What Happened To Aptera?!

[@cinilaknedalm]

I honestly didn't wish for an EV to succeed in the last 15 years as much as I want the Aptera to become mainstream. The whole efficiency angle and their openness is just delightful

[@JohnMcAfee-se9ms]

@@cinilaknedalm Buy one to help them. I would rather buy a $10k Chinese EV that seats more people, than an Aptera for 4x the price. Aptera will be exactly like another American brand, Archimoto.

[@masminor]

These 3 wheeled vehicle is a motorcycle and offers ZERO crash protection and is not a certified NTSB automobile. Aptera has blown through 100,000 million is crowd funding and is unable to secure funding according to their SEC filings. This was a scam from day one as NO 3 wheeled vehicle ever made it to mass acceptance or production. Clown car for clowns.

[@OceanDragon805]

Openness? The only time they make a new announcement, is when they are removing a feature. ie, DC fast charging, whole body cooling, torque vectoring, large side windows, three wheel drive, hub motors, price in the low $20k, etc. This is ending up another Elio motors or Arcimoto with all their loyal blind followers.

[@Crunch_dGH]

Please confirm they are going with 48V that without it, could be a deal killer, for me. Also, LFP or better batteries?

[@Peaceable75]

This is the one electric car I really wanted to succeed. Their design and vision is what the future is supposed to look like. They are nailing it!

[@MarcoLandin]

I'm an Aptera reservation holder as well as an accelerator investor. I truly believe in this vehicle and I feel that it has the same world-changing potential for the 21st century that the VW Beetle did in the 20th. It's been a slow process but I'm excited to see it get ever closer to production. Patience and determination win the game. THANKS for covering the Aptera!

[@jovand6606]

It will be ok car, but not that revolutionaray, Only BYD's Seagull has a potential to be that revolutionary, but goverements probably won't allow it to sell in West, because it's that good.

[@CaptMatt1]

Amen.

[@Paullauenstein]

I'm an Aptera reservation holder too. I live in Massachusetts. I intend to fly out to California when mine is ready and drive it back across the country to show people what the future looks like. PS - My Dad had a VW Beetle. When I was a teenager, I learned how to drive it. I have long thought that Aptera has the potential to make as big a difference as the VW Beetle - or perhaps a bigger difference considering the urgent need for zero-emissions vehicles.

[@stevec5000]

Another sucker!

[@jeremytine]

@@jovand6606 BYD seagull is garbage compared to this. Less than 1/2 the range, much less efficient, weighs more with an anemic motor with 1/3 the HP of this. No free solar charging... Apples to oranges

[@tims8603]

When Chris said "No welding, no paint", I was thinking, no rust. I live in WI so our cars rust out from salt on the roads in winter.

[@12pentaborane]

The thing is it has almost no contact pad with the tires, is very light, and those fenders are gonna catch snow and slush something fierce. Given global warming the winters aren't so bad now but I'd still wait until they do some proper winter testing with it.

[@tims8603]

@@12pentaborane The wheel pants open up very easily. The outside has a latch that releases the whole side and it rotates to the front. As far as grip goes, Aptera is 70/30 front/back weight distribution. It shouldn't be much worse than any FWD car with all season or snow tires. I'm not worried about it because my town keeps the streets plowed fairly well. I'm retired so, if we get a huge amount of snow, I just wait til it's plowed. Last winter we only had one snow event that required me to blow snow.

[@johnfife3062]

Agreed re: rust. Was wondering how the three wheels will do in the snow...?

[@Fairburne69]

@@tims8603 My concern is the lack of a 4th wheel. In a normal vehicle if 1 of your 2 back wheels loses traction you have a 2nd wheel to maintain control. In an Aptera if the back wheel loses traction you don't. If the Aptera is going to be my only vehicle to drive I 100% want to see how well it performs before I buy one. As an additional car to drive I'd buy one without question regardless of the snow. (Hydroplaning in rain is also a concern for the same reason.) I'd like to see wet weather testing to.

[@tims8603]

@@Fairburne69 Some of the early reservation holders live in the upper Midwest. Chad and Sarah, from Drive the Lightning channel, live in MI and Bruce Nelson lives in IA. I'm sure there are more who will be in the comments on various channels like Aptera Owner's Club. I'll be waiting for their feedback on winter performance. I'm sure I don't have to tell you but, slow down. Driving too fast for conditions is one of the major causes of mishaps.

[@chrisbarrett2512]

I will be buying more than one, one for me, and one for my son. I am completely convinced that this is where the industry as a whole should be heading, towards more efficient, better for the world, as clean air matters when you like to breathe. No question in my mind that the Aptera will be a huge hit.

[@oBCHANo]

These comments are so clearly fake.

[@SeanBaker-rr4or]

Just so you know... This company scammed thousands of people out of money when they failed to supply a working model with a gas motor. This was more than a decade ago. They haven't changed the design from that seen in 2010. You can probably find a video where they were dumping their old fiberglass bodies in the trash after they closed up shop and didn't refund all their customers' money. Buyer beware.

[@laloajuria4678]

youre not.

[@mindlessmrawesome]

​@@SeanBaker-rr4or Do some more research, bud. They gave back the money to investors after the company went under. They sold the company and all its intellectual property to a Chinese firm, and they were the ones responsible for the destruction of the destruction of the bodies. The original co-founders who are now co-CEOs of the new Aptera company actually left before the Orginal Company had gone under due to shareholders wanting to go with a 4-wheel design. When you look under the hood at the fine details, you realize that while the company and product itself have had flaws, the Co-ceos Chris and Steve have always been on top of things. It's a tough market right now, so we'll see if they're able to bring their rebirth to market, but it's looking good so far.

[@artsmith103]

Poor kid....

[@GNiessen]

I am an early investor and reservation holder and look forward to driving mine next year. It was great to see all the BinC parts laid out like that. The one massive part is impressive.

[@chriseidam7319]

If you think this thing is coming to market next year, I admire your bliss. I ordered mine over three years ago. I was 7,000th in line. When I went to check on my order this year, they had pushed me back to 22,000. It's a nice dream, but you have got to wonder how much more CO2 is entering the atmosphere as Aptera reservationists hold off buying electric cars because their Aptera is coming next year... no, the year after... no, no, make five years from now. I would have already bought a new electric car a couple of years ago.

[@only1muppet]

When I see what it’s made of, my first thought is how can it be repaired after even a minor accident? I think they’ll get totaled far too often for insurance companies to want to insure them.

[@lasskinn474]

@@chriseidam7319 yeah they've sold eaerly bird sort of and then early-early birds and then investor-early-early birds. every year it's next year and somehow the delays are always 'good'. remember when it was already in production?

[@chriseidam7319]

@@lasskinn474 Do I remember? No. But based on their history of false timelines, it makes sense.

[@chriseidam7319]

@@only1muppet Clearly, I am disgruntled about the whole thing after waiting so many years for my car. However, I have good news on the repair. If I remember correctly, an entire body with all panels is somewhere around $6,000. But even better than that, you can do the work in your driveway. Allegedly, this vehicle was designed so you can take it apart in your driveway in about 4 hours. You'll need to have mechanical skills and the right tools, but even if you don't, you're not going to pay too much money in labor for that to be done. Also, the body panels are much more likely to absorb a hit and not be damaged than with aluminum or steel. So replacing body parts doesn't worry me, with the exception that if the company goes out of business you have to rely on CPC picking up the slack.

