Thanks for documenting this experience! Wish I could've been there. Everything looks so sharp and solid, super rigid design. Can't wait to see this in mass production!
I am impressed with the fitment of the cleaned up parts, even if it is just a mock up. Really looking forward to the Aptera and hoping shipping can indeed start late 2024.
Excellent! Thank you for this well put together video. Looking forward to the next installment. I do like the interview with Chris, there is good information in there. Also interesting to see him pick up that inner door panel and hand it to you, it is obviously very light.
Amazing video. Great to see the presentation as those attending would get it. Chris M really is amazing at explaining the vehicle and the critical role of the CPC processes. Aptera has a major asset in these molds and processes.
Fantastic footage and Aptera content, thank you! I look forward to Part 2. Congratulations to Aptera for being the example of what this process by CPC is capable of!!
Thank you so much for making the drive - one I have often made when I was an environmental sales and service rep when I was traveling in Europe. I would sometimes pick up a car in Amsterdam, drive to Paris to meet with a distributor, then make my way to Milan for the instrument show, and return the car in Amsterdam again to fly back to the US - all in a week. The rental agencies could never believe the odometer when I returned the car. I really appreciate the effort you made, and have shared it with my more than 5,400 readers on Reddit.
Thank you for a nice break down on the composite array throughout the body. Speaking of array.. The sample section if the solar array encapsulated in glass made it through flight ?! That could speak volumes😉 Look forward Part II and more from Chris McCammon and Audra. Safe travels !
Thank you! We'll continue working with @passivlife and @apterasolar to keep you informed about all things @apteramotors in Europe. Maybe you want to sign-up to the forum mentioned in the video to stay informed on all things Aptera in Europe.
@billsmith5960 my understanding is that the part shape is more responsible for the componet strength than the method of cf construction. Turn around time Forged cf is far too slow for F1, doesn't mean the parts have less strength. If anyone has real data on this, I would appreciate a link. Glike was probably more referring to the f1 safety cell concept combined with cf.
@@billsmith5960 And yet the valid comparisons are there. F1 cars are something many have some familiarity with. Why not draw the parallels? Of course they aren't exact- the overall goals for the vehicles are different - but the physics used in the design process are exactly the same.
Wow! This is maybe the most interesting video of Aptera that I have ever seen. It's so cool, it's so real, I am blown away. Thanks for sharing. But wait a minute. Did he just say that the first PI builds will be on dIsplay at CPC? If so, then I will start getting ready my suitcase for the trip.
I've said elsewhere that being able to see the internals of yhe door and the "fin" on the left side of the tail is really neat. You get a good look at the internal safety structure what will protect against a side collision. And Chris just picking up that door and handing it to the interviewer was just great! 😂 He was obviously waiting for that moment to show it off. I was expecting the door to be mounted there, but if it was removable that means they knew what a great demonstration that would be. 😂 I am curious, it looked like he said the roof was "colored for the show" but it looked more silver and shiny while the side panel was flar white. So I suspect he was saying that the FG SMC is flat white naturally and the CF SMC is flat black, which I suspected. It looked as if the hatch had a shine to it too. Maybe the roof and hatch were wrapped? Just to show the Luna colors?
Yes exactly. The top was coloured silver and the bottom end was natural white-ish. The top will be like the bottom end in the production version. Stay tuned for part 2 as Audra and Chris answered a lot of questions with amazing details. Plans for the upcoming week, camping, kids seats, RHD, ...
Do you mind explaining to us non engineers the difference between FG SMC and CF SMC?. I suppose the former stands for Fibre Glass, and the latter, Carbon Fibre, SMC.
@@adimchionyenadum2962 You have it. Fiberglass, while strong, is much weaker than Carbon Fiber. However, once Carbon Fiber is damaged, it can't be bent back into shape like metal. FG SMC is used for exterior parts that are intended to be sacrificed to protect the CF SMC inside. The replacement will be much cheaper and easier with fiberglass. SMC is Sheet Molding Compound. Basically it is a way of automating the manufacture of a composite sheet instead of laying it by hand. That sheet is then pressure molded in a die to force it into shape. Only the material varies.
@@richardryley3660 That's a great explanation. Thanks for your time. Now, if you don't mind explaining to me how something can be both strong and weak at the same time. Sounds to me like a philosophical antithetical oxymoron. But I am sure that in engineering the convergence will be more obvious.
