It's always fascinating to listen to Chris answer the nitty-gritty questions that Aptera enthusiasts ruminate over. This is unheard of by most companies. Aptera has CEO's, who happen to be engineers or tech guys, discuss design issues and parameters in real time. And the transparency expressed when they just don't know the answer yet to a question is much appreciated too.
Aptera is crazy efficient not just in their vehicle specs but also in how they're running their company and managing their finances. Kudos for finding a better way to make dreams happen.
This is legit my favorite channel right now. Aptera is the best underdog story, everybody's rooting for them. Do we get a piece of the 22nd century today, or are we all stuck driving our hybrid crossovers? Find me a more fun adventure to follow!
The fact is that I would buy an Aptera just based on who Chris seems to be. He comes across as the most down to earth and straightforward guy I can remember seeing in this capacity in many years. I was involved with the electric automobile association in the Bay Area during the 70s and have never lost my interest in Evies since that point. I am an early buyer in Tesla, and eventually will use some of my stock to buy an Aptera , yeah, but I just can’t imagine selling any stock at this point in time since in three years, it logically should multiply substantially. I wish them all the luck in the world at Aptera. I think they will do amazingly well when they come online.
Love how open Chris is in these videos, totally chilled even though he's clearly working all hours and spends half the day in front of a camera. Great information and transparency.
Again, Steve this is another well done and super relevant (esp. for us Aptera reservationists and investors). For me you asked (and got satisfactory answers for) two big questions: 1) What was cooling system issue that Steve alluded to in the 1st LE announcement as justification of omitting DCFC (making us all question the real viability of the battery cooling system), 2) being able to use the provided NACS plug with both Tesla and non-Tesla DCFC stations. (Thanks!) I have a few questions for Aptera (some of these might be obvious to you who already have an EV. The Aptera will be my 1st EV): 1) In the e-bike world (I'm a DIY'er) a "Direct Drive" e-bike motor will have some inherent rolling resistance (even when no power is applied) due to the permanent magnets' pull on the opposing surface. On an e-bike, this added rolling resistance represents at least 10% loss on rolling efficiency. On a "geared" e-bike motors (or on an EV with a transmission allowing disconnect of motor to wheel) there is no such magnetic drag (the wheel rolls freely as any other bicycle wheel). With Aptera's in-wheel motors, I suspect that the magnetic drag is unavoidable. My question: When Chris mentioned the lower efficiency of the AWD version, how much of that efficiency loss is from this magnet drag? (I'd like to know, since long distance travel is a bigger criteria for me than the benefits of AWD (better snow/off-road traction, neck snapping accel, etc.) 2) Will we be able to set the charge to limit to 80% or 90%? Also, can we set the discharge to 10% or 15% (i.e. not let it discharge to 0%) (This of course is to preserve battery and keep it safe from my own negligence.). Or is this usually already pre-programmed in most EV's including Aptera? Hopefully this user changeable (sometimes we must go past these limits in emergency situations, and/or if a new type of pack (like LFP or Sodium) is used. 3) Will regen braking levels be selectable by the driver? (I predict that I will want more regen in the city stop/go traffic, and I would like little or no regen on an open highway, long distance travel.
@@kalmmonke5037 Take this with a grain of salt (since this comment is from the E-bike perspective, but I think it should still apply with EV's) In the e-bike world, if cell quality is fixed, generally, the more parallel cell rows the pack has, the longer the longevity of the pack. Adding more parallel rows of cells "spreads" the load across those parallel rows (resulting in less stress for all cells(i.e. less heat buildup) during high discharge/charge rates. Heat is a major cause of cell degradation. Example: Since a Lithium Ion cell is nominally 3.6volts, a 36v pack will have 10 cells connected in series ("10s"). If you ran this 10s pack full blast on an ebike until the pack is drained, it will be red hot (if not explode in fire). Also if you tried a "Fast Charge" on this small pack using a 10 (high) amp charger, the pack will also become red hot and possibly explode and burn the house down. But let's say you connected 6 of these 10s packs in parallel (i.e. "10s6p" or 60 cells in total), this 10s6p pack will become only slightly warm under these extreme charge/discharge scenarios. This 10s6p pack will last much much longer than the original 10s1p pack. As to your original question, "whats best battery size is best for longevity", I guess one might say, "the bigger, the better". Of course, how fast one discharges and charges the battery (and how long is this heavy current lasts) is the other factor in heat build up. Battery pack longevity (minimizing battery heat) is also determined by the driver. A lead-footed squid who is impatient with charging (always goes with 150wh-300wh DCFC will destroy his battery pack much sooner than a driver who accelerates moderately and who relies on slower Level 1 or 2 charging or Aptera's solar trickle charge (I suggest the full solar package - at least the rear hatch). The most prominent cause of cell degradation (short life span) are: a) Heat, b) letting the cell drain to (or heaven forbid, beyond) its "empty voltage state" (on 3.6v lithium ion cells, the "empty" voltage is 2.8v to 3.0v), and c) leaving the cell in its fully charged voltage (4.2v for Lithium ion), for long periods. (Most responsible PHEV/BEV makers (such as Toyota) will not let the battery charge past 80-90% and will not let the battery discharge below 20%-15%. This is why Prius battery packs last so long, even when they were still using the old nickel metal hydrate cells.) Cell quality is another big factor in cell longevity. (Cheap cells may only last maybe 300-500 hundred charge/discharge cycles, whereas name brand (Panasonic, Sanyo, etc.) may last a few thousand cycles. With EV's (compared with e-bikes), the difference is just scale. (E-bike pack voltage is 36v-52v (10s4p and 14s4p), but BEV voltage is over 400 volts (e.g. 100s20p). The Aptera's stated voltage is 400 volts (around 96s-100s). Depending on your selected "miles" (250, 400, 600, 1,000 miles), will likely determine how many of these 100s cell groups are replicated in parallel. Again, the 400 mile pack will likely last longer than the 250 mile pack, 600 longer than 400, and so on. But as the vehicle weight goes up, range and efficiency go down. (A lot of us who've ordered the 400 mile pack, plan to minimize instances of high drain/high charge rates - so as to extend the life of the battery. If we have to race, or connect to high amp DCFC, I plan to do so for short periods at a time (so minimize battery heat). Hope this helps
@@a5-30-31cts the more batteries you add, roughly exponentially less effeincy is there because more energy in and out the battery at faster rate. there is a correct size for longveity to idealize, then a small combustion can run optimal combustions per second at low weigth size etc due to not needng to deal with big rpm changes and trans downshift pressures. batteries arnt recyclable and petrol can be used as lng as not tkaing too much at once, so at least is batteries become fuly mass ecycled, then such plugin hybrid will be best balance compact4seater with rear seats facing the rear
@@a5-30-31cts what an amazing answer you've given, thanks. It really deserves a bigger audience. I'm not going to get the launch edition, and if/when I do you get an Aptera (new or used) I would need the rear window as I live in Washington State where it can be quite dark much of the year. I'm not going to adapt to that rear camera alone, I need both. I'm assuming that I would lose about 50% of the total solar charging capacity this way…which really won't matter too much where I'm located. Good to know that 110v/solar is the best way to go to extend battery life.