[@niklaswejedal463]

Yes, I would buy the Aptera once it is ready for the EU market - in fact, it is the only new car I would want - nothing comes close to this level of awesomeness. Have been a massive fan since 2008.

[@nautilus7098]

Same for me.

[@lewismcnicholas2631]

Very cool but can’t see it working in Europe given how wide it is at over 2.2 metres

[@drunkenhobo8020]

You've been a fan since 2008. Shouldn't that tell you something? 2008 is when Tesla released their first car. They now have over 5,000,000 total car sales. Meanwhile, Aptera still have 0.

[@billybollockhead5628]

@@drunkenhobo8020 : It's okay.. I'm sure he hasnt hurt Elmo's feelings..

[@ccibinel]

@@lewismcnicholas2631 I think in europe they need to class as something else to be allowed more width. From an engineering perspective cutting 4 inches per side wont be easy (new molds) so I suspect they will try to get classed as M5 or some other designation that allows for the current design.

[@JustWasted3HoursHere]

The 40 miles of solar charging per day is actually a big deal, especially for people who do not have easy access to other charging methods. Even if they need to drive more than 40 miles on occasion it just means that they'll need to plug in somewhere every once in a while. And since MOST people drive less than 40 miles per day this will meet the needs of the vast majority of people.

[@Tsnafu]

If you live in a desert in the tropics maybe. You'll be lucky to make enough solar to run the air-con where I live

[@maxtorque2277]

have you worked out the payback time? 40 mile of solar per day for aptera is way less than 10kWh of energy, which costs me £0.60 (uk stirling, approx 75 cents US) assuming i buy it from a comercial source, or about £0.20 (26 cents) if it comes off my domestic roof top solar system.

[@GoClimbARockEh]

​@@maxtorque2277sure, it's not the cheapest electricity, but the convenience of constant trickle charging is game changing. There's really no good place for me to install a car charger at my house, but with the Aptera, I won't need to

[@joshuasmith7369]

I live in the southern region of Texas, solar year round is not a problem.

[@Boris_Chang]

Being retired, I still have need for a car, but I don’t drive anywhere near as much as I used to. My old Prius hybrid sits in the garage sometimes for days at a time. Knowing I can just leave it parked outside my garage and possibly never have to concern myself with refueling/charging, unless I go on a trip. I love this idea.

[@fredquimby5409]

This could become a bi-annual event, Fully Charged produce a video telling us that Aptera are a year away from production.

[@MickMcGuire]

And Toyota is 2 years away from solid state batteries 😂

[@DavidKnowles0]

@@MickMcGuire everyone is always two years from solid state batteries.

[@KyBrancaccio]

This is looking like it will come on line along with Fusion. Nice!

[@PorthLlwyd]

And we're only 10years away from widespread cold fusion energy use

[@flymypg]

All time estimates from startups contain an asterisk: * "Assuming needed funding arrives tomorrow." Aptera has no way to FORCE investments to arrive while they are pre-revenue!

[@bmobert]

Yes. I would buy this car. I want to buy this car. At 50 years old, I would make this the first new car I've ever owned.

[@Radium3D]

I would buy an aptera. I love the idea of having such a fast charging vehicle. The ultra efficiency makes a huge difference on the miles per hour that a slower charge rate gives. Most people haven't realized that yet it seems. At 50kW this thing will put on a ton of miles per into the battery.

[@JustWasted3HoursHere]

Getting rid of the hub motors was a good move. An internally mounted electric motor would be isolated from the elements and road shock via shocks and suspension, whereas the hub motors being mounted inside the actual wheels would only get a bit of protection from shock via the tires. The best thing about Aptera is the company itself. I can think of no other company that has been so open about their development. Not only have they kept everyone in the loop, but they do frequent videos with that information. I really want them to succeed, even though I will have to wait for the next iteration that has seating for more than two passengers.

[@howertingsyaboya3789]

And surely that's the crux of the matter - so many will await the next generation because of its niche appeal, so sales will be disappointing and so it will be considered to be a "fail".

[@ccibinel]

I think the long term plan is EMR4 (rather than EMR3) in the front which is induction and can be shut off (no generator effect from causing back emf). Combine that with a relatively small 20-30 kw peak hub motor for the rear and you can have the rear power cruising at highway speed at slightly higher efficient for a minimal amount of weight gain. IWM tech is unproven and aptera has enough unique aspects so deferring this risk and making it optional makes a ton of sense.

[@pjs31416]

Reduced unsprung weight is also a benefit in terms of handling and ride comfort

[@erwickdsouza]

Reducing unsprung weight makes for a more controllable and smoother car as well.

[@rcpmac]

@@pjs31416 Correct sir. You must be an engineer

[@SirBapkins]

I've had a reservation for about 4 years now. And I've been following the project since its first appearance back in 2008. I'm absolutely getting one!

[@byrnc927]

Me too. Hopefully, they build a car that is a good value.

[@byrnc927]

I wonder if removing the in wheel motors and going to a conventional motor with half shafts doesn't invalidate all their handling tests because of the change in the center of gravity.

[@GullWingInnMoclips]

@@byrnc927 "I wonder if the engineers know what they are doing"

[@kellymoses8566]

@@byrnc927 Wheel motors generally hurt handling because they are heavy.

[@laloajuria4678]

youre not.

[@michaelmay9958]

Pre-ordered and made a small investment 3 years ago. Can’t wait!

[@johnwest7993]

Then you're in trouble.

[@mschmidt62]

@@johnwest7993 Do you mean I'm "in for possible disappointment?" Or are the robocops going to break down my front door and burn my house because I made a deposit and a small investment?

[@wickedcabinboy]

@@mschmidt62 - What was the stock price then?

[@vulpo]

You're going to have to wait - and wait - and wait.

[@mschmidt62]

@@wickedcabinboy Same as it is now.

[@jebediahkerman3946]

Yes, would definitely buy one. Not to "save the planet", but to give me more freedom. A modest solar array in my back yard and this car will never need to be plugged into the grid, and obviously, no more stopping to pay the wild fluctuations at the gas pump. Add a lightweight camping trailer behind with more solar, and I could drive across the country without ever needing to plug in. Infinite range equals freedom!

[@JoseFuentes-fn3dl]

Plus no transmission fluid, no oil, no radiator fluid.

[@_TbT_]

You overestimate how much energy this small solar panel array can produce and severely underestimate how comparably energy intensive moving a car sized vehicle is. Electric cars: yes, they are the future. Solar panels on cars: makes absolutely no sense, rather put more of them stationary and charge from that.

[@jebediahkerman3946]

@@_TbT_ I'm going off Aptera numbers. The car array produces up to 700 watts. They state it can get up to 40 miles of charge per day. Makes absolute sense even at half that range per day.

[@_TbT_]

​@@jebediahkerman3946 I get that the Aptera has an amazing cw value. Still makes no sense. Let's do some math (which is simplified and very favorable for the Aptera): 700W (up to, so mostly less) x 8 hours (in winter) or x 14 hours (in summer) are 5.6 up to 9.8 kWh per day, probably less as the real situation certainly is not as optimal as it would need to be to reach these values. To reach these values, the panels (and therefore the car) would need to be in full sunlight all day, no shadow, no garage, no dirt on the panels, probably no movement. In such a situation, you however have a burning hot car that needs to be cooled down before you can get in without melting. The AC uses about 1-2 kW, so those "solar kWh" are used up very fast even in stand still, just to make the car usable. Those 5-9 kWh cost about 0,85$ up to 1,53$. The panels and added electronics cost however probably several thousand $ and can only be used for the car. Reparing them in a crash will be very expensive as well. Even with a lifetime of several years, those panels will never recoup the cost of themselves and certainly not of the car. Putting solar panels on a house roof (with a lot more kW installed) or in a field and maybe add a stationary battery and do "solar charging" (only unused electricity goes into the car) is the much smarter option. Solar in cars does not make sense. Even with a very efficient vehicle (the Aptera is not a car but a motorcycle).

