

Ur right but I love my brick

[@cf8979]

That’s exactly why we need more vehicles like this, and many more approachable motorcycles.

[@Leetshifter]

meanwhile you'll have very little cargo capacity with the Aptera. Need an Aptera 2 with a larger back end.

[@CRneu]

@@Leetshifter the vast majority of people overestimate how much cargo capacity they need. For most people in urban areas they dont really need more space than this and when they do it's very easy to go rent a truck from home depot or something to move large stuff. Most cargo capacity in SUVs/Trucks sits empty 99% of the time or is very inefficiently used. There's a reason the rest of the world gets by fine with small 5 door vehicles while americans drive around in monstrous gas guzzling trucks/suvs, it's because we are idiots that overestimate how much we use our cars to move stuff and prefer convenience over practicality. Then we complain that parking lots are hard to drive in because we're driving around in giant boxes.

[@TakumisBizarreRacingAdventure]

​@@CRneu what if someone figured out a way to solve both problems, a car similar to this Aptera somewhat, but with....... like a convertible style mechanism which can extend the storage capacity to a reasonable amount comparable to a normal car, with a click of a button (or do it manually).

[@8bitZombies]

Shoutout to Aptera listening to their community. Originally they weren't going to have DC fast charging, but the community petitioned for it and they implemented it. Not to mention making the Tesla charging port standard in North America.

[@y2ggaming397]

I feel like that Tesla supercharger standard will probably go underappreciated so here's a quote to show just how serious Aptera is in terms of making this project as beneficial to it's customers as possible: "As the founders of Aptera, EV enthusiasts, and vehicle charging experts, we believe the U.S. government should adopt Tesla’s Supercharger Technology as the standard for ALL EV charging in the U.S. "

[@wjadams2]

I am rooting for this company since I saw it on Rich Rebuilds. Their right to repair stance with QR coding each part tying it to a video is also very cool.

[@farklestaxbaum4945]

good luck repairing it when they are out of business in a year or 2

[@Okurka.]

They change things so often that they probably already forgot about that.

[@sergiocastro5304]

​@@farklestaxbaum4945sure. Better not having that possibility 🙄

[@SkanMLL]

if they already have 40,000 preorders, they probably arent going out of business next year. As long as they deliver the product they will be fine, or bought out by a major manufacturer @@farklestaxbaum4945

[@MetrixGoat]

​@@farklestaxbaum4945how

[@jty9631]

Feels like theres so very few instances where a company is actually trying to make something new that people may find useful

[@jakewillits4678]

If i built it i wpuldve built it like a atv with long travel suspension and some 35 inch jeep tires so you go from highway to some serious offroading

[@IcedSynergy]

​@@jakewillits4678then build one

[@sebastiaannagtegaal500]

​@@jakewillits4678 it would be awesome but really drive up the Cost

[@foamyserver]

@@jakewillits4678 the wheelbase is too wide for "serious" off-road

[@DouglasWalrath]

@@jakewillits4678 that would kill the on road efficiency

[@TheEliteHaxz]

I like that the door takes JUST long enough to open you have the split second of doubt

[@leo-ub6nb]

Kept watching James almost reaching for the door/trunk whenever he did try it 😂 Not instant = “shit don’t work, fml! 😭”

[@modehfy1352]

This damn button....oh nevermind.

[@inherentlyflawed]

@@leo-ub6nbit’s a really bad feature, they should just have standard handles that work regardless of conditions. I get why he was concerned

[@alexshepherd4469]

My guess is that they wanted it smooth for aerodynamics. But, I agree, physical handles should exist

[@mm6705]

@@alexshepherd4469 touch pads are also smooth, just as effective, but yeah, I guess they had some sort of glory hole kink

[@thehightechhermit1143]

Glad more KZbin channels are reviewing the Aptera. I am an early investor and reservation holder. I love the principles they are living by, keep it simple, focus on efficiency and safety. How can you go wrong. I am interested in hearing what the insurance will be on this thing when it hits the market as you can’t just take it to the local dealer. I really do hope they get this out there and support it and are successful!

[@vic321344]

A lot of media channels wrote about Sono Motors. And still they went bancrupt. Because it was driven by hope and phantasies, but not by reality.

[@dangus69420]

tbh this is sponsored content. It's not really a review when they're paid by the company to make a video on it.

[@supdood885]

@@vic321344fantasies*

[@sqlevolicious]

@@vic321344 yea no. Never even heard of them before. No one is reviewing that company. Can find only a handful of videos about them on youtube, and no content creators reviewing them.

[@sqlevolicious]

@@dangus69420 It's not sponsored.

[@CharlotteWuzHere]

I really hope they succeed. This thing is cool af.

[@Xerrea]

Going to be hard, until they start delivering. Untill then it can ruin them if people suddenly want their money back.

[@Ian-of9oi]

This thing has been all over the internet for a few years. Honestly doubt it will ever be available for purchase.

[@thegametable1243]

Yeah showed up about 2006-2007 I actually reserved one back then and everyone got refunded and they shut down for a while I think back in 09

[@soggybubble]

​@@Xerreatrue it might be best to maybe make a public transport first or even give it out slowly maybe even give out video on how to fix it.

[@anticorporatists9959]

Not when it comes to an accident, it ain't

[@normang3668]

I think the 110V charging might be the most underrated aspect of this thing. Because it's so efficient, it doesn’t need a huge battery pack to get decent range. So even a standard household outlet can give it a decent amount of charge.

[@mezmerizer0266]

And cost an arm and a leg.

[@TheDieselndust]

🤦‍♂️150 mile range when you charge it overnight. Oh boy! Now that’s efficient. NOT!😅

[@isaacfortner]

@@TheDieselndust Crapping all over electric vehicles: username checks out.

[@Ryukachoo]

​@@TheDieselndustconsidering most of the EVs will get about 40 mi overnight, 150 from literally any old wall plug is extremely good... And will cover basically all possible commuting for the 99th percentile of people But it will also be able to fast charge, and it'll likely be faster than most cars to 80% charge since the battery is pretty small

[@LordSaliss]

@@Ryukachoo What? EVs get around 40 miles per hour of "slow charging" at home with a basic 240v charge outlet. Even if you hook a Model 3 up to a 120v 15A outlet with adapters you would still get 40-50mi overnight just because that's all the amperage that can be drawn from the circuit. This new car wouldn't change that because the circuit simply cannot do any more, and the 150mi charge overnight being talked about in the video would be with the same 240v outlet all other EVs normally charge from, and those typically give 40~ miles charged per hour.

[@chadstonebrook1746]

This is what the people want! Simple transportation. Not overly priced electric cars filled with bells and whistles that break. Just the basics.

[@makingfreely6336]

YES!!

[@mark.mazzarella]

Honestly, the only thing that jumps out to me from this video is the lack of door handle - specifically because it reminds me of the Tesla handles and makes me wonder if they’ll have the same reliability issues. But then again, the doors do look beautiful…

[@balloon6528]

i want gas cars

[@jstring]

Yea… no. That’s a big no from me. I don’t think many people actually want this other than to virtue signal. It rains 8 months out of the year where I live.

[@Sharukurusu]

@@jstringYou can still charge it normally, the solar just means you’d need to less often.

[@LovleyLemonade]

As someone who isn't a fan of EV's. This thing is pretty neat. The self-reliance of solar energy is far more attractive than plugging it in at places that are few and far between in some parts of the country. If it is as efficient as they say, then this could be a big deal.