You have to love these guys. Super efficient vehicle, solar charging, accommodating great demand for fast charging on their launch edition. Most of all for being so transparent, top to bottom in their organization. Wasn't crazy about their focus on the Tesla charge connector but hey, nobody's perfect! Really hope full production comes to fruition (mostly because I want one) but also because Chris and Steve's multi year dedication to the platform should be rewarded.
Thrilled to hear how open Aptera will be with their CANBUS messages. I’m hoping that easily allows third party to add buttons to control whatever we want like the Tesla S3XY buttons.
Steve. Thanks for asking all my questions! And Chris remains unique in his openness. Clearly, some details are undecided or premature or proprietary, but he did answer more than others would.
Great questions Steve. I am astounded by the level of transparency from Chris. It almost makes me feel uneasy but it is a big part of why I am rooting for their success.
Thank you to both Steve and Chris for this interview. Steve I know you're putting a lot of work into this channel and it is appreciated. Chris you're vision for solar mobility and the clear and honest answers you give during an interview is so refreshing. I think we all understand that these are still very early days. Just happy (and very excited ) to see the progress that's being made.
Wow! That was a spectator interview Steve! You really broke it down and hit all the high notes. You asked every question that I wanted to ask and more that I needed to know that didn’t occur to me. I will watch this multiple times. Chris did a better job explaining the thermal management system and battery uptake issue - essentially there wasn’t one at 40 - 60kw. Although, I am still bewildered that they could have equipped it with 40 - 60kw fast charging since they had the plug resolved and the tech in place, but they didn’t simply because they had put it on the back burner prior to the plug resolution and they were only thinking 100kw. That’s a major oversight to not check with their engineers earlier. Being able to charge between 400 - 600 mph vs 57 is kind of important.
Great questions and interview! Chris’s openness is admirable. I hope all works out for Aptera firstly because it’s a great vehicle, but also because of Aptera’s integrity and care for it’s customers. They really are unlike any other car manufacture imo. I look forward to the delivery of mine.
Thanks for all the great questions Steve... and Chris Anthony for the thorough answers! Steve did you really think you could get just a "Yes" or "No" answer from Chris in your rapid-fire questions? 😂 Admittedly, there were a few short answers, though. I do love listening to his embellishments. Chris did say yesterday "This vehicle will get built."
This was an immensely informative and straight forward interview - Really enjoyed it and have a lot of respect for both Steve and Chris. Looking forward to my Aptera next year, no problem to wait.
I'm glad to hear about the cost-effectiveness of changing colors. I think that Luna looks fantastic, but I'd rather have something that doesn't stand out as much. Black or dark grey is what I'm thinking. Also, Chris is looking really happy in this video. That encourages me.
I gotta say, on many topics, I've pretty much stopped asking Aptera directly about much of anything. I instead say, "Steve will certainly be making a video on that soon. I can wait for that."
yeah, as a casual casually interested person who has seen quite a few Aptera videos, it's good to see some harder questions asked, some knowledgeable very specific ones. I encourage him to ask even harder and more specific questions. It's way too easy to be a fan boy, a stan.
Great interview. Love the openness. Even if tesla aborts supercharger access then using ccs is fine. Love the idea that adding buttons or displays to the canbus (even if the main display isn't editable) would be awesome. Ps: a canbus hat for a raspberry pi is $8. Buttons can be wired to gpio
Super good interview. Thank you Steve for the succinct and direct questions. Especially regarding the DCFC and thermal mgmt that I’ve been zeroed in on.
Great info from Chris. One small thing that I found funny is how my 2008 CUV has an outlet, but most or all EVs don't have that available like Chris mentioned
Chris, you and Steve continue to blow us away with your availability and openness! Thank you for choosing the best options possible for your vehicle design, for high-end fabrication, and for how you are setting up your company! It is simply unheard of and so desired, especially in the automotive industry!! Fantastic content and interview Steve, Thank You!!
Thank you very much for that question about 120 volt ac output. To me a V2L capability would be of very high priority and I really hope they include that in the next iteration. It would greatly benefit for Campings, Power Outages, Offsite Works ...... Also it is a great selling point.
If the bms is designed for it the charge plug itself may be the best place to plug in an inverter. This is how others have handled it without complicating the base vehicle.
Great Interview, Steve! It's awesome that Aptera is actively pursuing an open-source architecture. It's a bit frustrating that Chris dodged the real-world aero-drag question. I'm not convinced that omitting an industry-standard feature (side-airbags) is a wise move.
I agree with your assessment. Not as open as most claim. The side-airbag issues, being a safety issue may be resolved through reviewing the safety testing results.
@@yanpingyang9028 I'm concerned that a side-impact would injure the upper-spine, as a result of your head getting thrown onto your shoulder. It would probably be wise to have some sort headrest or airbag to limit the range of motion of the neck.
CANBus / DBC data “dictionary” access means a lot. By contrast, none of the electric motorcycle vendors provide this, and some encrypt it for reasons I find kind of arrogant and definitely misguided. That’s an entire conversation I’ll leave out. I have finally put in a reservation based on this data access, the general right to repair eagerness, and of course efficiency. The charging rate limit of 40-60kW makes total sense for battery longevity.
forget V2G, forget heated/cooled seats, forget ADAS, forget cellular connectivity, forget side airbags... keep it simple, easy and cheap to manufacture. You can add stuff later once their making money and the core manufacturing is worked out. What I've yet to hear is an explanation of the belly pan heating and cooling. That's an engineering innovation that is key to the aerodynamics, and as an Engineer I've heard nothing about how (and if) it works.
Wow, those were some hard line questions and Chris’ calm, open demeanor that didn’t devolve into defensive responses is very telling about the leadership team. I really appreciate this interview! It answered a lot of questions for me. I’m inspired by this company’s mission, vision, and ethos! The hesitation that were developing has abated. I look forward to seeing Apteras show up on the road and see how this vehicle evolves. One question I’m curious about and unsure if it has been answered elsewhere… (naive question, please just explain-no haters) what will prevent someone coming and taking the wheel motors (like when your wheel(s) get stolen off your bike (see! Naive.)
Thanks Steve, that was awesome. By the time I’m writing this, the investor webinar has already happened, and I hope it was more like this format than the awful launch announcement. Entrepreneurs are always better off the cuff than reading from a script (hello Elon!).