@@adimchionyenadum2962 Fiberglass is not as strong as carbon fiber. A body completely made of FG SMC would not be crash resistant. If the whole body was made of CF SMC though, it would be much more expensive, and small dings and cracks in the body would cost a lot to unbond and replace. The fiberglass is intended to protect the more expensive body parts from damage. CF SMC is as strong as steel, but has different characteristics. It doesn't bend, it tears. So if you don't protect it from minor damage it will eventually break down. "Crumple zones" in carbon fiber basically consist of sections that are designed to shred on impact, while the support structure survives. The way this works is complicated, but Aptera and CPC have discussed how this will be used to protect the passengers in a crash.
While part of me continually thinks ‘Yes but when will there be some on the road’, I suspect this is not a vehicle to be judged in that way. It’d be like judging a Harley ‘livewire’ by saying it’s heavier than the equivalent Japanese gasoline/petrol multi, or the Rivian by saying it is a bit too wide for your driveway. Yes, these things could be true. But a beautiful thing, stands apart, and this is an aircraft for the ground. It’s a sand-yacht that can follow the road. Viewed that way, we’re all going to give the creators as long as it takes. I am going to guess a little bit here, and say that the things really determining the timeline, are not what we see. IE the mechanical stuff like the carbon-fibre (graphite fiber) panels and so on, are mostly sorted. It’s tooling, and software and those things I think, could be the determinant of when this gets properly to market. And there will be bugs to iron out, beta testers to get first crack I suppose? It’s a special machine, it’s sort of like a canoe with wheels, but more elegant than that makes it sound. I mean, if someone said one day there was an Aptera boat, it just wouldn’t surprise me, the body’s halfway there already. Good luck to them, it’s already a classic and yet I’ve never seen one on the road. Take care all. Dare to dream.
This is all very cool to see, however one of the things that has me worried is repairability. From a manufacturing standpoint everything looks to be designed to make their lives easy for initial assembly. Place adhesive on the bonding areas then press the pieces together and cure. What happens for the customer when a panel needs to be replaced/repaired? Are they expecting customers to buy entirely new pre-bonded body assemblies? Will I be able to break the bonding adhesive some way or are there actually fasteners in strategic places to allow for full disassembly still that I am somehow missing? As someone who has had to keep an aging vehicle alive out of necessity one of the things I hate seeing when I take apart a vehicle is single use fasteners. It is a reminder that the original manufacturer of the vehicle did not actually care about the customers ease of use/repairability but only their ease of assembly at the time of the original sale of the vehicle. "Good luck its your problem now" is not a sustainable attitude when it comes to vehicle maintenance.
Aptera is promoting "right to repair", with this in mind they are trying to make parts that are most likely to get damaged, easy to repair by yourself. On top of that, a lot of the outer fg shell can be repaired easily enough with fg, as they're only cosmetic. More serious incidents, with structural damage, will still require specialist trained mechanics.
@@passivlife I understand they are proponents of the right to repair movement, but that doesnt necessarily mean something is going to be easy to repair. I am speaking more from a product design standpoint. Dont get me wrong I love the aptera and I cant wait for the day my reservation ships, I just hope the engineering of the vehicle was done in such a way to make the vehicle as sustainably repairable as possible.
When the time comes, someone like Munro Live will show us how to take apart a bonded Aptera panel. I’ve personally done many fiberglass repairs that did not require panel removal and that type of damage will be easy enough to address for most competent body shops.
Great scoop! Holding up the CF-SMC door internals with two fingers… amazing! Looking forward to Part 2!
Thanks for documenting this experience! Wish I could've been there. Everything looks so sharp and solid, super rigid design. Can't wait to see this in mass production!
Purchased 100 shares down under ❤
I am impressed with the fitment of the cleaned up parts, even if it is just a mock up. Really looking forward to the Aptera and hoping shipping can indeed start late 2024.
Awesome video….no video is too long to see of APTERA….SO PLEASE release the second one soon.
This excellent video shows some interesting not yet seen details of the Aptera. Thanks for having it shared!
Thanks for this interview! Best footage out of this show so far.
We are getting closer to having one at home. Fingers crossed.
Great work, thanks for the video everyone!
I'm thrilled for the next part.
Great to see the BINC. I am so excited for the unveiling of the PI build!