[@_TbT_]

@@stix2you I did the numbers (look at my other comment). And even with a very efficient car, it does not make sense. Starting with the fact that you normally wouldn't put a car in bright sunlight all day and that you will eat a lot of those solar kWh by just ACing the car down to usable temperatures if you do. And no, my previous calculations were not for some SUV, but for the Sono, where they also did not make sense and probably were one factor of the manufacturer's bankruptcy. Add the fact that you will only get black cars (as those panels are black). And no, a "free gallon" appearing does not make sense, if you consider that you paid several thousand $ for that feature up front. Those panels will never be able to recoup the added cost for the feature in their lifetime. Stationary panels are cheaper and make much more sense. I am absolutely in awe about the aerodynamics and all other features, it is a great engineering feat. If it makes a good car I am very sceptic about. I have used an EV for the last 2,5 years and would never change that, but as we have seen with the BMW i3, expensive low weight carbon chassis are not necessary for EVs being successful and usable because of recuperation. A low cw value certainly helps every car (not just EVs).

[@elertus]

Thanks ALL! WOW the PIs don’t look bad “ In the raw “! Your HD episode adds to the experience of your presentation . I have two reserved…

[@ARepublicIfYouCanKeepIt]

The price for my optioned reservation is $32,000. That gets you 400 miles of range, all possible solar panels (

[@ccibinel]

Prices are not final and are likely ~$5000-7000 higher due to inflation and unforeseen costs. I heard just shipping from europe to the US has tripled in the last year. Obviously everyone wants it as cheap as possible but Aptera doesnt have billions in the bank to take losses for 5-10 years like Rivian.

[@maxtorque2277]

comfortable? have you driven one? all the in car footage i've seen suggests the NVH for this vehicle is terrible by modern passcar standards

[@GoClimbARockEh]

​@@maxtorque2277 people have said the gamma is significantly quieter than the earlier prototypes, but it's still a prototype too. They've said they expect the production version to be much quieter

[@maxtorque2277]

@@GoClimbARockEh i'm sure they expect a lot of things! As omeone who has worked in automotive engineering for 30 years and has been involved in NVH, i can tell you, the work required to get to a "modern" standard of NVH, especially with a lightweight (high unsprung to sprung mass ratio) composite structure is absolutely enourmous. I drive a BMW i3 as my daily, it has a composite tub, and probably about $10million worth of NVH investment and it's still fairly poor in this respect....

[@Thomas-fs5qs]

26 000??? What happened to starting prices around 15K ?

[@hansvantonder3369]

I live in Cape Town South Africa, I would most definitely buy one, I just don't know if I can wait that long to get one 😂. Love the work they do, love the car! I hope that if be able to own one in the near future. Keep up the good work Aptera!

[@glennzajic7318]

I believe your video was better than their own August update. Thank you for that!

[@TwoBitDaVinci]

Mighty kind words, thank you!

[@meikgeik]

Still a vaporware car. They promised me a delivered car by 2019. Here we are five years later and they have tricked thousands of more suckers. It'll never see mass production. They'll sell a couple hundred cars and go bankrupt.

[@ronaldglider]

*_Absolutely!_*

[@Crunch_dGH]

@@TwoBitDaVinci​​⁠If anything, centering the front motor weight should improve steering from less outboard inertial momentum & unsprung weight. Can someone confirm they are going with 48V wiring? Also, LFP or better range holding batteries? I’m liking what’s been shown, but seems my ‘24-end delivery has been pushed out at least a year. Guess I’ll be keeping to my tri-motor Cybertruck delivery schedule, then!

[@RichardBaxter-y6f]

I agree. This video was very watchable

[@jochem1986]

SMC is a cool production technique. It's quick and relatively cheap. It was the production method for the Alfa Romeo 4C. Apparently, it's the same supplier for the Aptera.

[@briancollier5145]

This is one of the most exciting electric cars in development today. I really, really hope they succeed. We need more of these on the road than the SUVs and pickup trucks, electric or otherwise !

[@richpate9436]

WhenI looked into the design of the upcoming Aptera I realized just how important EV efficiency is. As a solar-assist design, the Aptera had to maximize efficiency to make solar practical, with their prototypes getting 10mi/kWh. The up to 40 mi/day solar range will more than cover my 18 mile daily commute. And it can squeeze 400 miles range out of a tiny 41kWh battery pack.

[@cpcnw]

Seat Mii E gets close to 6m / kWh and I believe that was just a 'retro fit EV' - they could of done all this years ago if they had wanted. Now the momentum is there. See Amory Lovins.

[@aronseptianto8142]

this kind of imply outdoor parking tho

[@only1muppet]

You know what else is important? Repairability! With that thing being made of entirely composite materials, it’ll be impossible to fix after even a minor crash. That fact means it’s not very environmentally friendly after all. Don’t get wrong, I really love the look and the ideas behind it. But insurance companies will be totaling them far too frequently for them to want to keep insuring them.

[@meikgeik]

Too bad they'll never ship a car. Look into the history of the company. It's perpetually been "1 year away" for almost a decade now. It's vaporware and people need to stop falling for it.

[@fredeiserman6272]

@@aronseptianto8142 During the day, yup. But at night it is very efficient and can use just regular 110 outlets to get 150miles. Twice that in europe with your 220 outlets. No need to hunt for level 2 chargers. That is actually the game changing part...it's efficiency.

[@GaryJohnWalker1]

I hope Aptera keep getting adequate funding - this is a worthwhile project. Fun, practical, for most of the time ample means of transport for many without the size of an EV SUV.

[@chriseidam7319]

Not likely after the bait and switch fraud they committed against their most devout investors, the Accelerators. Telling people they were going to get a fast all-wheel drive vehicle with hub motors and telling them after they've committed their investment that they're only going to get a slower, front-wheel-drive without hub motors is fraud. Last I checked, wealthy investors are not prone to invest in companies that are known to have defrauded their customer-investors. In other bad news, Aptera is being sued for patent infringement. There isn't a lot of information available. Allegedly, the company purchased the rights for the body design from the wrong party, according to the plaintiff. Whether the suit is legitimate or it's a patent squatter suit, either way, it's not good news for Aptera. I expected something like this would happen. It happened to my dad and it happened to a close friend, both who were inventors. My dad lost everything. My friend won his suit but it cost him a fortune, and it made him embittered. He had started his company and began selling the product 5 years before the plaintiff had even entered the industry, yeah my buddy had to go through an entire trial to defend it. In an honest patent court system, the judge would have thrown out the suit before it went to trial. But the U.S.has a terrible, corrupt patent law system, so he had to deal with it. Now Aptera will have to deal with it.

[@martindempster6515]

I’m pretty sure they’re fully funded now. US Capital offered them the rest of the money they needed. So safety testing, crash testing, finish building factory, and it will be available (in the US)

[@chriseidam7319]

@@martindempster6515 I think you're mistaken. They're trying to raise 60 million. If they had achieved the funding, they would have created a video and announced it. They also would have sent me an email as an investor. But according to my wife, I can be wrong, believe it or not. Do you have information I do not have?