As a casual casually-interested person who has seen quite a few Aptera videos now, it's good to see some harder questions asked, some knowledgeable & very specific ones. Thanks. I encourage you to ask even harder and more specific questions. It's way too easy to be a fan boy, a stan.
Great interview, Steve. Thank you so much for making this available. I love that you really drilled the questions about efficiency because that is core to the mission for Aptera. I just wish they could partner with Exro Technologies to make the powertrain even more efficient and simpler. They would be able to eliminate other components and get fast charging and V2L capability while improving the motor efficiency. I'm an investor in both Aptera and Exro.
This was great to watch Steve! You really hit so many big questions that hadn't been fully answered before, or needed follow-up questions to clarify. And as usual Chris was forthcoming and clear about what their plans were, and how everything will be moving forward. I was curious why the motor power seemed a bit lower than Elaphe's M700 motor, which was thought to be the Aptera's motor. We knew that Elaphe was going to build a custom motor for the Aptera that was optimized for maximum efficiency. But I wonder if Aptera made a little trade off in power for each motor in exchange for having the tri-motor configuration as standard for the Launch Edition. For the record, I'm fine with that choice, because I was already going to get the AWD model, and the performance still appears to be exceptional. I was really hoping for production to begin later this year, but I will happily trade that for the idea that production won't be shut down completely by a lack of funding. I'm sure that we will find out more in the investors meeting today. Thanks for getting so many of these important questions answered and clarified with this interview!
As a follow up, in the investor's meeting they mentioned that Elaphe specifically redesigned their wheel motor design to work better for the Aptera. Apparently, the power delivery was engineered to support heavier vehicles (like most EVs today) and Elaphe redesigned the new motor to work with the Aptera's lower loads (lighter weight, aerodynamic) to maximize efficiency.
Honestly, I like this company’s straightforward vision and determination that they can’t fail. I’d even buy one if it only had a shell and a bicycle style drive system.
Chris and Steve are great in interviews because they are engineers who understand the details of what it takes to design and build a vehicle, so their answers are always filled with excellent information. Regarding the UI in the Aptera, has there been any mention of CarPlay and Android Auto support? I haven’t heard or seen anything specific to this.
I am still a bit skeptical about the decision to leave those out. We will all know for sure when they publish the crash test results. Hopefully adding the side impact airbags later won’t be too much of a headache; should they prove needful after all.
Great Interview! Appreciate Chris explanation on everything but mostly "Fast Charging"! I was disappointed at the Webinar but now with a possible 500 miles per hour charge. Im back on "The Wagon"! ;)
If there is any question that AOC is the première channel on all things Aptera and the EV space this interview should dispel that misconception. Doctor Steve was granted an interview with Chris, a CO-CEO of Aptera to answer many questions of interest on behalf of Aptera enthusiasts. Not only did Doctor Steve ask the questions, but pressed for complete, responsive answers. For the most part, Steve pinned Chris down to provide satisfying responses. Chris was fairly open but there were some instances of evasiveness in a few of the responses. Overall the best direct interview of Chris to date and provided at an inflection point in the Aptera schedule. WRT DCFC charging, I believe Aptera was able to respond so quickly because they had a nearly completed solution for a lower (40-60) Kw DCFC charger. The other side of that sword is it will increase the price and weight. A tradeoff most if not all will find acceptable. It also appears that some of the expected Aptera features will not be available in the LE variant. One of which, side air bags, is of concern of many reservationists. Actual, physical testing (Not just engineering simulations) will tell the true story. Chris alluded to the fact that the solution to SafetyPilot was installed on some of the vehicles driven by Aptera staff indicating that it is most likely an off the shelf or nearly off the shelf solution. But, none of the hardware for SafetyPilot will be a part of the LE build.
Kinda bummed that Chris Anthony dodged the real-world efficiency question. Would be nice if he could at least share the *relative* overall losses due to rolling vs. air resistance.
I had this thought while maneuvering around in a crowded shopping mall yesterday in our "park anywhere" Chevy Sonic. I could clearly see some larger SUVs and Pick-ups were having trouble accessing the parking areas especially in the center aisles. I have to ask a simple question. Does the 87" width of the Aptera bother anyone? Most road vehicles have a 72" or less. We are talking most cars and crossovers. The widest vehicles on the road are full size Pick-up trucks and SUVs which have an 82" width. The only exception to that are Dually Pick-ups, which have a rear width of 96". Most other Autocyles like the Slingshot are around 77". Having spent some time behind the wheel of full size pick-up and even a dually in an urban environment, there are some places you just can't access easily or at all. I can see it will fit, but not easily, in my small two car garage next to my Sonic. So does anyone think the Aptera's width going to be a problem? The width clearly aids in stability, but from a maneuverability standpoint, it's 7" wider than a beheamoth 1976 Lincoln Continental.
I have over 400,000 miles of experience riding motorcycles. In California during my commute, I became comfortable lane splitting. On the other hand, I also own a Chevy P30 step van that is wider than an Aptera. Both can be parked in a compact parking space. It tends to be what you get used to.
Another great video!! It also never ceases to amaze me how transparent and candid Chris is with interviews. His customer and public-focused attitude are no doubt why there might be plenty of controversy surounding Aptera, but lack of trust is not part of it! I only had one additional question and maybe this puts me in the minority, but I personally am not a fan of perpetually internet-connected vehicles. Chris mentioned telematics and data collection being critical to the future development and improvement of the Aptera. While I see the importance of this data collection, I'm not sure I'm onboard with that. I also understand a data or internet connection will be needed for OTAs, etc, but I never use in vehicle navigation, etc. So I'm just wondering will there will be a simple way to turn off the telematics/data collection and and an option to manually disable the onboard cellular radio until it's needed for updates, diagnostics, etc?
I'm sure there will be. They are right to repair and will provide schematics. You could easily just remove the cellular radio if it's not able to be disabled in software
@@ApteraOwnersClub Yeah I figured. As a car guy, I'm excited to finally have a car that's produced by a company that doesn't treat its customers as imbeciles unable to use a wrench. And I'm not trying to eliminate the modem completely, simply want some sort of kill switch. But like you said, I imagine with schematics, wiring diagrams and Aptera's right-to-repair attitude, I should have no problem wiring in my own!
I guess there are different point of view on this. My vehicle is just old enough to havecrge first attempts to allow connective of cell phone. Hiwever it USB port doesn't play well with phones. So b I window mount my Android phone and have everything voice enabled. I can speak and say OK Google Take me to a destination. Or take me home and it starts Google maps and speaks driving direction to me. I can ask it to find me gas station. Or a bathroom or a restaurant and it will audibly offer me choices without have to take my eyes off the road. If someone texts me it speaks it to me.