[@Penipo]

Director of Operations for the University of Minnesota Solar Vehicle Project here, really cool to see solar vehicles starting to become consumer vehicles! We've been making race solar vehicles since 1990, so it's awesome to be on the team when these are starting to actually come out.

[@garywozniak7742]

I was at the airport in Minneapolis recently and checked out "Freya". Nice work. It is an impressive vehicle.

[@Penipo]

@@garywozniak7742 haha awesome! I was one of the people who set it up there. Glad you liked it!

[@garywozniak7742]

@@Penipo I took photos of it.

[@Pehz63]

From a first principles perspective, I never understood the appeal of putting solar panels on a car. If you're gonna buy solar panels, wouldn't it be better to put them on the roof of your house so they'll always be giving you electricity, rather than the roof of the car where most of the time you'll want it to be in your garage or in a parking ramp or have an already full battery? Based on Aptera's site, it's a $900 option to go from 'up to' 16 miles to 40 miles of added range per day. With an efficiency of 10 miles per kWh and maybe $0.10 per kWh, That's a $900 option that saves at *most* 24 cents per day. So wouldn't it take 10 years of perfectly ideal charging for the solar panels to pay themselves back? Again, these ideal conditions don't seem that common so you won't get *close* to this ideal figure. Meanwhile getting solar panels on your house would typically take about 9-12 years to pay for itself, and you'll keep them even when you sell your car (people don't generally keep a car more than 10 years). So to me it seems entirely impractical to spend this money on solar panels for your car instead of your home.

[@garywozniak7742]

@Pehz63 there are many drivers that rent apartments and or rent or own condominiums that don't have the option of installing solar panels and in many cases can not plug-in where they park. This is where the efficiency of the Aptera and the 700 watts o,f panels is a game changer. While rooftop solar is great your either need a battery storage system or a net metering grid inter-tie to use that solar to charge your vehicle if you work during the day etc.. while not a major concern there are some power conversion losses involved. I think that for Aptera owners who can substantially park in the sun, the $900 option will easily pay for itself amortized over the life of the vehicle. The possibility of driving to work and gaining enough charge to drive home and not need to stop at a public charger every night is huge.

[@zestylem0n]

Honestly surprised that no company has committed to the full aero design until now, seems like the customer satisfaction would massively increase if you can increase range by like 50% from cutting induced drag.

[@TheAtqthe30th]

I'm just curious on insurance cost for this. In my region three wheeled vehicles can be classified as a motorcycle and costs significantly more to insure. So it might be cheap to drive but the insurance might deter it for me or negate any cost savings.

[@mememaster147]

It requires a massive compromise on how much interior space you get relative to how much road it takes up. They're going to have difficulty selling them in Europe as it's literally wider than a Lambo and our roads are narrower than the USA.

[@Skylancer727]

The closest I've found otherwise was the Volkswagen XL1. It was a testbed diesel hybrid with 260mpg. The Aptera is moderately better still (if their estimates are to be believed) at around 370mpg-e. Sadly the XL1 came out at the same time as diesel gate so it didn't even lead to diesel hybrids being common. Still, most car brands will refuse to make a car like this. It's just too unconventional. The two categories they really want are the family vehicles with the "infinite practicality" as literally anyone would buy them, or sports cars that don't have to be practical but sell on the cool factor and performance. This is something very peculiar to the point many states label it a motorcycle.

[@juliahello6673]

Motorcycles cost less to insure than cars.

[@Wang_Thunder]

@@TheAtqthe30th It's classified as an autocycle, so insurance (and licensing) will vary state to state. IIRC several states consider autocycles as motorcycles for insurance purposes, but not licensing purposes. You can get an idea by getting a quote for a Slingshot from your provider. Should give you a good idea :)

[@jaykparikh37]

I’m definitely rooting for these guys, if they can deliver on specs and price it’s gonna be an absolutely killer product

[@daliborzeljkovic672]

You bet it will, especially with that single headlight mistaken for width of a bike.

[@MoonWind32690]

Honestly, if they don't hit 1k miles and it costs a bit more it's still a knockout!

[@jaykparikh37]

yeah like frankly id be happy with a 500 mile EV lol, 1000 is crazy @@MoonWind32690

[@MaskedMammal]

@@daliborzeljkovic672 How did you miss literally every light on this thing except the one in the middle?

[@javrami4883]

Realistically there’s almost no chance they deliver on either but if they get close it’ll still be impressive

[@logan_page]

Only $25k is wild. If they can pull that off, these things will be everywhere in California. I live in Michigan and the sun isn’t out enough for it to be viable now, but I’m still excited.

[@n.brucenelson5920]

I live in Iowa, and expect to still get around 20 or so miles from sunlight on the average day. It is still worth having. It will be especially welcome on camping trips in remote areas.

[@hhc1948]

It's a plug in, the roof panel only gives you 40 miles. They will roll out one with 400 mile range.

[@n.brucenelson5920]

@@hhc1948 The 40 mile average range is only for solar areas further South than Michigan or Iowa, and that is the solar only full range., including the hood, dash, roof, and rear deck. The first models to be released will likely have a 400 mile plus range on full batteries. the second model will be around 250 miles with full batteries, and then will come 600, and then finally 1000 miles. (All these range numbers await validation testing, which will be done next year).

[@showoe3126]

the solar addition is a decent part of the appeal, but even without it, it's still a hugely efficient design

[@NamNguyen-xt4yk]

gonna be at least double that amount when it comes out. They want that deposit money from us

[@sandrinowitschM]

It looks absolutely ridiculous. I want one!

[@TheProDucky..]

Same here!!!

[@aparnarai3708]

Same here But I don't expect it to be less than 300k Start grinding to get rich Edit:Damn it's expected cost is just 25k I really want one now

[@DeeRuss]

I’m getting one 🎉

[@sandrinowitschM]

@@aparnarai3708 yeah I'd be okay with that price

[@Peter-wz2wx]

@@aparnarai3708 Yeah, even the most expensive one with 1,000 miles of range with all the fancy add-ons is under 60k :O

[@JamesFromTexas]

Love those positive and negative pedals AND they're recycled skateboards! So cool! Also, that knock to open!

[@strikercwl]

Their first design used a rear mounted motor cycle engine instead of electric and was estimated to get 330mpg thanks to its ridiculously low drag. Unfortunately they had overheating issues and they had trouble getting loans to continue development because of the three wheel design. Glad to see they came back with a new game plan. With the average commute in the US being around 27 miles it's feasible that some owners would never need to plug in outside of road trips.

[@Skylancer727]

Well they did have an electric model as well then but the range was around 95 miles. It was a lot harder to utilize being shared with the combustion model in parts and there weren't as many known ways to densely pack lithium ion batteries while still cooling them. The electric one also still had solar, but it was only less than a 1m² panel for running the AC.

[@fixedpigs]

twenty-seven minutes not miles...

[@strikercwl]

@@fixedpigs right you are, its 41 miles. And I had to scroll for a while to find an article that listed the distance, despite specifically searching for distance rather than time. I guess I can't get mad at how bad search engines have gotten if I fail to read the garbage they give me thoroughly. Still many people are under the average. And even those who are borderline would be able to top off on the weekend or only charge once a week for a short period of time.

[@tpasco1995]

My current daily is a Prius Prime, because my commute being only 6 miles round trip meant I didn't need to have "292 miles" or whatever the full EVs are offering. 25 miles of charge from my wall in 5 hours is more than enough. But on days where I need to go further, I can go as far as I want. Because it takes gas. A 1,000 mile charge car that can fuel itself up in the parking lot at work, in a driveway or street parked while home without a plug (it's obvious this is targeted for places where people don't have garages) actually fixes the problems most people would have with EVs.