[@harriettanthony7352]

@@chriseidam7319 This writer heard the same; US Capital is on the money hunt from elsewhere. Also US Capital is 'kicking Aptera's arse' and getting them to car shows to TRY to bring in some $.

[@lasskinn474]

@@martindempster6515 they've been "fully funded" like 3 times now. they say that always when they try to get more preorders.

[@jimjolly4560]

I still want one, but I'll have to wait for one narrow enough for European roads.

[@pjs31416]

yep, 2.2m wide compared to s-class or rolls which are

[@spankeyfish]

​@@pjs31416It's literally wider than a Lambo. Pity that Sono Motors abandoned the Sion, that was a solar panelled car shaped like a normal 5 door hatchback.

[@TheZitherish]

@@pjs31416 Ouch. Soon be a unicycle.

[@trevorberridge6079]

@@spankeyfish The Sono Sion was a brilliant concept. I hope it gets revived some day in some form. I've no doubt something similar will appear in the next five years.

[@DuarteMolha]

The front wheels...now that they are devoided of motors should be adjustable. It would be awesome if at highway speeds they would extend to the max width for speed and handling and in narrow roads at lower speeds it would retracts and make the car narrower

[@timmurphy5541]

Too wide to park over here in the UK, plus it's a 2-seater so it's really a luxury fun item for me. I hope they do well because I can see how difficult it must be to start a company and produce a car in such a different way. For me, I think the lightyear was the ideal thing ... and they got into trouble.

[@computerjantje]

There are so many startup electric new cars that fail just before the production starts, that I don't believe it anymore before I see it.

[@b.robinson206]

This is the perfect time for this company to come in and be disruptive. Over 100 miles of range overnight from an ordinary 110 volt outlet, 40 miles of free range in prime sunny conditions, and cheaper insurance rates because of it being classified as an autocycle in most states. Right now, people would love an alternative to EVs that cost upwards of $50k. This might be Aptera's time to sparkle in the sun😉

[@stevenbarrett7648]

Cracking idea !. Of course you could buy an EV for a fraction of the price but your government being owned by the automotive industry unions has blocked these sub $20k cars from entering your market, pity its always bad when legislation is used to stop innovation from arriving and guess what, China will now implement a similar set of laws to stop US and European Companies from selling stuff over there, whats good for the goose ........

[@robertkribs9513]

I am not so sure that just because it is classified as an autocycle the result will be cheaper insurance rates in the final analysis. With respect to collision insurance it will all depend on the cost of repair. In my "no fault" state (NY), insurance for motorcycles does not cover the cost of medical bills and lost wage reimbursement for occupants of the motorcycle. Such coverage is mandatory for occupants of a motor vehicle. This is one of the key reasons that motorcycle coverage is cheaper in NY. Many private health insurance plans exclude medical bills incurred in an auto accident so this dilemma will have to be worked out. I bet that in NY the vehicle will be considered a passenger auto.

[@trevorberridge6079]

It should be noted that America could have sub $25k EVs on the road if it's policies were more forward thinking. And that wouldn't even require the import of Chinese cars. They could have been setting that up domestically a while ago if certain people who have changed their minds after a big bribe hadn't put a wrench in the works.

[@BeerStein]

But the cheapest EV is already about $30k (Nissan Leaf). The cost of an Aptera is higher than that, and insurance will be higher than a car because it's so expensive and will have no safety rating.

[@stevenbarrett7648]

@BeerStein here on the UK it's £15000 for the cheapest EV made by Dacia.

[@rob1984]

Best car ever! Makes most sense. Cannot wait to get mine.

[@niradgupta4075]

The entire Chinese auto industry developed and took over the world in the time since Aptera started.

[@dictyonom]

Try to think positive

[@Padygy]

Tell think about the scale. Aptera is one building, one team. A small crew. China has had companies, billions of dollars. Much of which was government endorsed. This one team alone has out engineered all of china in terms of efficiency.

[@drunkenhobo8020]

@@niradgupta4075 It's only two years younger than Tesla too.

[@Secretlyanothername]

​@@dictyonomthat is positive 😊

[@DemaGeek]

Fantastic and detailed Aptera update, well done!!

[@pjdcntv]

Yes I would buy! Great for the DC area. Clean electricity way better than dirty IC vehicles.

[@wyattnoise]

Seeing the PI's coming along is cool.

[@berthogendoorn2133]

It is looking great, certainly buy-worthy!

[@Kirmo13]

and just like two years ago, production is just behind the corner! hurray. Can't wait for the update in two more years

[@Flawtistic]

Because it's a ponzi. They could've put a traditional motorcycle engine in it and sold those under a different model name , but they've never been interested in actually manufacturing. The Polaris Slingshot has been selling since 2014, it's basically a lowered convertible Aptera. These are all pump & dump hopium videos 👎

[@geoffschulz]

I will be purchasing an Aptera as soon as they become available!

[@castle1925]

I’ve watched all the official Aptera videos but this one is by far the most informative and straightforward. Thank you!

[@millamulisha]

Coolest EV which actually makes sense imo ❤

[@ashtaroth1975]

I have one reserved and hope it will not take to long to have it here in Spain

[@mchlbk]

@@ashtaroth1975 I think you'll be disappointed. The Aptera is far too wide to be practical in Spain. And that's if it's even allowed in the EU. They'll have to make some major safety improvements for that to happen.

[@iggi1972]

@@mchlbkMmh, don't think there be unsurmountable obstacles. My trailer is 2.5 m = 98 inches wide, much wider than Aptera, just like all the large trucks in Europe. As long as you don't plan on sightseeing drives through some medieval city centers, you should be all right in Spain. Plus, we have special, less demanding safety regulations for autocycles in Europe, too, and given the European dedication to net zero etc. it would be madness not to approve Aptera here.

[@johanwejedaldesign]

absolutely beautiful on all levels.

[@mchlbk]

@@johanwejedaldesign But it'll look a little weird with a standard-sized license plate.

[@johanwejedaldesign]

@@mchlbk yeah, I agree.

[@L0000NEY]

i wish it were "one of the most efficient vehicles money can buy" but i've been on the wait list with promises of production for years and it feels like they keep pushing back :( so money cannot buy it yet.

[@evolv.e]

Pre ordered two Launch Edition Aptera. Can’t wait!! ☀️⚡️

[@yoavdude111]

If it was available I would 100% get it

[@artboymoy]

Do you have$50K? You can help by investing in the USCapital funding round...

[@stephensullivan1011]

Coming in 6 months...

[@brightworksdetailing9746]

Let's hope it will be soon. You can reserve a spot in line if you'd like. We will see when it comes time to buy how many of the reservation holders turn into buyers.

[@artboymoy]

@@brightworksdetailing9746 I think we're going to see a pretty high retention rate if the PI builds prove themselves or are close to projected range and power generation. The price point is low enough to make it much easier to pull the trigger and once they hit the road, I feel that so many more people will be interested in it and will place a reservation.

[@IAmJamesTheFirst]

My reservation number is around 12,000. I can't wait for my Aptera.

[@chriseidam7319]

Originally, mine was around 7,000. I looked it up recently to change the color with the hope of getting it delivered sooner, and they had pushed me all the way back to 22,000. I've already been waiting over 3 years for this car. Looks like they wanted delivered to me in another five. I don't even know if I'll still be alive then. I'm 60 now and I have a history of skin cancer. Aptera's been doing this for so long they've literally had reservationists die waiting for their cars. Will I be another one? No. I put an order on a Rivian R2. First one to make a car for me gets my money.