Steve, Excellent! Lots of great questions and many good answers. Chris seems pretty confident about near-term prospect for funding (hoping that's not just PR). I am good with CPC assembly, IF, it is essentially automated/autonomous, if not might as well do it in San Diego? AGREE, that production in: funding+9mo is now funding+12 mo. If the funding can be secured (soonish) I doubt hardly anyone will care if it's plus 12 or even plus 15 months. I am very hopeful. My biggest problem is my wife, just can't get her on-board, Doh! Steve keep up the Good Work !!!
DTLs interview answered many of the same questions as here, but Steve’s interview went into questions that Chad & Sarah’s interview didn’t get into. Great job steve. Chad & Sarah are AWSOME entertaining people
110 charging and getting decent miles/hr is so important for people that don't have normal access to have a level 2 charger if they rent or visiting someone that doesn't have a place to charge.
If you are L1 charging and using an extension cord, please make sure the cord is rated at 20A even if you are connecting it to a 15A circuit. A 100' 15A cord will have a large loss compared to a 20A cord and it is much safer. Yes, a 100' 20A cord will cost much more but it is well worth it. If you have a dedicated 20A circuit and are planning on charging at its max, 16A, make sure you have a 20A cord. Your extension cord should not get hot. it is also best to use the shortest extension that you need. If you only need 25', don't put a 100' cable on it.
@@ddessert6 Good advice! I do exactly what he’s saying charging my Prius prime on 110V, and it works great!! No issues. Yes,, I believe many aren’t getting that the ability to charge 150mi overnight on ordinary 110 using an extension cord is a HUGE HUGE deal! NO other EV can do that. I live in a house but I don’t have room in my garage, but I’ll be able to fully charge my Aptera with the solar and a 110V extension cord . Also I have access to FREE lvl2 charging at my local Mall. So will probably only have to PAY for a charge once in a blue moon! Lol😂
I’m a little disappointed about NOT having Cruise control or Lvl2 assist, and heated seats in Launch edition. But those are first world problems and not a big deal
@@Airman749 If Cruise control is not included, I would be incredibly disappointed. That is a very simple thing to have and the last vehicle that I had that did not have it was a 79 Mustang and it puzzled me why it wasn't include back then but back then they tended not to put cruise control on a stick shift for some reason.
@@ddessert6 I've seen people in NYC dangle an extension cord 3 floors down to charge their Tesla. I guess it was an emergency situation to try to get it to a proper charger but it was nuts seeing that. If I can't get a level 2 charger installed, I'm glad 110 can suffice for daily use
Good questions and answers. Like it! I would like to see the testing for both efficiency and DCFC in the production ready vehicle. 40kw DCFC would be fine if the Aptera is as efficient as expected. Should be easier on the batteries and cooling requirements. Final production build testing will be important to me. I will wait for my 2wd version with the basic 400 mile order and let the testing get done with launch editions out there in the wild. There will be a lot of learning taking place. Funding, anyone got 50-100 million laying around you want to put to work? He just confirmed what the finance officer had said previously that prod builds are all dependent on the funding. So it sounds like we are in a wait and see mode now. If you look at what other companies and startups have spent to try and get to production Aptera looks "frugal" compared to others. I know we are pulling for all of these startups in this David vs goliath fight to get great ideas and products to market. I have been watching the progress of the Canoo guys. They have done amazing work and testing, but they have spend a TON of money and still don't have their production facility setup. They went to a contract manufacturing company to build a limited number of vehicles for a customer and now trying to shift over to their planned production facility, but they are almost out of cash and have burned through the money even after going public with a stock offering. It is a scary and tough time in the financial markets with the Fed using a wrecking ball to try and contain inflation. Hoping for the best, but looks like 2023 and probably 2024 the economy is going to be on rough footing.
Great update and interview. I do wish Aptera would strongly reconsider using side airbags. Car manufactures have been increasing car safety with airbags, not reducing them. My new Volvo C40 has side airbags on both sides of the front passenger seats. So airbags come out in the middle of the car so passengers don't hit heads and just minimizing the movement of the person, which his key to safety. I'm sure it's a cost thing and speed of production, but safety is #1. Hope they reconsider.
It's always fascinating to listen to Chris answer the nitty-gritty questions that Aptera enthusiasts ruminate over. This is unheard of by most companies. Aptera has CEO's, who happen to be engineers or tech guys, discuss design issues and parameters in real time. And the transparency expressed when they just don't know the answer yet to a question is much appreciated too.
Right on. Some of those were very hard questions, and easy to misstep.
I know, I'm still shocked and delighted by their candid transparency.
Chris on Aptera Owners Club, Awesome!
Aptera is crazy efficient not just in their vehicle specs but also in how they're running their company and managing their finances. Kudos for finding a better way to make dreams happen.
I totally agree with what everyone else is commenting here... But I gotta say...
DCFC on Supercharger and with CCS adapter is a major win!!!!
Loved the bit about power share between 3 wheels and the open CANbus
This is legit my favorite channel right now. Aptera is the best underdog story, everybody's rooting for them. Do we get a piece of the 22nd century today, or are we all stuck driving our hybrid crossovers? Find me a more fun adventure to follow!
"This thing is going to happen. It is only a matter of time." Amen!
The fact is that I would buy an Aptera just based on who Chris seems to be. He comes across as the most down to earth and straightforward guy I can remember seeing in this capacity in many years. I was involved with the electric automobile association in the Bay Area during the 70s and have never lost my interest in Evies since that point.
I am an early buyer in Tesla, and eventually will use some of my stock to buy an Aptera , yeah, but I just can’t imagine selling any stock at this point in time since in three years, it logically should multiply substantially. I wish them all the luck in the world at Aptera. I think they will do amazingly well when they come online.
Love how open Chris is in these videos, totally chilled even though he's clearly working all hours and spends half the day in front of a camera. Great information and transparency.
Again, Steve this is another well done and super relevant (esp. for us Aptera reservationists and investors). For me you asked (and got satisfactory answers for) two big questions: 1) What was cooling system issue that Steve alluded to in the 1st LE announcement as justification of omitting DCFC (making us all question the real viability of the battery cooling system), 2) being able to use the provided NACS plug with both Tesla and non-Tesla DCFC stations. (Thanks!)