[@Torus2112]

Since they gained range on a sunny day I bet you could even road trip it without plugging it in if you were going through the southwest.

[@curtisbme]

2 seater with enough room in the back for some groceries, few luggage bags would be all we need 99% of the time. I think someone has sat in the back seat of my wife's car maybe twice in the last 15 years.

[@Bmr4life]

So empty nesters.

[@curtisbme]

@@Bmr4life non-breeders

[@Okurka.]

The whole town sat in the back of your wife's car.

[@jmmx69]

Ahh the jokes

[@MorbiusBlueBalls]

also the children can fit in the back of the car in case of emergency.

[@justinkey4895]

If they can really do it for $25k, I'll be the first in line to buy one. That would be the perfect commuter car for me. And with the solar being able to charge it enough for my commute back and forth for most days, it would be almost free transportation.

[@EricPeelMusic]

The guy first in line is investing $4m. You’re probably going to be first in line lol.

[@jakediaz8539]

They have different options for range on a full charge. For $25k, the range is 250 miles. If you want the 1,000 miles as advertised, it’s gonna cost $45k

[@justinkey4895]

@@jakediaz8539Doing 1000 miles in that seems terrible. But doing my 25 miles in each direction every day seems perfect.

[@sandasturner9529]

Tires/ maintenance worries/concerns for me

[@MikAnimal]

@@jakediaz8539$25k is less range and no solar charging

[@joseacuna3239]

The car looks so nice that it’s almost hard to believe that it works

[@skulldude101]

lol fr

[@UberLummox]

Longer, more in-depth vidgo woulda been nice though.

[@DkpProductions]

I'll believe it when I see it

[@arnold8746]

You must be from California.

[@VonGeggry]

Lol that's the best part, it doesn't. It's not a real car and I'd bet money it never will. This scam has been played on repeat for decades now.

[@adamriale9065]

The first 3 wheel micro car I really like. I’d drive one in a heartbeat

[@mmavcanuck]

It’s not a micro car. It’s massive. It’s as wide as a full sized truck. It just looks like a microcar because it only seats two

[@freddybell8328]

​@@mmavcanuck It's wide and fairly long but not massive at all. It's very light actually.

[@TheSimba86]

@@freddybell8328 which is terrible for a 3 wheel car, you take a turn a little too fast that single wheel on the back is going to lose traction and you'll wreck

[@theramennoodler7950]

@@TheSimba86Funny how that didn’t happen in the video.

[@deanmcmanis9398]

@@TheSimba86 Nope. Aptera simulated the "Moose test" and it did very well, with no stability problems.

[@solocamo3654]

25k would sell well, especially for those of us in places like FL, TX, AZ, CA, etc. where sun is readily available.

[@Okurka.]

It's going to be 35k+ if it ever gets produced.

[@MakoRuu]

We desperately need more inexpensive solar vehicles. Bring them to the consumer. We want them. Most of us commute less than 60 miles to work. This car would mean free transportation to work every week. Which would free up so much income for low to middle class families.

[@PieceOfSchmit]

And it's cheaper than most new cars at $25,000 usd

[@Mrbootyman]

Except this design is dumb and not practical. If it was a regular 4 door with solar panels then yes, this thing is not getting used for a family car, there's no storage or space so this will have to be an additional car because what middle class families are buying this over a 10-20k SUV or Sedan...

[@bobert4522]

@@PieceOfSchmitnew car sure, but for “cheap” daily driver it’s far off the mark. Used cars around $10k will still have this beat for usability. You couldn’t make this your only car unless you were in a big city where most everything you need can be delivered if it’s big.

[@LuckyTiger-hk1pw]

​@@MrbootymanDefinitely not a family car as for the storage i guess it's behind the seats. 😅 Good enough for me since I'm single.

[@JacobLeeson-zk1ol]

Everything about solar panels on a car is stupid. Even with 100 percent efficiency solar panels the sun doesn’t emit enough energy within the area a car takes up to be able to power it. It’ll always need a battery and it will always charger way too slow to be practical. It doesn’t add enough range while driving to matter it has to sit for days to charge. Far better off just putting solar panels on the roof of your house and charging like normal if you want solar power. Putting solar panels on cars will make them more expensive and easily damaged for negligible benefits. It’ll have a negative environmental impact. Solar panels already barely make up for their own carbon foot print putting them on cars just makes it worse. It’s a gimmick with no logical reasoning to exist.

[@red58fury]

If it actually hits production and price stays the same as promised I’d have no problem buying one. Would make a killer daily driver.

[@fridaycaliforniaa236]

I can't agree more ! I hope they'll bring them to EU too. Here in France, I know a shit ton of people who would *love* to have this for daily use !

[@adamcravets5408]

I was saving for a Tesla 3. I saw this and put my reservation in the next day. Glad you guys reviewed it. Your honesty in your videos is compelling and it’s why I keep coming back to watch your stuff.

[@adamcravets5408]

@@shreddy_mcgnar6359 Well, someone has to adopt early otherwise nothing gets made. And not to worry, I paid $30 for my spot so I’m way way down the list and have no intention of paying more.

[@calebtvog]

Wow you’re a brave man

[@billsmith5960]

From reading the super fans of the product, it’ll be perfect right away. Since you can work on it yourself, if it ever does break down, scan a code and you can fix it in a jiffy.

[@stephen3164]

I’m an Aptera fan, and no fan of Musk - but the Model 3 is a car you can buy today, and drive it arounds for years without issues. It seats 4 people, has a large trunk, and can be used just like a regular car. And again, you can buy one today. If Aptera starts production tomorrow, it would still take years to fill the orders they have, and once they announce production, I can see their ordering system blow up. A good thing for the company - a bad thing for anyone needing a vehicle. You could buy a Model 3 today and use it for 4 years while you wait for your Aptera. Also, be aware that prices can change, and that EV credits from state and Fed might not apply the same to 3 wheeled vehicles.

[@garywozniak7742]

​ @shreddy_mcgnar6359 take it to any good mechanic and they will be able to repair it. There are also a lot of EV repair shops opening up. The vehicle has a simple wiring harness, no transmission or complex drive train with the electric wheel motors. With its regenerative braking the brake pads will even last for a very long time.

[@MrPanda-qo9jb]

I love that the company shows their appreciation to all their supporters and everyone who has ever donated money and who else donates the most they get the first car that’s unheard of I love it

[@Romanus-]

Well if you donated over a million dollars I think you’d want the first one too lol

[@randalschultz7492]

The first thing I noticed was the SVX style widows. The skateboard pedals are pretty dope too

[@maolcogi]

I drive maybe 5 miles a day to and from work, and almost no other driving. I also live in Florida ... this car would be so perfect for me. No more gas stations, no need to ever charge it. Oh what a dream.

[@nicholassimmons9706]

That would take me as little as 15-20 min on a well maintained bicycle. No more gas stations, no need to ever charge it. 25x cheaper than a car and every minute I spend on it is a minute spent improving my health, cutting down on time needed to be spent in the gym or doing other exercise.

[@CyberJellos]

Why would you buy a new car just for 5 miles? That is such a tiny distance it is not even worth using a car at all.

[@maolcogi]

@@CyberJellos you must not love in America.

[@jakewillits4678]

You dont ever want to actually drive amywhere in yojr 1 life on earth? You just want to go from home to work and back and thats it? Like a slave?