[@meikgeik]

@@chriseidam7319 You'll never see it. I reserved back in 2016 and they promised me a car by 2019. You got scammed, bro.

[@Gunter_Custom]

I'm afraid you will be waiting quite a few years still . 😂😂😂

[@chriseidam7319]

@@Gunter_Custom That's presuming I'll wait for Aptera. I just saw that the handsome, well-equipped Chevy Blazer EV is being sold for 30-to-38% discounts!!! I've seen them at $55,000 MSRP and the dealers are selling them for $35,000-to-$40,000 That is a difficult deal to turn down. We got her Bolt for only $27,900 when it was retailing for about $41,600. I thought I'd never see a new car discounted that much from a brand still in business and that it was the deal of a lifetime. It blows my mind that I could be getting two of those deals within a 4-year period. If I have a big third quarter at work I think I'm going to buy that, give it to my wife, and take her Bolt. If Aptera ever builds my car, I'll take a look at the situation then. At best, and at #22,000 in line, I can't see a Aptera delivery happening for another three years, if ever. But I don't want to wait anymore to get my own EV. I'd never planned to wait this long. I was very confident I was going to get my Aptera by the end of 2022. I've been waiting for a long time, long to buy an EV for myself before Aptera revived. I would not be surprised to see Aptera lose a third of their reservation customers because people gave up waiting and bought other EVs. Time will tell.

[@dr.jerrywolfe1289]

I’m in the first 50-60👍🌞

[@DrTeeHenry]

Great update! As an Aptera sponge (yes, fanboy), I can't get enough. Yes, the delays are frustrating, but as long as they continue to show progress, I am still optimistic. Patience is a virtue (especially when it comes to capital-intensive start-ups). When was this video recorded?

[@wingsounds13]

I'm with you on all things Aptera. Progress may be slow, but it is steady. Patience is a virtue and if they can secure funding will eventually reward us with our own Aptera to drive.

[@brightworksdetailing9746]

I agree, I've seen them make continued progress and have been to good to provide updates during the process. I'm excited they are this far.

[@stephendempsey5602]

I would love one! I'm 76 years old. The agility and low running cost really appeal to me. What a dramatic contrast between my first car-an old rusty German Opal record-and the super new Aptera! Yes, please!

[@91kitt]

I have a launch edition ordered ever since they announced it. It's been a long wait but hopefully by next year I'll be able to take delivery of my Aptera

[@rebeccadubois8270]

Cant wait for my pre order! Selling my ram 1500 when its ready!

[@EsqMax]

Amazingly, with the rear hatch open, it really is like a tiny pickup. It will be really interesting to see whether or not you can transport a dishwasher or something like that in the back.

[@vic321344]

Darwin award? Selling an F250 for a motorcycle that is a deathtrap in case of an accident?

[@vic321344]

@@EsqMax Anything more than paper towels you put on the hat rack of the Aptera will transform it to a guillotine in case of heavy braking.

[@EsqMax]

What is that even based on? It has regen braking + regular braking. Pretty sure it would handle local roads fine with an 80 pound dishwasher tied down. Darwin Award only if someone takes it on the highway like that.

[@Carl_in_AZ]

🔌🔌Being among the top 300 for LE reservations, I look forward to driving one around Scottsdale next year.🔌🔌

[@kellymoses8566]

In a world where a 10,000 electric hummer that is LESS efficient than the ICE version exists I adore this effort to create a hyper-efficient road-legal vehicle.

[@ApteraOwnersClub]

This is the way.

[@EsqMax]

Can’t wait for your on-site video

[@luisvelasco316]

Glad to see your comment, Steve. Look forward to you doing a similar episode.

[@smoothsilk47]

I’m not hugely into cars but this one has really excited me, it’s so practical & efficient! I so hope it takes off for the company they deserve success! I used to have a 3 wheel Trojan bubble car, 3 wheels were no problem I loved it!

[@timlions1820]

I wanted one but was concerned that a simple curb hit could destroy the hub motor. I'm glad they switched it to an inboard motor. I'll be getting one for sure now.

[@niceracleous9999]

This car has been about a year away for the last five years!

[@GZnarg]

Np. it hasn't. Aptera didn't start serious development or start taking reservations until Q4 2020. COVID and supply chain problems showed down development. Aptera predicted production about mid 2023, but radical changes have occurred. Since their reservations are now greater than 40,000 (rather than their initial estimate of about 200 for the initial run), the original carbon fiber sandwich bodies were totally redesigned into forged carbon fiber from a hand laid up process, cutting the individual part time down to 8 minutes from days. Recently, the hub motors are replaced with a central integrated drive system eliminating much unsprung weight and dramatically simplifying the wiring, controller, and inverter complexity. All of these evolving changes produce a car well worth waiting for, a car with a more rigid carbon fiber body, higher passenger safety and improved reliability.

[@SilverShadow2LWB]

@@GZnarg I can remember when the first production sales was supposed to be in November of 2020 for the cost of low $20k. This more up to date version has a lot of wasted money dumped into it and is no where similar to the initial vehicle. The initial motorcycle was to have whole body cooling channels inside the fiberglass body panels, torque vectoring on the front wheels, all wheel drive, and voluntary safety crash testing. I always questioned the initial hub motor design on such a light weight vehicle, and like Elio, thought that having a proven off the shelf drive train and electrical components a better initial design. Sure many changes are improvements to the design and manufacturing of the vehicle, but at a cost which may double the price. As each day drags onto getting a motorcycle finally ready for sale, other vehicle manufacturers are coming out with their own manufacturing technology, such as bringing down dramatically the cost of making a safe car meeting federal car safety standards. It worries me that Aptera has had no major investors from big vehicle manufacturers who have already looked at the production plan of Aptera. Service, maintenance and parts will be the biggest hurdle that Aptera will need to overcome. Sure EV's shouldn't require as much service and maintenance as an ICE vehicle, but even Tesla has service and body shops which are always full. Luckily they are distributed all over the country.

[@whyallthefuss201]

Aptera has been in the Development stage since 2008. It's been so long since its inception that the Aptera has evolved from a rear-wheel drive gas engine 3-wheeler to now a front-wheel driven electric vehicle. By the time they start the production, the Aptera maybe a flying car!

[@GZnarg]