I have a few questions for Aptera (some of these might be obvious to you who already have an EV. The Aptera will be my 1st EV):
1) In the e-bike world (I'm a DIY'er) a "Direct Drive" e-bike motor will have some inherent rolling resistance (even when no power is applied) due to the permanent magnets' pull on the opposing surface. On an e-bike, this added rolling resistance represents at least 10% loss on rolling efficiency. On a "geared" e-bike motors (or on an EV with a transmission allowing disconnect of motor to wheel) there is no such magnetic drag (the wheel rolls freely as any other bicycle wheel). With Aptera's in-wheel motors, I suspect that the magnetic drag is unavoidable. My question: When Chris mentioned the lower efficiency of the AWD version, how much of that efficiency loss is from this magnet drag? (I'd like to know, since long distance travel is a bigger criteria for me than the benefits of AWD (better snow/off-road traction, neck snapping accel, etc.)
2) Will we be able to set the charge to limit to 80% or 90%? Also, can we set the discharge to 10% or 15% (i.e. not let it discharge to 0%) (This of course is to preserve battery and keep it safe from my own negligence.). Or is this usually already pre-programmed in most EV's including Aptera? Hopefully this user changeable (sometimes we must go past these limits in emergency situations, and/or if a new type of pack (like LFP or Sodium) is used.
3) Will regen braking levels be selectable by the driver? (I predict that I will want more regen in the city stop/go traffic, and I would like little or no regen on an open highway, long distance travel.
Great job Steve. It's always great to see Chris answer questions. Thank you again for creating and sharing!
My pleasure!
@@ApteraOwnersClub whats best battery size is best for longevity? thsi place doesnt let me talk often so i cant say more
@@kalmmonke5037 Take this with a grain of salt (since this comment is from the E-bike perspective, but I think it should still apply with EV's)
In the e-bike world, if cell quality is fixed, generally, the more parallel cell rows the pack has, the longer the longevity of the pack. Adding more parallel rows of cells "spreads" the load across those parallel rows (resulting in less stress for all cells(i.e. less heat buildup) during high discharge/charge rates. Heat is a major cause of cell degradation.
Example: Since a Lithium Ion cell is nominally 3.6volts, a 36v pack will have 10 cells connected in series ("10s"). If you ran this 10s pack full blast on an ebike until the pack is drained, it will be red hot (if not explode in fire). Also if you tried a "Fast Charge" on this small pack using a 10 (high) amp charger, the pack will also become red hot and possibly explode and burn the house down. But let's say you connected 6 of these 10s packs in parallel (i.e. "10s6p" or 60 cells in total), this 10s6p pack will become only slightly warm under these extreme charge/discharge scenarios. This 10s6p pack will last much much longer than the original 10s1p pack.
As to your original question, "whats best battery size is best for longevity", I guess one might say, "the bigger, the better".
Of course, how fast one discharges and charges the battery (and how long is this heavy current lasts) is the other factor in heat build up.
Battery pack longevity (minimizing battery heat) is also determined by the driver. A lead-footed squid who is impatient with charging (always goes with 150wh-300wh DCFC will destroy his battery pack much sooner than a driver who accelerates moderately and who relies on slower Level 1 or 2 charging or Aptera's solar trickle charge (I suggest the full solar package - at least the rear hatch).
The most prominent cause of cell degradation (short life span) are: a) Heat, b) letting the cell drain to (or heaven forbid, beyond) its "empty voltage state" (on 3.6v lithium ion cells, the "empty" voltage is 2.8v to 3.0v), and c) leaving the cell in its fully charged voltage (4.2v for Lithium ion), for long periods.
(Most responsible PHEV/BEV makers (such as Toyota) will not let the battery charge past 80-90% and will not let the battery discharge below 20%-15%. This is why Prius battery packs last so long, even when they were still using the old nickel metal hydrate cells.)
Cell quality is another big factor in cell longevity. (Cheap cells may only last maybe 300-500 hundred charge/discharge cycles, whereas name brand (Panasonic, Sanyo, etc.) may last a few thousand cycles.
With EV's (compared with e-bikes), the difference is just scale. (E-bike pack voltage is 36v-52v (10s4p and 14s4p), but BEV voltage is over 400 volts (e.g. 100s20p).
The Aptera's stated voltage is 400 volts (around 96s-100s). Depending on your selected "miles" (250, 400, 600, 1,000 miles), will likely determine how many of these 100s cell groups are replicated in parallel.
Again, the 400 mile pack will likely last longer than the 250 mile pack, 600 longer than 400, and so on. But as the vehicle weight goes up, range and efficiency go down. (A lot of us who've ordered the 400 mile pack, plan to minimize instances of high drain/high charge rates - so as to extend the life of the battery. If we have to race, or connect to high amp DCFC, I plan to do so for short periods at a time (so minimize battery heat).
Hope this helps
@@a5-30-31cts the more batteries you add, roughly exponentially less effeincy is there because more energy in and out the battery at faster rate. there is a correct size for longveity to idealize, then a small combustion can run optimal combustions per second at low weigth size etc due to not needng to deal with big rpm changes and trans downshift pressures. batteries arnt recyclable and petrol can be used as lng as not tkaing too much at once, so at least is batteries become fuly mass ecycled, then such plugin hybrid will be best balance compact4seater with rear seats facing the rear
@@a5-30-31cts what an amazing answer you've given, thanks. It really deserves a bigger audience.
I'm not going to get the launch edition, and if/when I do you get an Aptera (new or used) I would need the rear window as I live in Washington State where it can be quite dark much of the year. I'm not going to adapt to that rear camera alone, I need both. I'm assuming that I would lose about 50% of the total solar charging capacity this way…which really won't matter too much where I'm located.
Good to know that 110v/solar is the best way to go to extend battery life.
You have to love these guys. Super efficient vehicle, solar charging, accommodating great demand for fast charging on their launch edition. Most of all for being so transparent, top to bottom in their organization. Wasn't crazy about their focus on the Tesla charge connector but hey, nobody's perfect! Really hope full production comes to fruition (mostly because I want one) but also because Chris and Steve's multi year dedication to the platform should be rewarded.
Thrilled to hear how open Aptera will be with their CANBUS messages. I’m hoping that easily allows third party to add buttons to control whatever we want like the Tesla S3XY buttons.
Steve. Thanks for asking all my questions! And Chris remains unique in his openness. Clearly, some details are undecided or premature or proprietary, but he did answer more than others would.
Thanks Chris and Steve for a very informative interview. The more I know about Aptera and its creators the more I love them.
Great questions Steve. I am astounded by the level of transparency from Chris. It almost makes me feel uneasy but it is a big part of why I am rooting for their success.
Thank you to both Steve and Chris for this interview. Steve I know you're putting a lot of work into this channel and it is appreciated. Chris you're vision for solar mobility and the clear and honest answers you give during an interview is so refreshing. I think we all understand that these are still very early days. Just happy (and very excited ) to see the progress that's being made.