Thanks so much for putting this together. I look forward to seeing part 2.
Excellent! Thank you for this well put together video. Looking forward to the next installment. I do like the interview with Chris, there is good information in there. Also interesting to see him pick up that inner door panel and hand it to you, it is obviously very light.
Thanks for bringing this footage to us. It's exciting to see the Aptera coming together.
Amazing video. Great to see the presentation as those attending would get it. Chris M really is amazing at explaining the vehicle and the critical role of the CPC processes. Aptera has a major asset in these molds and processes.
Fantastic footage and Aptera content, thank you! I look forward to Part 2. Congratulations to Aptera for being the example of what this process by CPC is capable of!!
Thank you so much for making the drive - one I have often made when I was an environmental sales and service rep when I was traveling in Europe. I would sometimes pick up a car in Amsterdam, drive to Paris to meet with a distributor, then make my way to Milan for the instrument show, and return the car in Amsterdam again to fly back to the US - all in a week. The rental agencies could never believe the odometer when I returned the car.
I really appreciate the effort you made, and have shared it with my more than 5,400 readers on Reddit.
I can’t wait for Aptera to go into full production.
Thank you so much for this video! Well done!
Thank you for a nice break down on the composite array throughout the body. Speaking of array.. The sample section if the solar array encapsulated in glass made it through flight ?! That could speak volumes😉 Look forward Part II and more from Chris McCammon and Audra. Safe travels !
This is awesome and thanks for sharing!
Thanks for sharing!
This was among the best videos to date of the BINC thank you for posting this. Seriously appreciated it.
Thank you! We'll continue working with @passivlife and @apterasolar to keep you informed about all things @apteramotors in Europe. Maybe you want to sign-up to the forum mentioned in the video to stay informed on all things Aptera in Europe.
Great video. Thank you for sharing.
Patiently waiting for Parf 2.
For anybody worried about the glue crash worthiness of an Aptera, Formula One cars use the same technology
@billsmith5960 my understanding is that the part shape is more responsible for the componet strength than the method of cf construction. Turn around time Forged cf is far too slow for F1, doesn't mean the parts have less strength. If anyone has real data on this, I would appreciate a link. Glike was probably more referring to the f1 safety cell concept combined with cf.
@@billsmith5960 And yet the valid comparisons are there. F1 cars are something many have some familiarity with. Why not draw the parallels?
Of course they aren't exact- the overall goals for the vehicles are different - but the physics used in the design process are exactly the same.
good review
Wow! This is maybe the most interesting video of Aptera that I have ever seen. It's so cool, it's so real, I am blown away. Thanks for sharing. But wait a minute. Did he just say that the first PI builds will be on dIsplay at CPC? If so, then I will start getting ready my suitcase for the trip.
Indeed, Audra and Chris will be in Modena this Monday and we'll share, what they will be able to share. We're in touch with them. Stay tuned ...
Very good !!!!
Can’t wait ❤😊
Really nice video. Thanks
I've said elsewhere that being able to see the internals of yhe door and the "fin" on the left side of the tail is really neat. You get a good look at the internal safety structure what will protect against a side collision.
And Chris just picking up that door and handing it to the interviewer was just great! 😂 He was obviously waiting for that moment to show it off. I was expecting the door to be mounted there, but if it was removable that means they knew what a great demonstration that would be. 😂
I am curious, it looked like he said the roof was "colored for the show" but it looked more silver and shiny while the side panel was flar white. So I suspect he was saying that the FG SMC is flat white naturally and the CF SMC is flat black, which I suspected. It looked as if the hatch had a shine to it too. Maybe the roof and hatch were wrapped? Just to show the Luna colors?
Yes exactly. The top was coloured silver and the bottom end was natural white-ish. The top will be like the bottom end in the production version. Stay tuned for part 2 as Audra and Chris answered a lot of questions with amazing details. Plans for the upcoming week, camping, kids seats, RHD, ...
Do you mind explaining to us non engineers the difference between FG SMC and CF SMC?. I suppose the former stands for Fibre Glass, and the latter, Carbon Fibre, SMC.
@@adimchionyenadum2962 You have it. Fiberglass, while strong, is much weaker than Carbon Fiber. However, once Carbon Fiber is damaged, it can't be bent back into shape like metal. FG SMC is used for exterior parts that are intended to be sacrificed to protect the CF SMC inside. The replacement will be much cheaper and easier with fiberglass.