@@SilverShadow2LWB You are confused. Their first sales (new Aptera) began Q4, 2020. I have an early December, 2020 reservation (and a consideration as I am an original TYP-1 reservation # 31). It was never $20,000. My reservation was originally for a 1000mi version, later changed to 400 miles. The first estimated pricing had the 250 mile at about $25,000, with the 400 mile at about $35,000. It was never a motorcycle, but an autocycle only because the US vehicular designations listed all cars with less than four wheels as motorcycle. That was changed years ago due to lobbying by Elio to eliminate helmet and MC licensing requirements for what was, essentially, a car. The amount spent was not excessive. The original model never had cooling flowing through the interior, rather used the belly pan as a gigantic radiator with coolant from the battery and motor flowing through microchannels. It still uses the same system and integrates a heat pump that can also use that heat use the heat sink to cool the interior. The hub motors were a great idea, except the manufacturer could not produce the specified product in the quantities desired to match the start of production. The unsprung weight of the hub motors was only slightly more than the upright/brake/hub weight of a standard configuration. IT had the advantage of no driveshaft, differential or motor weight. The new configuration is heavier (Aptera now quoting the weight as 2000 rather than 1800 lbs.) and has less horsepower, but all of the controller, torque control, inverter and other functions are integrated as well as the elimination of the unsprung weight of the heavy wiring to the previous hub configuration. Additionally, the control arms are now more aerodynamic without the heavy wiring laying on them. Aptera has a reasonable margin of perhaps, 40%. It is not going to double in price as that would kill the car. I expect my initial estimated price of $35,000 for a 400 mile version to land between that and $40,000 (plus the usual tax, title, transportation), quite acceptable. The Aptera has little maintenance. As it has regenerative braking, it will probably not require brake pads/rotors for 100,000 miles. I rarely use the brakes in my Polestar as the regenerative braking provides all the braking I need, essentially I drive only with the accelerator pedal. Windshield wipers will be the main maintenance item. Aptera relies upon the user to determine of service is required, will send parts if the problem is user fixable, or will have designated service companies. The same motor is used in millions of cars with almost no service required as electric propulsion system have few if any failures and no service intervals as opposed to fueled engines. You keep referring to Aptera as a motorcycle. It is no more a motorcycle than any other small sporty car. It does not seat its passenger over the mechanism, rather inside it. It is fully weather proof. It's interior is a car, quiet with HVAC, stereo, complete electronics, hatchback luggage space, etc. It handles and steers like a car. It has crash protection like a car It has everything like a standard car except one less wheel. It doesn't need two wheels in back and benefits from reduced rolling and air resistance. Add two wheels to the swingarm at the rear and you have four wheels. It would make no difference, except reduce its performance. If you were seated blindfolded into it and then drove it, you would never know it wasn't a car. Because the US regulations are obsolete and would require a great amount of work to revise, the autocycle designations was created to differentiate automobiles with less than four wheels from motorcycles. Motorcycles, because they have no protection to their driver and are very susceptible to road surface conditions, have a death rate of 33 time that of cars per passenger mile. The Aptera has no functional characteristics similar to a motorcycle. The added benefit to the Aptera is that the autocycle registration benefits from motorcycle insurance costs, MAYBY. Insurance companies rate vehicles on risk exposure. Motorcycles are fair weather transportation and drive significantly fewer miles/year than the average car, thus they have less exposure, thus decreased policy cost. The Aptera is a car, regardless of its registration. It is an all weather car. The insurance companies might see it's exposure to be car like and its dimensions are car sized. It's insurance rate, especially after a year or two of claims might be similar to any other car.

[@anthonydyer3939]

I'd be very happy to try one of these, maybe even own one. But I do have a couple of concerns: - The outboard wheels are right in the blind spot for cars parked next to you. I can easily imagine some expensive crunches caused by other drivers not seeing them as they swing out of their parking bays. A couple of retractable flags might help with visibility when parked. - Winter testing, in particular rain/freeze cycles do cause issues with opening doors on my model 3. I'd love to see how well this holds up in winter (rain by day, freeze by night, wet snow on unplowed roads etc....). - I noticed no indicator stalks. Please put them in, I have hesitations getting a new highland model 3 because they don't have them. (In the UK, we have these things called 'roundabouts' where you need to operate the indicators while your steering wheel is at that the +-130degree position).

[@deanmcmanis9398]

Thanks for taking the time to revisit Aptera and show the updates as they move towards production next year. I got in their Accelerator program, so I should have mine around this time next year. It is very exciting to see the progress. I am looking forward to seeing reviews of the handful of Production Intent models being built now, as well as the results of real world Aptera PI testing.

[@jason0hawke]

I can’t wait to buy one! The idea of never needing to power my vehicle and instead running off of the sun is awesome! I’m surprised you didn’t talk more about this. I’m a reservation holder and hope they make it to full production. This is a big game changer for our planet.

[@oshima6451]

Yeah, wright. The sun again

[@the_lost_navigator7266]

An interesting idea but france have got it right - cover car parks in solar panels instead.

[@northernsouler]

Why not both? Doesn't have to be either/or.

[@the_lost_navigator7266]

@@northernsouler depends where you live and work, I park in the shade a lot so no use to me. I would rather have a simpler and cheaper car instead.

[@paulcooper8818]

I'll be impressed when customers are actually driving these things

[@shrimptopian3392]

20 years but still no customers with a car

[@fotoguru222]

@@shrimptopian3392 🤔Nope. They have been working on this model for just 5 years now. If this was Tesla, you wouldn't even see their protoytpe after 5 years.🤨

[@UnboxingAlyss]

@@shrimptopian3392 They are two different companies. This one came up on 2019.

[@shrimptopian3392]

Yes it's always someone's elses fault, it's never Aptera 😂 They started their first website in 2002, so 22 years and still not much, and never the fault of Chris and Steve 😂😂😂😂 sure

[@fotoguru222]

@@shrimptopian3392🧐Are you dyslexic? The first Aptera Motors wasn’t founded until 2005. The founders lost control of that company in 2009 to the VCs who wanted to make a 4 wheeler. The new CEO then ran it into the ground in 2011. The founders, after successfully starting other companies, reacquired Aptera’s IP in 2019, starting a new company with a new solar EV Aptera redesigned from the ground up.

[@thndr_5468]

Absolutely the coolest EV on the horizon

Good episode, and all the best wishes for Aptera, we root for them

[@NyourfaceProductions01]

I have been witing... and waiting. Such a cool car. You won't be able to make them fast enough. I'm glad they are still going ahead. This really shows how much work really goes into the developement. Anyone that has worked in production knows changes are not cheap or easy, but the changes all make sense. Keep going so I can buy one as soon as possible.

[@zaum2002]

I'm an Aptera reservation holder for a few years and watching the design since 2007. I'm getting tired of waiting.

[@SteveDillers]

vaporware. It will never go to production... the same as any other 3 wheel car that came before. They all disappear.

[@skipondowntheroad5833]

@@SteveDillers There are other 3 wheel cars that were produced. Some of the companies that made them are still in business. WTF are you on about?

[@rich4860]

​​@@SteveDillers--- yeah, like the 3wheel SLINGSHOT & CANAM--- TO bad they never made it-- NOT!!!😂 Especially the SLINGSHOT!!!😂

[@TimB-]

It'll stay in design. Do you know what a company does when they are just outside production... not make significant design changes to their product. This has happened repeatedly with Aptera, both the bankrupt iteration and the current 'looking for final funding so we can move to production' version (next year we swear, just need $60M to go to production, and ignore the $33M we raised for 'production' in February 2024). They never did deliver on the 100 mpg gas version (which had the same body style and production issues, but they just changed this year to the forged carbon process, over 19 years after the initial design).

[@harriettanthony7352]

@@SteveDillers Hey OP there is a production 03 wheel EV now for sale in Europe. It has the nose front door like the Messerschmidt gas car of the late '50s and the 'other one' the name is now forgotten

[@kenypetit-frere7016]

i can't wait for production

[@MatrixGamer1988]

My order was around 27,000. I know it will still be a few years till I get it but I'm beginning to believe it will happen. I hope it will be the last car I buy.

[@laloajuria4678]

you wont

[@Fairburne69]

Remember not all 27000 people will get one. You could end up being in the top 7000 if they retain a high 25% reservation holder to actual buyer.

[@wingsounds13]

A reservation conversion rate of 25% would be really good. My gut says that of the first 20,000 or so reservations the conversion rate may be as high as 30%. If it's higher than that it would be phenomenal and probably one of the highest conversion rates on record.