Wow! That was a spectator interview Steve! You really broke it down and hit all the high notes. You asked every question that I wanted to ask and more that I needed to know that didn’t occur to me. I will watch this multiple times. Chris did a better job explaining the thermal management system and battery uptake issue - essentially there wasn’t one at 40 - 60kw. Although, I am still bewildered that they could have equipped it with 40 - 60kw fast charging since they had the plug resolved and the tech in place, but they didn’t simply because they had put it on the back burner prior to the plug resolution and they were only thinking 100kw. That’s a major oversight to not check with their engineers earlier. Being able to charge between 400 - 600 mph vs 57 is kind of important.
Great questions and interview! Chris’s openness is admirable. I hope all works out for Aptera firstly because it’s a great vehicle, but also because of Aptera’s integrity and care for it’s customers. They really are unlike any other car manufacture imo. I look forward to the delivery of mine.
I think their presence at Fully Charged really put them in the picture of a lot more people, including possible investors.
You are an amazing reporter, thank you for all the hard work and the amount of time you put into this interview
great news on cut pattern, I will have mine wrapped in color after delivery, original order was custom color anyway
Thanks for all the great questions Steve... and Chris Anthony for the thorough answers! Steve did you really think you could get just a "Yes" or "No" answer from Chris in your rapid-fire questions? 😂 Admittedly, there were a few short answers, though. I do love listening to his embellishments. Chris did say yesterday "This vehicle will get built."
😂😂
thank you Steve about asking about a 110 outlet.😀
This was an immensely informative and straight forward interview - Really enjoyed it and have a lot of respect for both Steve and Chris. Looking forward to my Aptera next year, no problem to wait.
Thank you both very much for this conversation. I follow Aptera daily as a NorCal & SoCal resident.
I'm glad to hear about the cost-effectiveness of changing colors. I think that Luna looks fantastic, but I'd rather have something that doesn't stand out as much. Black or dark grey is what I'm thinking. Also, Chris is looking really happy in this video. That encourages me.
I gotta say, on many topics, I've pretty much stopped asking Aptera directly about much of anything. I instead say, "Steve will certainly be making a video on that soon. I can wait for that."
Excellent interview Steve!!
Steve, you managed to clarify so many points. Fantastic job!
Proud of you Steve! great questions, pulling no punches.
yeah, as a casual casually interested person who has seen quite a few Aptera videos, it's good to see some harder questions asked, some knowledgeable very specific ones. I encourage him to ask even harder and more specific questions. It's way too easy to be a fan boy, a stan.
Wow, im so happy with all your questions (and the answers). You did a great job for us all!
Thank you Steve thank you Chris for taking the time to keep us informed greatly appreciated
Great interview. Love the openness. Even if tesla aborts supercharger access then using ccs is fine. Love the idea that adding buttons or displays to the canbus (even if the main display isn't editable) would be awesome. Ps: a canbus hat for a raspberry pi is $8. Buttons can be wired to gpio
Exactly what I was thinking. I'm going to order the can bus hat asap.
Excellent interview Steve. You asked some tough questions, and it was nice to hear Chris answer them directly.
Great job Steve. Thanks for asking tough, thoughtful question. Amazing how open and detailed Chris is in answering your questions.
Great interview, Chris! Lots of good information. Job well done. Thanks for all you do with your channel and for us Aptera enthusiasts.
Steve knows what we already knew, and what's critical to learn more. Thanks for the interview.
Glad to hear about right-to-repair, but would love to hear more details about it and collision repair.
Super good interview. Thank you Steve for the succinct and direct questions. Especially regarding the DCFC and thermal mgmt that I’ve been zeroed in on.
Great info from Chris. One small thing that I found funny is how my 2008 CUV has an outlet, but most or all EVs don't have that available like Chris mentioned
Chris, you and Steve continue to blow us away with your availability and openness! Thank you for choosing the best options possible for your vehicle design, for high-end fabrication, and for how you are setting up your company! It is simply unheard of and so desired, especially in the automotive industry!! Fantastic content and interview Steve, Thank You!!
Thank you very much for that question about 120 volt ac output. To me a V2L capability would be of very high priority and I really hope they include that in the next iteration. It would greatly benefit for Campings, Power Outages, Offsite Works ...... Also it is a great selling point.
Yes, absolutely
If the bms is designed for it the charge plug itself may be the best place to plug in an inverter. This is how others have handled it without complicating the base vehicle.
@@ccibinel would that not deviate from the existing NACS they have adopted if they implement it in the plug?
@@Soothsayer210 If they were to do this, my guess is that they could make a dongle like the ionic 5.
230V AC 50Hz output would be also interesting. That's what we have in Europe and IIRC some higher power application in the US also have 230V (240V?).
Really well done interview, Steve. Keep up the great work!
Great Interview, Steve! It's awesome that Aptera is actively pursuing an open-source architecture. It's a bit frustrating that Chris dodged the real-world aero-drag question. I'm not convinced that omitting an industry-standard feature (side-airbags) is a wise move.
I agree with your assessment. Not as open as most claim. The side-airbag issues, being a safety issue may be resolved through reviewing the safety testing results.
@@yanpingyang9028 I'm concerned that a side-impact would injure the upper-spine, as a result of your head getting thrown onto your shoulder. It would probably be wise to have some sort headrest or airbag to limit the range of motion of the neck.
CANBus / DBC data “dictionary” access means a lot. By contrast, none of the electric motorcycle vendors provide this, and some encrypt it for reasons I find kind of arrogant and definitely misguided. That’s an entire conversation I’ll leave out.
I have finally put in a reservation based on this data access, the general right to repair eagerness, and of course efficiency. The charging rate limit of 40-60kW makes total sense for battery longevity.
Great questions and great information. This helped answer some questions I had. Thank you both!
forget V2G, forget heated/cooled seats, forget ADAS, forget cellular connectivity, forget side airbags... keep it simple, easy and cheap to manufacture. You can add stuff later once their making money and the core manufacturing is worked out. What I've yet to hear is an explanation of the belly pan heating and cooling. That's an engineering innovation that is key to the aerodynamics, and as an Engineer I've heard nothing about how (and if) it works.
Wow, those were some hard line questions and Chris’ calm, open demeanor that didn’t devolve into defensive responses is very telling about the leadership team.
I really appreciate this interview! It answered a lot of questions for me. I’m inspired by this company’s mission, vision, and ethos!
The hesitation that were developing has abated. I look forward to seeing Apteras show up on the road and see how this vehicle evolves.
One question I’m curious about and unsure if it has been answered elsewhere… (naive question, please just explain-no haters) what will prevent someone coming and taking the wheel motors (like when your wheel(s) get stolen off your bike (see! Naive.)
Great questions, great answers and an awesome job mate. Congratulations!
WOW! Steve, major kudos dude!
Why so few "thumbs up"? c'mon people, show some appreciation here!