[@chaztitan6457]

Why not cycle or get a mild electric one? 5 miles on an electric bike woild take u like 12 minutes.

[@Slaphappy1975]

One of the very few start-up automakers I actually follow. Glad to see them just about to launch. For 25K the price is right, the look is right, the design philosophy is right.

[@Chamieiniibet]

What are the other ones? My selection is Aptera and Canoo.

[@Slaphappy1975]

@@Chamieiniibet Yes, exactly those that you mentioned.

[@SvenFeral]

Stoked to see a Donut review of this car. I have been following Aptera since its original inception as a 100mpg ICE concept. I drove a Honda CRX for years so lightweight, super efficient, zippy handling hatch backs have always made sense to me. I guarantee my CRX drove more dirt roads and hauled more lumber than the vast majority of trucks and SUV's on the road today. For someone like me without a family to haul around, a hatchback is super practical. I really love this care and the approach that the company is taking to design and production and customer interface. I am really hoping they finally get these beauties out not the road. My current ride is a 2004 RSX. There is no newer car that I want more. If anything I want to go backwards to simpler cars that were affordable and that I can work on myself. The Aptera is the only car yet to be produced that truly interests me. Honestly, I would love to see a gasoline version for those of us in harsh winter environments or who regularly do long cross country drives. Though someone mentioned solid state batteries that could solve the cold weather, ultra-long range needs. My only request to Aptera is to make the battery packs modular so someone could start with the $25K 250 mile range base battery pack and later add more batteries to increase range as batteries become more efficient and affordable.

[@mas13ish1]

I am so happy you guys decided to check out Aptera. I think this is an amazing vehicle for a lot of people. I would like to own one for sure, but I live in the Rural midwest, so I need lots or range, or the ability to charge it everywhere. Also it snows a lot here, so it will be interesting to see how it performs in the snow.

[@wesman9274]

Aptera has said that even the 2 wheel drive variant performs well in the snow. Because the vehicle weight is 60% forward. But several reservation holders are skeptical and most prefer the 3 wheel motor version. Which probably caused them to configure the launch edition with AWD.

[@Thinginator]

This is the only new car I wish I could afford when it comes out. When the world in general seems to be going down the cyberpunk dystopia path, the Aptera is like a refreshing breath air of literal solarpunk. I have to imagine when the first customers start getting them, people are going to be super confused and they'll get a lot of attention from people asking what the heck they're looking at. It really is a beautiful and unique design, and probably the most truly optimistic new car in the world right now. I really hope they succeed.

[@tropicaltrapfire0344]

Aptera themselves is actually pushing for the base model to cost around 18K USD! Really affordable!

[@Thinginator]

@@tropicaltrapfire0344 Is that before or after the EV tax incentives? Either way that's pretty darn good.

[@southerncyan4098]

@@Thinginator That's a really good point, the cost combined with incentives.

[@swatisquantum]

They should call it The Solarpunk.

[@DegenCT2]

​@swatisquantum They should build a performance trim and call it that lol!

[@debidousagi]

I'm hoping this succeeds, this would the kind of EV I would consider... affordable, smallish, efficient, but still has some sport!

[@lsh3rd]

As a car enthusiast and conversationalist, I can have my cake and eat it too!

[@easytos]

Oh man, could you imagine a motorsport series with cars like this? Would be nuts.

[@xtnuser5338]

What part of it seems sporty to you?

[@MagicH8balls]

@@xtnuser5338 the 0-60 in 4 seconds ain't bad my guy

[@xtnuser5338]

@@MagicH8balls No, it isn't bad. That's not enough to call it sporty for me. Heck, my Audi sedan does that. A Buick Regal T-Type from the late 80s will almost do that, and it's otherwise a big sloppy grandma car.

[@seanmetzinger]

The Aptera right to repair is awesome and probably will give rise to a modding community around this car.

[@Yowzoe]

That is huge.

[@kiwikemist]

If it will ever release lmao

[@Yowzoe]

@@kiwikemist hard to say, seems to be a neverending story.

[@ryurc3033]

It's a solid plan, I hope they can nail down that cheap price. One thing I saw on another channel was availability of repair information. That's a business model I can get behind. Something intended to be repaired, and built to last. Their really trying to be a different kind of company. I hope it works

[@faustinpippin9208]

"Their really trying to be a different kind of company. I hope it works" when some major stockholder starts screming: "i want more money"! then the model will change pretty quick....its easier and cheapier to produce disposable trash and then charge for "fixing" it by throwing "new" disposable trash parts at it like some cars with plastic water pumps....

[@extragoode]

​@@faustinpippin9208that's a valid risk but 1) at least they're trying to do the right thing to start, most companies can't even say that, and 2) if parts are easily available and they're vaguely popular it won't be long before third party manufacturers start making compatible parts.

[@barnabasseadog7660]

As an Accelerator I can really appreciate your fresh take on the Aptera. Your footage of the vehicle on the road looks amazing, the epitome of wingless flight. Very exciting for us that expect to take delivery next year. One thing about the company history you did not mention, the first iteration of Aptera was dissolved after the two co-CEo's left due to mismanagement. These two guys became successful elsewhere and ten years later bought back thier IP and reformed Aptera Motors, keeping the same brand name that previously failed. This was in 2019, now in 2023, they're as close as ever to production. An epic story of passion and perseverence.

[@cenciende9401]

Wow, you're a part of A Certain Magical Index?

[@El-Burrito]

What are you a sentient accelerator pedal?

[@Peter-wz2wx]

Hell yeah, I've had a reservation for one for two years now. I really can't wait for this car to come out. It's just tough deciding on which version. I believe the 400 mile range one comes out first, the 1,000 mile range one will be last. They have a few other ranges in-between. I really want the 1,000 mile range one, but I also want it sooner :(

[@motobikemike914]

Me too! I reserved one in 2021, not really expecting my deposit would actually materialize into a real car, but worth a shot. Still have my doubts about it reaching mass production, but hoping it will.

[@PlaySA]

Would you really drive it a thousand miles in one go? I feel like the 400 would be plenty for me

[@tyrelirwin]

I'll be very surprised if they even bother making the thousand mile range version. Statistics show there is so little use case for it. If they were going to forgo DC fast charging, then maybe. But with the efficiency of this thing, even level two would feel almost like fast charging in a Chevy bolt for example.

[@Nabee_H]

@@PlaySA Would be amazing to drive here in Canada, some places can get remote and just the idea of not having to stress about where i can charge is enough for me. You can drive across the country and plug in at a motel every night gaining another 75 miles. Absolute insanity.

[@EVANHIRSCHMANG]

So, what is the company telling you about the reservation? Does that just make you first in line when it does drop? if ever? Like you said I remember seeing details on these years ago and still haven't seen anyone driving one or heard of them actually being on the market.

[@bradchoi9679]

I hope they are pursuing fleet sales. This would be the perfect urban vehicle for things like parking enforcement, food and small parcel delivery, and such.

[@johnold6867]

I'm putting this on record right now: there is NO WAY they get this thing out for $25,000.

[@gothnate]

The 1000 mile range version is $50k. The $25k one has a 250 mile range.

[@Peter-wz2wx]

If you go look up the actual design and components of it, and with the cost of battery tech getting cheaper and cheaper, it is actually possible. It's really neat and I'm so excited for this car.

[@SMLYTPMovies]

@@gothnate $50k for 1000 miles is still amazing. $25k for 250 is really good. I think overall if they can get these price points, Aptera is gonna be making loads of money

[@FeminalPanda]

@@SMLYTPMovies Yea, my kia ev6 was 50k for 250 miles of range.