SMC is Sheet Molding Compound. Basically it is a way of automating the manufacture of a composite sheet instead of laying it by hand. That sheet is then pressure molded in a die to force it into shape. Only the material varies.
@@richardryley3660 That's a great explanation. Thanks for your time. Now, if you don't mind explaining to me how something can be both strong and weak at the same time. Sounds to me like a philosophical antithetical oxymoron. But I am sure that in engineering the convergence will be more obvious.
@@adimchionyenadum2962 Fiberglass is not as strong as carbon fiber. A body completely made of FG SMC would not be crash resistant.
If the whole body was made of CF SMC though, it would be much more expensive, and small dings and cracks in the body would cost a lot to unbond and replace. The fiberglass is intended to protect the more expensive body parts from damage.
CF SMC is as strong as steel, but has different characteristics. It doesn't bend, it tears. So if you don't protect it from minor damage it will eventually break down. "Crumple zones" in carbon fiber basically consist of sections that are designed to shred on impact, while the support structure survives. The way this works is complicated, but Aptera and CPC have discussed how this will be used to protect the passengers in a crash.
While part of me continually thinks ‘Yes but when will there be some on the road’, I suspect this is not a vehicle to be judged in that way. It’d be like judging a Harley ‘livewire’ by saying it’s heavier than the equivalent Japanese gasoline/petrol multi, or the Rivian by saying it is a bit too wide for your driveway. Yes, these things could be true. But a beautiful thing, stands apart, and this is an aircraft for the ground. It’s a sand-yacht that can follow the road. Viewed that way, we’re all going to give the creators as long as it takes. I am going to guess a little bit here, and say that the things really determining the timeline, are not what we see. IE the mechanical stuff like the carbon-fibre (graphite fiber) panels and so on, are mostly sorted. It’s tooling, and software and those things I think, could be the determinant of when this gets properly to market. And there will be bugs to iron out, beta testers to get first crack I suppose? It’s a special machine, it’s sort of like a canoe with wheels, but more elegant than that makes it sound. I mean, if someone said one day there was an Aptera boat, it just wouldn’t surprise me, the body’s halfway there already. Good luck to them, it’s already a classic and yet I’ve never seen one on the road. Take care all. Dare to dream.
Do you have info about the cost/ease of replacing solar cells?
It would be cool to see this at the IMTS in Chicago this year. I hope you could exhibit at the show.
Not sure where they will show it in North America but they said that they'll bring this BINC to California.
This is all very cool to see, however one of the things that has me worried is repairability. From a manufacturing standpoint everything looks to be designed to make their lives easy for initial assembly. Place adhesive on the bonding areas then press the pieces together and cure. What happens for the customer when a panel needs to be replaced/repaired? Are they expecting customers to buy entirely new pre-bonded body assemblies? Will I be able to break the bonding adhesive some way or are there actually fasteners in strategic places to allow for full disassembly still that I am somehow missing? As someone who has had to keep an aging vehicle alive out of necessity one of the things I hate seeing when I take apart a vehicle is single use fasteners. It is a reminder that the original manufacturer of the vehicle did not actually care about the customers ease of use/repairability but only their ease of assembly at the time of the original sale of the vehicle. "Good luck its your problem now" is not a sustainable attitude when it comes to vehicle maintenance.
Aptera is promoting "right to repair", with this in mind they are trying to make parts that are most likely to get damaged, easy to repair by yourself. On top of that, a lot of the outer fg shell can be repaired easily enough with fg, as they're only cosmetic. More serious incidents, with structural damage, will still require specialist trained mechanics.
@@passivlife I understand they are proponents of the right to repair movement, but that doesnt necessarily mean something is going to be easy to repair. I am speaking more from a product design standpoint. Dont get me wrong I love the aptera and I cant wait for the day my reservation ships, I just hope the engineering of the vehicle was done in such a way to make the vehicle as sustainably repairable as possible.
Me too.
When the time comes, someone like Munro Live will show us how to take apart a bonded Aptera panel. I’ve personally done many fiberglass repairs that did not require panel removal and that type of damage will be easy enough to address for most competent body shops.
Who will do repair if a front bump occurs and damages hood
The solar hood array can be switched out much like replacing a broken windshield.
when is it going to hit the streets?