Thanks Steve, that was awesome. By the time I’m writing this, the investor webinar has already happened, and I hope it was more like this format than the awful launch announcement.
Entrepreneurs are always better off the cuff than reading from a script (hello Elon!).
Excellent coup!!! Well done Steve, outstanding work!
Thank you! Cheers!
They should take a bigger deposit on all pre-order launch editions. Whatever is needed to get to the money they need to start production.
Great interview. Chris is right you do put out great content.
Wwow! Great surprise, Steve. Thanks.
Nice exchange Steve. Kudos
Awesome interview. Thank you Steve and thank you Chris.
This was fantastic, thank you to both you and Chris!
@33:08 - power window switches in the overhead space discussed earlier. I hope CAN BUS is available there!
As a casual casually-interested person who has seen quite a few Aptera videos now, it's good to see some harder questions asked, some knowledgeable & very specific ones. Thanks.
I encourage you to ask even harder and more specific questions. It's way too easy to be a fan boy, a stan.
Great interview, Steve. Thank you so much for making this available. I love that you really drilled the questions about efficiency because that is core to the mission for Aptera. I just wish they could partner with Exro Technologies to make the powertrain even more efficient and simpler. They would be able to eliminate other components and get fast charging and V2L capability while improving the motor efficiency. I'm an investor in both Aptera and Exro.
This was great to watch Steve! You really hit so many big questions that hadn't been fully answered before, or needed follow-up questions to clarify. And as usual Chris was forthcoming and clear about what their plans were, and how everything will be moving forward. I was curious why the motor power seemed a bit lower than Elaphe's M700 motor, which was thought to be the Aptera's motor. We knew that Elaphe was going to build a custom motor for the Aptera that was optimized for maximum efficiency. But I wonder if Aptera made a little trade off in power for each motor in exchange for having the tri-motor configuration as standard for the Launch Edition. For the record, I'm fine with that choice, because I was already going to get the AWD model, and the performance still appears to be exceptional. I was really hoping for production to begin later this year, but I will happily trade that for the idea that production won't be shut down completely by a lack of funding. I'm sure that we will find out more in the investors meeting today. Thanks for getting so many of these important questions answered and clarified with this interview!
As a follow up, in the investor's meeting they mentioned that Elaphe specifically redesigned their wheel motor design to work better for the Aptera. Apparently, the power delivery was engineered to support heavier vehicles (like most EVs today) and Elaphe redesigned the new motor to work with the Aptera's lower loads (lighter weight, aerodynamic) to maximize efficiency.
Honestly, I like this company’s straightforward vision and determination that they can’t fail. I’d even buy one if it only had a shell and a bicycle style drive system.
Thank you , I’m glad he’s in better spirits then during the presentation of the Lunch Vehicle 👍🏻
Chris and Steve are great in interviews because they are engineers who understand the details of what it takes to design and build a vehicle, so their answers are always filled with excellent information.
Regarding the UI in the Aptera, has there been any mention of CarPlay and Android Auto support? I haven’t heard or seen anything specific to this.
Great! Asked all the questions I wanted to hear answered, and the answers were pretty decent as well.
Great interview! Thanks for getting so many good questions in.
Great job guys. Can’t wait !!!
Great questions, Steve. Thanks!
Really great interview Steve.
Great interview! You asked the right questions!
No speculation in this video! Great video!
Great information, and I can't wait to get my Aptera!
Chris basically confirmed they are going with Comma AI for level 2 driving asssit 😀
Your hard work is appreciated 🖖🏼
Great questions. Can't stand other sources asking questions like are you going to produce a 3 wheel vehicle?
Thanks for bringing up side airbags!
I am still a bit skeptical about the decision to leave those out. We will all know for sure when they publish the crash test results. Hopefully adding the side impact airbags later won’t be too much of a headache; should they prove needful after all.
Good questions, great talk.
Great Interview! Appreciate Chris explanation on everything but mostly "Fast Charging"! I was disappointed at the Webinar but now with a possible 500 miles per hour charge. Im back on "The Wagon"! ;)
👍 job, thank you both!!
Great selection of questions, Steve.
Steve, you ask all the questions I would have kicked myself for not asking. Seems like you pulled a few sneak previews from the Investor webinar.
If there is any question that AOC is the première channel on all things Aptera and the EV space this interview should dispel that misconception. Doctor Steve was granted an interview with Chris, a CO-CEO of Aptera to answer many questions of interest on behalf of Aptera enthusiasts. Not only did Doctor Steve ask the questions, but pressed for complete, responsive answers. For the most part, Steve pinned Chris down to provide satisfying responses. Chris was fairly open but there were some instances of evasiveness in a few of the responses. Overall the best direct interview of Chris to date and provided at an inflection point in the Aptera schedule.
WRT DCFC charging, I believe Aptera was able to respond so quickly because they had a nearly completed solution for a lower (40-60) Kw DCFC charger. The other side of that sword is it will increase the price and weight. A tradeoff most if not all will find acceptable.
It also appears that some of the expected Aptera features will not be available in the LE variant. One of which, side air bags, is of concern of many reservationists. Actual, physical testing (Not just engineering simulations) will tell the true story.
Chris alluded to the fact that the solution to SafetyPilot was installed on some of the vehicles driven by Aptera staff indicating that it is most likely an off the shelf or nearly off the shelf solution. But, none of the hardware for SafetyPilot will be a part of the LE build.
I would like a speed vs energy consumption curve!
Kinda bummed that Chris Anthony dodged the real-world efficiency question. Would be nice if he could at least share the *relative* overall losses due to rolling vs. air resistance.
I had this thought while maneuvering around in a crowded shopping mall yesterday in our "park anywhere" Chevy Sonic.
I could clearly see some larger SUVs and Pick-ups were having trouble accessing the parking areas especially in the center aisles.
I have to ask a simple question. Does the 87" width of the Aptera bother anyone?
Most road vehicles have a 72" or less. We are talking most cars and crossovers.
The widest vehicles on the road are full size Pick-up trucks and SUVs which have an 82" width.
The only exception to that are Dually Pick-ups, which have a rear width of 96". Most other Autocyles like the Slingshot are around 77".
Having spent some time behind the wheel of full size pick-up and even a dually in an urban environment, there are some places you just can't access easily or at all.
I can see it will fit, but not easily, in my small two car garage next to my Sonic.
So does anyone think the Aptera's width going to be a problem?
The width clearly aids in stability, but from a maneuverability standpoint, it's 7" wider than a beheamoth 1976 Lincoln Continental.
I think it will take time to get used to it. The width presumably improves the stability and safety so it us what is.
I have over 400,000 miles of experience riding motorcycles. In California during my commute, I became comfortable lane splitting. On the other hand, I also own a Chevy P30 step van that is wider than an Aptera. Both can be parked in a compact parking space. It tends to be what you get used to.