[@V.Perez1985]

​@@SMLYTPMoviesdeadass. I paid almost 40k for my Bolt EUV. I'd shell out 50k for that crazy range.

[@impacted-x9f]

if they actually end up selling units at 25k and get a few of them off the line i can definitely see this being the company that finally gives telsa comp in the electric car field

[@Skylancer727]

I kinda doubt that part. Tesla is an established brand now with a cult following. Not to mention seeing how many people today buy a crossover over a sedan for 5ft² more storage space, I doubt this care has the market impact of a Model 3 or Y. I think it's completely worth considering though for single people or those who have two cars and one for just commute to work. I mainly want one because I drive an absurd 90 miles to work one way. Any gas savings is a few hundred dollars a year. Otherwise it mainly targets those without a garage to park, no paid parking on the street, and are can't handle ongoing payments. So it really only makes sense for lower income individuals.

[@farklestaxbaum4945]

they wont sell any at 25k lol

[@sharkscanplay2890]

​@farklestaxbaum4945 brother that's the price of a new corolla now lol. And with ev tax credit they definitely would

[@Okurka.]

$25k is an old price they made up. The Launch Edition with up to 400 miles range is listed at $33k on their website.

[@Martin-se3ij]

Single people would probably stay single if seen driving this. They would look like a baby driving an incubator :-)@@Skylancer727

[@oxidizedolive]

As a technician, I would take this over any full-battery EV. This makes way more sense, and I'm really happy that this is finally getting a chance to move forward. 🔥

[@lsh3rd]

Not sure what you mean by "full battery EV"... it has a slightly larger battery than a base Nissan LEAF.

[@oxidizedolive]

@lsh3rd I'm stating that its power is not fully based on the battery alone, unlike almost every other EV ever built.

[@GarrickStaples]

@@oxidizedolive I suppose this is going to be a common misconception, but the drivetrain is a normal EV that relies on its battery. It just has solar panel on the roof to trickle charge the battery. The solar panel is not the cool thing about this car; it's the ultra-high efficiency that makes a solar panel a reasonable expense.

[@oxidizedolive]

@GarrickStaples yeah, I suppose I should have said that a lil bit better... 😂 But yeah, it's the efficiency that has changed over the past few decades and recently made that notable step-up.

[@widodoakrom3938]

Depends with the battery kwh capacity

[@thetinysideoftiny7625]

Incredibly svelte and gorgeous. The only 3-wheeler / electric car that doesn’t look weird. Big auto co’s have a shared “electric” design language that looks deliberately odd. (Tesla not withstanding) The Aptera is a work of art. Would not look out of place staged in an art museum. As for price and functionality, this vehicle is THE paradigm shift. Welcome to the future.

[@EricPeelMusic]

Thank you so much for giving Aptera Motors this publicity, Donut!

[@mrKozmoz]

I remember seeing the Aptera online back when I was in college in the early 00s, and man, it's so cool to see it actual be in production soon. Definitely the right direction for the future for commuter cars.

[@jimmyletv]

If they release a 4 door, I can see this becoming the new taxi vehicle.

[@rollingapples2230]

especially in new york fuck dude

[@ianc1498]

4 doors would make it an incredible value family car.

[@scoobydoobies]

The 5 mile per day solar charge wouldn't do much for a taxi vehicle, but the aerodynamics and purchase price would definitely replace the Prius as the "Uber car"

[@MacTX]

I'm more excited for this than I am for any of the current EV's out on the market. The current crop of EV's out there aren't really green, they have the perception of being green but they're just as wasteful as ICE vehicles. This minimalist approach by Aptera is the closest thing I've seen to an actual green vehicle. If they can make it to market under $30K and it meets expectations, they're going to sell a lot of these as it'll be actually be affordable for folks who don't need a large vehicle and who will just be transporting themselves or another person.

[@VintageKimchi]

What's crazy is that there are probably so many people who can get this car and won't ever have to plug it in while still using it everyday

[@JWQweqOPDH]

In the winter or overcast weather you're only going to get a few miles a day without charging. You could go farther riding a bicycle.

[@tigletcat]

@@JWQweqOPDHriding a bike in the rain and snow isn’t all that great either.

[@mafiacat88]

@@JWQweqOPDH Oh for sure, if you live somewhere that isn't like California you'll still have to plug it in sometimes. But that just brings it in line with other EV's-which are still ahead of gas cars because you can fill them up at home while you sleep.

[@JWQweqOPDH]

@@tigletcat With the right clothes it's not that bad. You'll need a coat driving this thing anyway because good luck having enough battery charge to run a heater.

[@Lorentz_Driver]

​@@JWQweqOPDHwhat about the countless cities in the world that get mayyyybe 1 overcast day per year?

[@ApteraOwnersClub]

Aptera is the car the planet needs!

[@wcrowe75]

I'm an Aptera per-orderer and this thing is rad as hell. So stoked that Donut got to drive it! Can't wait for mine!

[@Okurka.]

End of next year, every year.

[@ChristopherCurrin-c7f]

Thanks for covering the Aptera. It will be the most efficient fully-enclosed vehicle on the planet and an extraordinary bargain. First principles design produced a unique vehicle and it looks like they should be able to get into production soon. Once their cutting-edge assembly line is up and running I hope you go back to share that with your viewers and test drive the production model as well! Love your work.

[@Thezuule1]

As a cyclist I appreciate the effort that went into getting this car so aerodynamic.

[@JustinThompson]

I hope they actually make it to manufacturing one day. I’d buy one to commute.

[@fridaycaliforniaa236]

Omg, please Aptera, bring this to France, we need this here ! This car is a banger ! I don't like EVs because of the "recharging batteries problem" but damn, the solar part of this is just the best idea ever =) This would solve the main problem of EVs (finding somewhere to plug it for a 8 hours recharge).

[@logitech4873]

It's easy to find fast chargers in France, and no EV takes 8 hours to fast charge. Are you unable to charge at home?

[@cenciende9401]

Man you must HATE having to put fuel into regular cars at a designated location, can't even do it at home.

[@BobMonkeypimp]

​@@cenciende9401Man you're in for a shock when you grow hair on your balls & face the real world. Fuel takes 5 minutes to put in. Charging takes hours.

[@smvsspould]

​@@BobMonkeypimpI've never been stood next to my EV waiting for it to charge for hours, when I arrive home I press a button by the steering wheel and the charge cover opens, then I plug the charger in and walk away. It takes like 15-20 seconds. If your commute was several hundred miles one way then yeah I wouldn't get an ev cause then you'd have to wait for an hour at a fast charger or a few hours on a regular one. For almost everyone this isn't the the case though.

[@BobMonkeypimp]

@@smvsspould So you've never been on a long road trip then? What's the point in having a car? Sad 😔

[@richard1493]

One thing people aren’t talking enough about is how the Aptera is not a car, it is produced as a three wheel motorcycle. This may seem like a technical detail, but that comes with several complications. In some states, drivers and passengers will be required to wear helmets and PPE while driving, including most federal bases and installations. A motorcycle license is required to operate these as well, and the Aptera itself will not likely be able to pass the average motorcycle skills test because it is simply too wide for the agility maneuvers. Insurance companies are also likely to consider the Aptera an exotic or luxury vehicle, meaning that insurance rates are going to be remarkably high for new owners. Owners who are just newly licensed to operate motorcycles are already going to have high insurance rates since they’ll have new license with no years of riding experience. With how Aptera themselves are downplaying the motorcycle aspect of their vehicle, I would not be surprised to see a lot of customers not understanding what they’re getting into. Imagine being pulled over and finding out your car is a motorcycle that you’re not licensed to drive it, now you’re charged with driving without a license.