[@avidian888]

Beautiful! I'm glad they never gave up and evolved their production process to be able to produce as many vehicles as possible! Really rooting for these guys and will eventually get one of these when i retire and just need a small car for short range.

[@Errr717]

Considering their corporate office and factory is 7 miles north of where I live I would be proud to drive a locally produced vehicle. I’ve been watching Aptera for several years cause they have an interesting technology and I want them to succeed.

[@KTPurdy]

awesome walkthrough

[@hankthetank185]

I would love one of these!

[@Tisho_trt]

0:15 "money can buy" is not exactly correct.

[@toyotaprius79]

Over a 2 year's waiting list 😕

[@RyanCook84]

Yeah. Money can not buy this.

[@steveshaffer627]

I remember reading about this when it first came out. I would love to drive one of these around the US! It’s so cool that it keeps getting more improvements. I’m so pleased that it’s still in the works and can’t wait to get one! It will be epic!

[@kevroll99]

2 Bit Da Vinci Cool to see you team up with fully charged. Launch Edition Reservation holder of the Aptera, revolutionary vehicle. Love it!

[@soundworks52]

Renault Twingo MK4 seems to be more like the future. 5 door 3.6 metre hatchback which Luca De Meo will sell for under €20k or lease for around €100 per month. Renault's mobilize division with the Duo also seems to be a more realistic transport solution...that will be a shared mobility solution.

[@soundworks52]

@@stix2you Humbly disagree...50k to 70k units per year and carbon fibre looks reasonable. over 200k units per year and there is nothing that beats stamped steel and aluminium with careful use of composites where appropriate in certain non-structural locations. hot stamping and new metals alloys.

[@mrnadra6843]

would love this thing but it perpetually feels 5 years away :(

[@fxfx7827]

could have already had it if you let the chinese make it

[@b.robinson206]

@@fxfx7827 Months away now, it would appear. Going with the new motor setup makes it a superior car, so it's good it has had delays. And thank goodness they didn't do a Fisker and rush into production haphazardly with a extremely buggy product.

[@spankeyfish]

At least it's not fusion powered, then it'd be 40yrs away.

[@dictyonom]

@@fxfx7827 Seriusly?

[@chriseidam7319]

I invested and I put in a reservation. That was over 3 years ago. I gave up on this company in May after watching that disastrous investor video they put out. It was lots of bad news in it, if you looked carefully. I have zero confidence that Aptera is going to win a big investor for their hundred million dollar goal. I don't even think they'll get another million dollar investor at this point. Doesn't look good. As I posted several times here already, what they did to the Accelerators was unconscionable and a downright bait-n-switch fraud. I just can't see a big investor touching this company with a 10-ft pool after that farce.

[@DangerousDac]

I would love to believe the hype, but the dates for shipping keep on slippin'.

[@DemaGeek]

But the timeline doesn't change for no reason, there are always solid, real-world reasons for the changes. Take the time to go back and look. Timeline changes don't make it hype, they are common in all start-ups as everything comes together for the first time and all supplier relationships are brand new.

[@PeaceChanel]

Thank You for All that you are doing for our Planet Earth.... Peace.. Shalom.. Salam.. Namaste .. 🙏🏻 😊 ✌ ☮ ❤ 🕊

[@brightworksdetailing9746]

They keep moving forward to getting this car on the road. It was great to see a car in person recently! 😀 See you out there🎉

[@Russwig]

Yes, yes, YES!!!

[@rp9674]

I used to say just get it on the road with highly qualified beta tester customers and let it sell itself, but then Fisker happend, so I'm not so sure

[@harriettanthony7352]

The LAST thing Aptera needs is a 'beta tester EV. That is a major reason for the Fisker failure, and Arche motor{sic}

[@lonnieschreiner5879]

I would love to have one but being 81 they better hurry. It is just a beautiful machine.

[@andymccabe6712]

Yeah .....no chance......!!!! ..... although, people ARE living longer......

[@harriettanthony7352]

Hey Ho! OP! This writer understands the Concern, tho he is a few years behind you. In both our cases, we peer in anxious concern, every morning, out the front window. We know its a good day when the Soylent Green truck is NOT in the driveway!

[@LouisBurkhardt]

I run a web log called Person vs. Automobile because of obvious reasons from the pedestrian/bicyclist view point. But I've reserved a place in the Aptera reservation queue and made a modest monetary investment in the company-all because the Aptera, when realized, will address so many of the problems of conventional automobiles including, I think, pollution, noise pollution, safety, and maintenance costs. It's the only car that excites me.

[@unclegeorge7845]

Nice overview. As a fan I usually pick up my Aptera information from Aptera Owner's Club but it's nice to get some reinforcement every once in a while.

[@TheAnon26]

I used to be excited for these. That was about 2, 3 years ago. They kept on repeating their BS about starting production really soon. It was always just a few months off. And the deadline kept being pushed. A new design. New suppliers. Etc. At this point, Ill believe theyll make it to market when I see one on the road.

[@ronaldglider]

They have done enough prototyping now to get the EV right and to market - also, they have the production under control - *however,* what _fully charged_ forgot to mention is that the financing to start production has not been secured... When Aptera announces that financing has been secured, the first 10k will be produced.

[@timour567]

I am a Aptera reservation holder as well, I truly believe in this Vehicle It is great to have a car company that want to develop something that not just to make Money but has a social conscience. I believe that Aptera will be a world leader in Solar electric Vehicles. Once the cars are on the road, I can see other manufacture's following their lead.

[@tomduke1297]

this is the only car i would consider buying outright, its pretty much my dreamcar, like literally, i had a dream like 20 years ago driving through a forest in an amazing, quiet, streamlined/futuristic car, if i didnt know better, i would say these guys had that same dream, its uncanny how close aptera is to that car. alas, i have zero need for a car, the 1-3 times a year i need a car, i borrow one from a local carsharing app.

[@kenpotter9320]

I am a reservation holder, have been for several years, and to quote Tom Petty, the waiting is the hardest part. I'm a huge fan of the concepts and the reality of this phenomenal vehicle, and I believe it will truly change the world.

[@flymypg]

Nicely done, Ricky! Love the camera and audio work too. Congrats to the team. Aptera has what they need to build at least the first 4-8 hand-built Production Intent (PI) Launch Edition (LE) test vehicles. Aptera is in the process of working with US Capital Global (USCG) to raise $60M to construct the additional PI vehicles needed for crash and durability testing (and public and press demos!), and to build-out the prototype factory in Carlsbad, plus start initial low-rate production, which will not only serve to debug the prototype production system but will also get the first vehicles into customer hands. If all goes well, the USCG raise could conclude this year, though I expect it will continue so long as investor demand exists. After that comes production ramp-up, where the existence of even a small amount of initial revenue from sales will make fundraising easier, particularly if Aptera is able to use affordable debt, such as in combination with possible Federal loan guarantees. Once "enough" vehicles are on the road and revenues rise with production, Aptera will quickly execute their IPO to finance construction of their first true mass-production facilities (likely outside of California) which will consist of making many copies of the Carlsbad prototype subassembly and final assembly lines. This is what will enable Aptera to become profitable while keeping prices affordable. Many EV startups, including Rivian and Lucid, still aren't profitable despite having scaled production and having introduced additional models. Essentially, these companies are stuck in quicksand, like Fisker was for so long, needing continued investment (and debt) despite increased production. Aptera hopes to bypass that swamp by making the Carlsbad prototype assembly line itself become profitable (excluding the rest of Aptera, such as R&D and other non-factory staff and expenses), before 10K vehicles have been produced. Like everything else Aptera does, those goals are extremely ambitious and strictly depend on the timing of funds arriving, so expect the schedule, as always, to be "flexible".