@@n.brucenelson5920
I just hope the right side wheel pant is easily visible from the driver's position.
Another great video!! It also never ceases to amaze me how transparent and candid Chris is with interviews. His customer and public-focused attitude are no doubt why there might be plenty of controversy surounding Aptera, but lack of trust is not part of it!
I only had one additional question and maybe this puts me in the minority, but I personally am not a fan of perpetually internet-connected vehicles. Chris mentioned telematics and data collection being critical to the future development and improvement of the Aptera. While I see the importance of this data collection, I'm not sure I'm onboard with that. I also understand a data or internet connection will be needed for OTAs, etc, but I never use in vehicle navigation, etc. So I'm just wondering will there will be a simple way to turn off the telematics/data collection and and an option to manually disable the onboard cellular radio until it's needed for updates, diagnostics, etc?
I'm sure there will be. They are right to repair and will provide schematics. You could easily just remove the cellular radio if it's not able to be disabled in software
@@ApteraOwnersClub Yeah I figured. As a car guy, I'm excited to finally have a car that's produced by a company that doesn't treat its customers as imbeciles unable to use a wrench. And I'm not trying to eliminate the modem completely, simply want some sort of kill switch. But like you said, I imagine with schematics, wiring diagrams and Aptera's right-to-repair attitude, I should have no problem wiring in my own!
I guess there are different point of view on this. My vehicle is just old enough to havecrge first attempts to allow connective of cell phone. Hiwever it USB port doesn't play well with phones. So b I window mount my Android phone and have everything voice enabled. I can speak and say OK Google Take me to a destination. Or take me home and it starts Google maps and speaks driving direction to me. I can ask it to find me gas station. Or a bathroom or a restaurant and it will audibly offer me choices without have to take my eyes off the road. If someone texts me it speaks it to me.
Great interview!
Steve, Excellent! Lots of great questions and many good answers. Chris seems pretty confident about near-term prospect for funding (hoping that's not just PR). I am good with CPC assembly, IF, it is essentially automated/autonomous, if not might as well do it in San Diego? AGREE, that production in: funding+9mo is now funding+12 mo. If the funding can be secured (soonish) I doubt hardly anyone will care if it's plus 12 or even plus 15 months. I am very hopeful. My biggest problem is my wife, just can't get her on-board, Doh! Steve keep up the Good Work !!!
Great interview and questions Steve. (You too with yours DTL).
DTL and Aptera owners club are two different kinds of channels. I like BOTH equally. Steve really gets in depth with the technical details.
DTLs interview answered many of the same questions as here, but Steve’s interview went into questions that Chad & Sarah’s interview didn’t get into.
Great job steve.
Chad & Sarah are AWSOME entertaining people
110 charging and getting decent miles/hr is so important for people that don't have normal access to have a level 2 charger if they rent or visiting someone that doesn't have a place to charge.
If you are L1 charging and using an extension cord, please make sure the cord is rated at 20A even if you are connecting it to a 15A circuit. A 100' 15A cord will have a large loss compared to a 20A cord and it is much safer. Yes, a 100' 20A cord will cost much more but it is well worth it. If you have a dedicated 20A circuit and are planning on charging at its max, 16A, make sure you have a 20A cord. Your extension cord should not get hot. it is also best to use the shortest extension that you need. If you only need 25', don't put a 100' cable on it.
@@ddessert6
Good advice! I do exactly what he’s saying charging my Prius prime on 110V, and it works great!! No issues.
Yes,, I believe many aren’t getting that the ability to charge 150mi overnight on ordinary 110 using an extension cord is a HUGE HUGE deal! NO other EV can do that. I live in a house but I don’t have room in my garage, but I’ll be able to fully charge my Aptera with the solar and a 110V extension cord . Also I have access to FREE lvl2 charging at my local Mall. So will probably only have to PAY for a charge once in a blue moon! Lol😂
I’m a little disappointed about NOT having Cruise control or Lvl2 assist, and heated seats in Launch edition. But those are first world problems and not a big deal
@@Airman749 If Cruise control is not included, I would be incredibly disappointed. That is a very simple thing to have and the last vehicle that I had that did not have it was a 79 Mustang and it puzzled me why it wasn't include back then but back then they tended not to put cruise control on a stick shift for some reason.
@@ddessert6 I've seen people in NYC dangle an extension cord 3 floors down to charge their Tesla. I guess it was an emergency situation to try to get it to a proper charger but it was nuts seeing that. If I can't get a level 2 charger installed, I'm glad 110 can suffice for daily use
I believe I would buy a used car from this Man 😉. Can't wait to get my Aptera in my driveway. Peace.
AWESOME! Crash testing! OUTSTANDING!!! Go Aptera! Go!
Good questions and answers. Like it! I would like to see the testing for both efficiency and DCFC in the production ready vehicle. 40kw DCFC would be fine if the Aptera is as efficient as expected. Should be easier on the batteries and cooling requirements.
Final production build testing will be important to me. I will wait for my 2wd version with the basic 400 mile order and let the testing get done with launch editions out there in the wild. There will be a lot of learning taking place.
Funding, anyone got 50-100 million laying around you want to put to work? He just confirmed what the finance officer had said previously that prod builds are all dependent on the funding. So it sounds like we are in a wait and see mode now.
If you look at what other companies and startups have spent to try and get to production Aptera looks "frugal" compared to others. I know we are pulling for all of these startups in this David vs goliath fight to get great ideas and products to market.
I have been watching the progress of the Canoo guys. They have done amazing work and testing, but they have spend a TON of money and still don't have their production facility setup. They went to a contract manufacturing company to build a limited number of vehicles for a customer and now trying to shift over to their planned production facility, but they are almost out of cash and have burned through the money even after going public with a stock offering.
It is a scary and tough time in the financial markets with the Fed using a wrecking ball to try and contain inflation. Hoping for the best, but looks like 2023 and probably 2024 the economy is going to be on rough footing.
"Stellar charging" ha, that's a great term
Great update and interview. I do wish Aptera would strongly reconsider using side airbags. Car manufactures have been increasing car safety with airbags, not reducing them. My new Volvo C40 has side airbags on both sides of the front passenger seats. So airbags come out in the middle of the car so passengers don't hit heads and just minimizing the movement of the person, which his key to safety. I'm sure it's a cost thing and speed of production, but safety is #1. Hope they reconsider.
This is absolutely great doing a 1 on 1. Any chance of doing it once a month to keep us updated on them latest that's going on inside Aptera?
Design suggestion: Allow both front seats to be able to fold flat forward > allows camping mode for two adults laying flat
Chris is so knowledgeable!