[@n.brucenelson5920]

Some research will dispel most of these concerns. The laws have been changing rapidly in most states that had restrictions, and there are few, if any left, even at this point, months before deliveries begin.

[@Joshua-uw7wm]

This could legitimately be the car of the future and end up being like the next model T and completely change the game

[@garyfreeman896]

Yeah, and it might not.

[@beanapprentice1687]

Whether it does or not is pretty much down to the pricing of the car. If they can actually get a 25k$ base model into production and keep up with demand without jacking up the prices, then they will succeed.

[@garyfreeman896]

@@beanapprentice1687 The biggest issue is actually getting these things into production. Protos like this get made all the time.

[@franciscog9635]

Agree, the beginning of the future. All cars will have to be efficient and solar to sell.

[@garyfreeman896]

@@franciscog9635 You have to be kidding. Solar is very inefficient and suffers consistency due to lighting conditions. This thing gives roughly 40 miles per day from solar in perfect conditions.

[@GrimnirLaguz28]

If they come out with the base model being 25k, I feel like this thing could really pop off. I always feel like all these projects are a bit too good to be true, but most of them have not gone through 20 years and do not have a no-bullshit prototype that they give to influencers (like "oh, it does only 20 miles on a full charge right now, but in 3 months, we plan to improve it to 800 miles" kind of nonsense).

[@brenreidy8763]

RIght, the whole "1000 miles on a charge" is not something that the vehicle is doing right now. They're selling points for the future. I mean shit, the one they drove didnt even have power brakes, so I'm not sold on them being "close" to ready.

[@Okurka.]

$25k is an old price they made up. The Launch Edition with up to 400 miles range is listed at $33k on their website.

[@lasskinn474]

@@Okurka. "but the 25k was for the low volume production. so of course the high volume production model is going to cost a bit more, it only makes sense because of the tooling costs. that's why it's late too because it turned out to be SO popular." -some aptera investor, probably.

[@Enrique-Garcia]

How that guy at Justin's parts shop felt about the Aptera, is how I used to feel about Elio Motors. I've since learned to never get hyped until the car is actually available for sale at a local dealer :P

[@stevelane5023]

I lost money by reserving an Elio but Aptera is in a much better place. At least with Aptera my reservation money is refundable. Still being a bit skeptical it took awhile to reserve. Somewhere around 37,000 reservist. Go Aptera!

[@mindlessmrawesome]

Im so excited about this car. If it can really last for 500k+ miles like theyre claiming with easy and cheap self-repair when things go wrong, over the lifespan of this vehicle it could save you tens of thousands compared to driving some of the SUVs on the road right now. Not just in gas, but in maintenance (with in-wheel motors, there literally isnt even a drivetrain with moving parts anymore; just copper cables and cooling hoses), insurance (since itll be registered as an autocycle instead of a car), and the right to repair when things finally start breaking down. On that last note- I just read an article about how replacing a taillight assembly due to water intrusion in some newer Fords can cost $5,000 due to it needing to be brought in to the dealership to re-sync the proprietary DRMs on the light controller. Won't have to deal with that BS when you’ll just be able to buy and install the parts yourself using the QR codes on all the parts

[@n.brucenelson5920]

Exactly. And your estimates don't even mention the likely saving that will accrue to all of us from the lower environmental damage that these vehicles will cause.

[@mafiacat88]

I genuinely love this. Sure it looks a little weird-but it manages the future look without being TOO out there and still being unique. Plus having a car that's actually designed to be very aerodynamic is great, because I currently drive an ancient car with aero like a cinder block-and I hate thinking about how much gas I'm wasting because of the design. Plus it's SHOCKINGLY affordable. Like, I want an electric car (gas is pricy), but I don't have a hundred grand sitting around. But at 25k, it's right in with middle end cars, making it a great option. While I don't live somewhere like california where it's super sunny-just as an EV that can charge good range overnight off normal wall power is a huge win for someone who rents rather than owns a house they can modify to accept a real EV charging station. Does this work for everyone? Hell no. I would probably keep my current car for moving crap, or for going out with more than one friend or what have you. But 95% of the time this would do it for me.

[@TheRossMadness]

Living in Texas where everything is baking in a constant assault from the Sun, this seems like a great idea. Especially with the ungodly amount of roads I have to travel for simple tasks, this thing would always be at 100%. I do find the tone of the video to be a little TOO positive though. I get that it's pre-production and won't be anywhere near the claimed 1000 miles per charge, but they could have at least tried to show some battery consumption metrics. How much charge did it use over the four hours they drove it? How much was gained (or lost) while sitting in traffic with A/C and infotainment system running? How much drained while in the garage (outside of sunlight) with the in-car electronics turned on? Also, the "double tap to open the door" seems like a terrible idea. Something vital like being able to get into the car quickly doesn't need a gimmick. A simple mechanical handle would be fine here. I'd love to know what the fallback is. At 25k though, I am hopeful this comes out as promised.

[@PlaySA]

Agreed, I get that they liked it but the video had a very uncritical air, they need to actually challenge the design and specs and see what's up instead of making what turned out to be more of a promotional piece.

[@shrimptopian3392]

They are paid for this video, offcourse they are enthusiastic 🤣🤣🤣

[@MrPruske]

true, but more facts is more better@@shrimptopian3392

[@CyberOwners]

It's not a final spec vehicle, but a test unit. Doing range tests and things like that wouldn't mean anything.

[@h20dancing18]

The fallback is phone key or keycard. Like a Tesla

[@Guz9014]

Feels like the beetle of the future, a small, cheap, mass production car. This could be it

[@tomshady3530]

Cheaper than EVERY new car today (under $25k), gases itself (solar), pays for itself ($3k per year in gas savings). GAME CHANGER. This slippery little car could DECIMATE the car industry!!

[@MellowYellowCJ7]

I have been waiting a while for this to hit the market. They also plan to make this serviceable with customer support. It really appeals to the DIY crowd.

[@EliteValor1003]

Finally a electric/Solar car that actually looks and sounds reasonable ❤

[@KrummyBrinkleJr.]

Finally, something happening in the near future that doesn't absolutely terrify me!

[@meadmaker4525]

Nice to see someone do a full-on driving review of this car without the Aptera minders. I think it's a little small and wondered if I would even fit at 6'2, but you two are not small and you looked pretty reasonably comfortable in there. Still on the fence on whether or not to order one, but I think that's because Delta has yet to appear and I'm waiting to see what the full production model looks/drives like. As for the yoke, I think it's probably better than the Tesla yoke, but it's entirely necessary given the way they've set up those side-camera screens right above it. If you had a full wheel, you wouldn't be able to see those screens. Anyway, great review and thanks for sharing it with us. Really excited for Aptera.

[@BillDerr]

The window arch thing is actually done for aerodynamics. I watched a video about it, I think it was on Rich Rebuilds, and they discussed it. It actually makes a big difference apparently. But I've been huge fan of this car and idea, and would love to buy it for commuting to and from work. But it's not practical for a family at all as it's only a 2-seater.

[@jamessizemore7103]

My hometown has a weird sort of competitor to this called arcimoto, which is designed as a tandem two seater leaning more so on the motorcycle side of 3 wheelers, but aptera looks like they could blow them out of the water

[@stevelouie5928]

You can rent out the arcimotos in a lot of cities.