[@maxtorque2277]

I hate to say it, but given the niche product (unlike a Tesla or Rivan that are practical and applicable products to a much wider audience) the only way to make this profitable is to charge lots of money for the product..... Nobody else in the industry can make this work, even those that can leverage massive economys of scale and cross platfrom subsystem sharing to reduce dev costs.

[@lasskinn474]

the problem is that how can you trust them? they already said they had everything to go into production in previous years. they've already crowdfunded in various ways. like they were said to already have the factory last year... not the prototype factory but they were going to production last year, except of course they weren't. and every year people invested into it insist this year is different.

[@lchanceiv]

I can't wait to by one !

[@chrisperry3525]

nice idea, but it's vaporware...just about to be produced...redesign. almost ready...motor change...changing materials now...and STILL a year away? I'll believe it when they actually sell units! HOW they're staying 'in business' so far confounds me.

[@chriseidam7319]

Ditto. I don't think aptara started out as a company just to raise funds, live on those funds, and fold when those funds run dry. But the more I see and learn, the more it looks like that the only reason Aptera is holding on is to keep people employed. The executives are paying themselves modest salaries, so I don't think it's a case of greed. They simply have exhausted their ability to raise money, it seems. The way the stock market has been looking the past couple of months, it looks like they missed their opportunity window. I think we're headed for recession. Not because we need to head for a recession. But because people believe we're headed for a recession. Aptera won't survive it, in my opinion.

[@josephgallagher1440]

Love it and already have the LE reserved-let’s go Aptera!

[@budgetaudiophilelife-long5461]

🤗👏👏👏 THX RICKY ,WE LOVE IT AND ALL THE UPDATES 💚💚💚

[@JohnScarrott]

150kW in something that light!! I'll take it 😁😁

[@EsqMax]

It’s very close to the magic 1:10 hp to weight ratio that defines a sports car. Vroom vroom.🏎️

[@ouch9326]

i wonder if thata actually good for efficiency given you speed up more downhills with less torque then coast without power . its probably just the smallest thing they have that is known to be reliable for brand reputations. the in wheel motor electronics would have to be heavier to have separate controller power wheel, the suspension would have to be bulkier to deal with rougher ride due to weight in wheels, so it mayve been goof for efficiency not just sporty handling for momentum aroudn turns instead of regen for effinecy and for less bumpy ride . i iwsh lucid motors helped them

[@jeremytine]

I bet a carbon fiber frame is going to be a nightmare expense to repair in accidents

[@garywozniak7742]

The outer panels are fiberglass, FG-SMC. Repair of FG-SMC is not that difficult.

[@jeremytine]

@@garywozniak7742 did I say the outer panels? I didn't. What I'm saying is I bet this gets totaled lot easier than other cars. You will have to have more detailed inspections for frame cracks as well. Not to mention all the surfaces with solar panels are covered with glass. A hood with low production solar cells and glass will be $$$ to replace. Don't get me wrong I want one if it ever gets past vaporware stage, just trying to temper hype with reality.

[@garywozniak7742]

@@jeremytine I missed that. You are probably right. I'm not sure how tough or possible it is to perform repairs on structural CF-SMC components. I looked up carbon fiber repair online awhile back and in theory the techniques, with the correct repair materials for CF, that are used for fiberglass can be used for CF repair. It seems more likely that an insurance company would total the vehicle if the repair was too costly. However that is true with just about any vehicle these days.

[@jeremytine]

@@garywozniak7742 yes any car too expensive to repair will be totaled, but that happens to some cars alot easier than others which was the point.

[@shaynegadsden]

It won't be repaired it will have stupid insurance costs and if the damage is more than a few bolt on parts it will be a write off

[@JakesOnline]

I was a reservation holder in 2008

[@andymccabe6712]

You might JUST live long enough to get behind the wheel ..... .....but, you'll probably be too geriatric to get in and out of the 'car'......!!!!

[@tambarlas5248]

Me too. I moved to a Tesla Model S when old Aptera folded. And I will retire that Tesla for the new Aptera. Kind of a symmetry.

[@mchlbk]

@@tambarlas5248 That was when Musk was cool. Today he's a weird Trump freak. I won't be buying another Tesla, that freak needs to be defunded asap.

[@wesdiezy]

I'm absolutely buying one. I just hope that by the time my reservation gets filled they'll have the heat pumps and belly pan cooling available.

[@NoWay1969]

I love the idea of this car. Great to see it getting closer to production. Great to see the little details being refined.

[@soundworks52]

That vitesco emr3 is not a very efficient motor. I have one of them in my car. Stellantis have their own motor now made near Metz in France which is about 2kwh per 100km more efficient. I have nothing bad about reliability on the vitesco motor nor have I had any trouble with mine which is a positive.

[@harriettanthony7352]

Hmm! curious, this is the same EV drivesystem that Kia uses in the Niro EV. This writer owns one of these and gets circa 05.??MpKwH in the city, circa 03 or 04 'point something at highway speeds

[@soundworks52]

@@harriettanthony7352 If you don't believe me then download the preisliste for an Opel Corsa and compare efficiency of 136PS and 156PS motors in that car.

[@TheAegisClaw]

If they crash test it as a CAR not a motorcycle, and it does well, I'd consider it. But i strongly suspect they wont, because it cant. Light weight at the expense of safety is not a trade-off i would make.

[@wingsounds13]

They will crash test it and it will do well. The only thing that I am not thrilled with is that there are no side airbags. The shape should at least partially compensate for that.

[@southerncyan4098]

@@wingsounds13 That is concerning, we'll have to see how the tests turn out. Ideally a consumer reports would be nice.

[@TheAegisClaw]

@@wingsounds13 it will do well at SORB, but nothing else is my bet.

[@lasskinn474]

making the shell rigid for impact is simple enough, protecting the occupants is not though, it would need extra airbags to compensate the impact being instant with no crumple zones. it is how it is so that it's not a car in usa though, elsewhere the legislation gets more complicated with big regional differences.

[@wingsounds13]

@@lasskinn474 no crumple zones, really? How did you determine that? Front and rear, plenty of crumple zone. Side impact: the front wheel will take much of the impact and most that miss the front wheel will also hit behind the driver/passenger. Also, there is a steel beam in the door for intrusion protection. The only passenger protection missing in the Aptera that is common in cars today is side airbags. Again, shape may help to offset that.

[@johnknight9150]

If I had the money, yeah. This would get much more attention than something like a Ferrari, but people also wouldn't hate you in it. It comes across as something interesting and intelligent, not a desperate midlife crisis purchase.

[@artboymoy]

Precisely!

[@evflyguy]

Sat in the Gamma at Fully Charged Live in San Diego. I canceled my reservation because my needs changed and honestly was a bit tired of the delays. Hope they make it though.

[@CH-es4up]

I am looking forward to getting my Aptera. The original concept was revolutionary and it just keeps getting better as they learn how to make it.

[@by9917]

I have two reservations, but I do have concerns about the width and parking.

[@ccibinel]

Similar to a large truck but better ability to see since the hood isn't enormous. I can see why this could be less than ideal in europe but in north america trucks like the f150/350 are common

[@SoCalFreelance]

That was a concern I shared many years ago. I can totally picture someone accidently ramming into one of the front wheel pods in a parking lot.