[@jamessizemore7103]

@@stevelouie5928 that's they're main selling point, they're basically street legal golf carts that people can use as vacation rentals, or last mile delivery. They're really cool as a concept, but they're super dorky looking😂

[@JohnDoe-ph6if]

not solar though🤔 completely different vehicle for a different purpose

[@isaacfortner]

Archimoto makes more sense for utility vehicles and last mile delivery like food/small packages. My friend has one, and it’s basically a 3-wheel motorcycle with a roll cage: handlebar steering, motorcycle suspension, etc.

[@CyberOwners]

The only thing in common with Arcimoto is that they're both a 3 wheeled electric vehicle. EVERYTHING else is different.

[@Frankienoname0]

I’ve been on this waiting list for years, and honestly, I still haven’t lost my enthusiasm and anticipation for the release of this.

[@jesusenrique313]

Finally an electric car not based on fuel car design, this is finally sick

[@RCisMe64]

Now THIS is what electric cars should be. Cheap, well made, not filled a million gadgets, and holy crap they actually made it compatible with wall outlets. That's how you know they are actually trying to innovate. Really hope to see this thing do well in the future

[@superdrone5039]

Most electric cars can be charged from a wall outlet… it’s how I charge my Tesla 99% of the time.

[@extragoode]

​@@superdrone5039I was trying to say the same thing. The biggest problem is most electric cars are so inefficient nobody wants to bother with a regular 110 outlet. 4 of my coworkers have Teslas, but never plug them in because they only get 3 miles per hour of charging on the outdoor outlet. I get about 6-7 miles per charging hour with my LEAF and the Aptera is supposed to get 8 to 10 miles per kwh, so would charge 12 to 15 miles per hour.

[@migueralliart]

I pre-ordered back when there were something like 4k orders. Can't wait to get one. Also invested in that first seed round. Great company and the owners are killing it.

[@unbreakableldorado7723]

nice

[@JaysonElliot]

I've had a reservation for an Aptera for about three years. Some of the things, like the yoke, were making me wonder if I still wanted it or not. This video has changed my mind. Yeah, I'll get a real steering wheel in it right away, but otherwise, I'm looking forward to buying mine when it comes out.

[@Peter-wz2wx]

I have a reservation for this myself. I currently have a Tesla M3. I replaced the steering wheel myself with an aftermarket yoke (fixed, thanks @SyntheticSpy). After a couple hours of driving, I never want to go back to a round wheel. It's so much more comfortable in the hands and I find it able to control the vehicle better for fine movements. And you feel like you're driving a jet or race car XD

[@SyntheticSpy]

@@Peter-wz2wxjust fyi it’s yoke. A yolk would be from an egg

[@Peter-wz2wx]

@@SyntheticSpy Hahahaha, I love autocorrect, it's ducking hilarious at times!

[@JaysonElliot]

@@Peter-wz2wx you're in the minority. Unless a car has the steering ratio of an F1 race car, it's better with a real steering wheel. Most people don't hold the wheel at 9 and 3 the entire time they're driving. Your comment about fine movements doesn't make any sense - the yoke doesn't change the steering ratio. It sounds like you think it looks cool, and you've decided it's actually better because of that. Bully for you, and you should enjoy your car and your yoke. If the Aptera makes it to market, it's the first thing I'm fixing once I get mine.

[@MaskedMammal]

@@JaysonElliot Biggest issue with the yoke is the steering wheel controls (or complete lack of them). Aptera's doing Tesla-style minimalism but taking it to a whole new level. I'd accept almost *anything* other than what they're doing with the simple horn button on left, and up/down rocker on the right. (seen in the production-intent design renders)

[@xorias9382]

This is what I imagined the future of EV transportation to be, practical, simple, cheap and elegant. It looks so good!

[@Azuria969]

lithium ion battery cant be the future

[@DundG]

​​@@Azuria969I think he refers to the shape and materials used, which focus on max range per energy usage. As for the batteries, you can upgrade it to better ones once available, while keeping most of the vehicle.

[@Okurka.]

Practical? It's wider than a Humvee.

[@thomasreese2816]

You should have talked about the storage space. It is actually comparable to a Tesla Model 3 in the rear, and even big bois should be able to sleep/camp comfortably in the rear

[@sergiocastro5304]

Yeah, missed some info like battery capacity and range, but it's understandable, as these figures would probably vary

[@nickmudd]

As long as the build quality comes out nice, these will sell like crazy

[@paulrybarczyk5013]

Sandy Monroe‘s team helped them design the vehicle and their factory. He is also an investor. The build quality should be quite high.

[@lsh3rd]

The body is all carbon fiber SMC... the panels are very precisely made.

[@SuperCrabbycrab]

The world needs smaller cars like this. I hope this gets super popular.

[@mmavcanuck]

It’s not small, it’s just a two seater. It’s as wide or wider than a full sized truck.

[@appa609]

@@mmavcanuck Yeah this thing is huge. They could have made it a lot more compact with the same internal volume requirements.

[@trxdinos]

Made me want this vehicle even more! Thanks for the awesome review.

[@MonsterSound.Bradley]

Lightweight, strong composite, super efficient aero. This MUST be made. If you build it, they will come (and buy it like YES). ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[@joemtnclimber793]

Aptera needs a big angel investor to insure production gets off the ground.

[@-NGC-6302-]

​@@joemtnclimber793 Last I heard they have enough to start anyway no matter what, just not nearly as aggressively as they hope.

[@Truth_Spoken]

If you have a 3 mile commute to work, a $1,500 e-bike is a much better option than a $25k car that you still have to license and insure. Plus you will get a little exercise. It is cool though.

[@faustinpippin9208]

" Plus you will get a little exercise." yes, because that what I want before a hard day of work: to be sweaty, stinky and sticky..... e-bikes are great for communiting if the weather is nice and you dont have to drive on highways.... i drive a electric motorcycle all the time but when it rains or its winter i get into my car immediately

[@bwofficial1776]

@@faustinpippin9208 If you get an ebike you don't need to pedal you won't get sweaty, stinky, and sticky. You can always bring a change of clothes.

[@faustinpippin9208]

@@bwofficial1776 yea if you have a decent e-bike, but in eu there is a 250 watt limit and you can only use the electric motor up to 25km/h and the elctric motor can be used only as assist and only activated by pedaling its ridiculous idk how it is in the us tho, but with your terrible zoning you have to drive on highways to get anywhere so i doubt you could drive an e-bike 140km/h there (my can do that but its my own build)

[@stewpacalypse7104]

I really hope this takes off. This one looks legit.

[@Okurka.]

Aptera went bankrupt before.

[@stewpacalypse7104]

@@Okurka. I know, I watched the video. The difference now is that the technology has caught up to the concept.

[@HayTatsuko]

What a gorgeous ride! It would be perfect for someone like me, who mostly commutes to and from work. I wish Aptera the best of fortunes in making this a success!

[@zejodecast]

Only electric car i would own is a solar one. Can't wait for some more r&d

[@franquil85conn]

Why?

[@nyanko8222]

@@franquil85conn it is more environmentally friendly as alot of the electricity we use is made using fossil fuels and you can recharge it for free.

[@jovanmcintyre7334]

​@@franquil85connotherwise the car isn't truly green on its own. It's just a more expensive, more full of dangerous chemicals version of a gas car since at the end of the day you're probably plugging your ev into a coal or natural gas based power grid.

[@kooooons]

​@@jovanmcintyre7334There are dozens of life cycle analysis studies that have shown that this claim is wrong. There's a rather popular one from the technical university of Eindhoven that showed, even powered by electricity from 100% coal, EVs have less impact on the environment than fossil fueled cars. It's frustrating how these anti EV myths never die.

[@UnexpectedTokens]

@@jovanmcintyre7334 because you can't charge at home on your home solar? or hydro power like most of Canada? i wouldn't blame electric car for the fault of the US electric grid

[@gabrielmargalith1010]

Its actually more of a "mild hybrid" for electric cars. It's a conventional plug-in electric that has its range extended with solar panels

[@madwhitejamaican]

I ordered mine and I'm extremely excited for them!

[@alexquinlan1855]

I love that they gave it comparable performance to a conventional car by designing it to be lightweight and energy efficient. Throwing a 3000 lb battery into an EV is the wrong approach: a waste of the rare metals and an extra burden on road infrastructure. I hope other OEMs take inspiration from this design

[@brenreidy8763]

If they really do get this thing figured out, it's going to be the largest and most important innovation in not only American history, but in the world. That price point seems like a bit of a stretch, but again, if they manage to pull it off, EVERYTHING will change.

[@joshuavance1472]

They're already wrapping up their production intent vehicle, and should start rolling out vehicles early next year.

[@jamesbyrd3740]

it's just an ev. small aerodynamic. the solar panels are mostly a gimmick. I think they said optimal 40 miles per day charge on base model? Which means it's probably more like 15 So, you're just plugging it in anyway. it would be better to have the solar panel on your house & make the car cheaper.

[@danytoob]

They are still taking pre-orders, entry model (250 mile range) still at about $25K

[@theordinary1175]

What? More important than McDonald's?

[@DesA-hj7ms]

@@jamesbyrd3740 THIS. I think it's wild that donut media hasn't spent any time explaining this. Scammy as. 40 miles, what's the point? The car's going to be charged in most garages anyway every morning. And most EVs give you at least 250miles of range these days. Just get a Nissan Leaf. And at least you can carry kids and like milk and eggs from the supermarket.

[@ironmonger109]

The absolute smartest thing aptera could have done is put a functioning prototype in the hands of this channel. Absolute W for them

[@thomasmcmahan2014]

I have to say, if this thing actually hits production and it’s even near the $30k range, I’ll have to get one. I would always be between 90-100% charge everytime I drove it because of my commute to work and home is short. I live in the south with lots of sunlight, so it would sit in the parking lot all day just charging.

[@rorschach775]

Yeah $25k is cheap even for regular cars. I hope they can pull it off. The Prius Prime is similar in price and also a pretty good looking car but this thing is next level. I've been pulling for them when they first launched.

[@STho205]

The only problem with the cost thinking is this is a commute purpose car....not a cargo or trip car. Like a motorcycle, it becomes an extra vehicle for total utility. It equates to the utility of a Slingshot....meaning fun or just driving one butt (maybe two) to work. Solar collection at 5m-stored-per hr is an engineering ideal on the San Diego to Pensacola line in summer with 14 hrs of daylight...10 at peak. For most people it will be about 2mph over 8 hrs. Being 16 miles stored in an average day. If your commute is 8 miles or less....then the fuel cost of a commute in a similarly small car like a Civic is UNDER $2 in $4/gal areas. That fast food stop cost much more than that. Even a coffee is over $2. So to save $2 a day, spending $30000 seems like a very long payback over your existing car. A Civic costs $16k and can last 400000miles. We don't know how long this will last, nor can any be bought for $6000 used. As a novelty or enthusiast purchase it is fine. As a frugal choice...the math doesn't work.

[@steelerfaninperu]

If they can figure out a way to sync this thing up with your house and do net metering, or even using it as emergency power storage for the home, then we're really onto something special here. Not sure how feasible that is given its size and battery, but any time we can decentralize the grid, we should.

[@STho205]

@@steelerfaninperu but that's even more complexity for something that should be kept simple by an unproven and troubled company hoping to just finally make a car. There aren't enough solar cells on this car to spit into a bucket compared to a house roof or array in your yard. There's not enough battery in the spec to make a dent in what you could stick in your house for less money. The car itself, even if gasoline, hydrogen or unicorn farts, is a play toy runabout like a Miata or a Slingshot with a roof. It is fun for personal gocarting around the hood, but unlikely to be a great experience on the open road for days, doing the soccer run, picking up that big ticket purchase or some gardening stuff. Nothing wrong with a sport car to have fun, but few stay in the lifestyle for long that can use it as solo transportation. If you have a house...then there is a 90% chance you need a traditional car or truck too. Also if you've never driven a 3 wheel Morgan style arrangement...it is a different experience and not as forgiving of rough roads or overloading as 4 wheels.

[@NithinJune]

8:38 Is that the “Tesla” NACS charging port!? If so it might be one of the first non-Tesla cars that have it!!

[@n.brucenelson5920]

Yes. Aptera used this on their very first prototype. They petitioned the government to make it a standard, and were the first 3rd party company to get Tesla's permission to use it. Their role in causing NACS to happen has been way under reported.

[@levirassler4934]

Excited for this. It doesn't fit my current lifestyle, but as a secondary car once the family moves out, it is doable. The reality is it won't be for everyone because it has limited utility, but I'd rather this than most other cars for simple errands. You just need to be willing to give up load space for convenience.

[@PlaySA]

Yeah doesn't fit for me, I have a motorcycle for around-town stuff which has very good gas mileage, and my other car has to have enough space and four wheel drive for camping and snowboarding and such. Still, I will hope that in the future cars like this will be relatively common and affordable, at some point in my life I would like to own one.

[@Wang_Thunder]

@@PlaySA Oddly enough, you can probably fit your gear in the Aptera. One of their big promo pieces has been the ability to fit surfboards in the thing. It actually has a lot of cargo space, despite the small appearance.

[@Mquin02]

I've been following Apterra since the beginning when they had gas engines and I'm happy to see them going into production! I would absolutely drive that ridiculous car!

[@teklife]

i love the camping add on that i think they will sell from aptera directly, and too bad you didn't talk about or show the trunk space, or try to make use of it, like do a real world picnic/camping outing and fill it up with the stuff you would bring. missed opportunity there i think to show the true practicality of this gorgeous 3 wheeler.

[@louisjov]

What Aptera is doing with open source tech, right to repair, sustainable manufacturing, is what every automaker should be doing

[@mr.guillotine3766]

There is some chance (not sure how big of a chance) that the guys from UFD tech will be driving this across the country next year for their charity cannonball. Might be cool if you guys linked up somehow for that. It's a really fun charity event and they stream the entire thing. I watched so many hours of it this year (it just ended last week) and it's for a great cause to raise funds to cure a rare disease (SYNGAP1). Would be pretty awesome to see Donut pop into stream somehow. They take the Cannonball route from NYC to CA and have all sorts of giveaways and donation goals where they do some pretty crazy things if they reach them. It's hard to explain until you see it. (which, since they streamed it all, I'm sure you can find it or maybe someone has put together some highlights at least).

[@TwinTonyz]

Glad this project is getting more mainstream. I really hope they launch. Their entire culture and what they believe in is important for any car owner, not just EV owners.

[@salt-emoji]

Hell yeah. Good ad. These kinds of companies that actually care about renewabillity need the "free" publicity

[@AdamKellar]

This actually looks really good. One of the first EVs I've been excited for!