I built a solar powered pickup truck (UMaine Solar Black Bear, Chevy S10) in 1999, ran it until 2006 going 25,000 miles on sunshine alone, about 15 miles of free driving per day. This was in Orono/Old Town Maine, driving it mostly between April and November. It could easily do highway speeds, could carry a 1000 lb load, 0 - 60 in 5 seconds, 100 mile range, had a carpenter’s rack with a 1.1 KW array, 1800 lb of lead acid batteries, total cost about $15,000.
@@jonburger1739 I wish I had time to build for others, but no, I hardly have time to build for myself these days. I have thought that I should offer a hand to Aptera after I retire from teaching at the university next summer though.
the one thing you guys skipped is the point of the Right to Repair, this is my main issue with any new techonlogy like tesla who basically but a lock on that just denying a major part of the consumers
@@fanfare100 It means you have a right to repair anything you buy and companies (looking at you Tesla and Apple) can't legally block you or repair shops or force you to only get a repair at their shops. Phones with locked in batteries are purely there to get you to buy a new phone every year or two and are one of the huge complaints for right to repair. I have a cell phone I have had for 4 years and it still works, on third battery and will keep it forever. Even bought two spares just in case until companies realize that having forced obsolescence built into their products means no one will ever buy them again. It is up to the consumer to put pressure on and boycott companies that do this kind of crap and support the ones that support right to repair.
@@fanfare100 this is what really originally made cars available to the majority over a century ago: the 2nd-hand market. Tesla's actions against the right to repair have severely limited this
We need more entrepreneurs like these guys at Aptera. There are far too many companies, out to just make money, very few who actually want to help the "ordinary" person... When can I buy some shares in their company ?
You can buy SAFEs at Wefunder/Aptera when the next round goes live in February. The last round was more than 6 times oversubscribed, so sign up for an email notification and act fast when it happens.
Well I’m sold. I already reserved one of these, the 400 mile range one, and opened a we-fund account in preparation before watching this. Thanks guys for this. Can’t wait to drive one of these.
This is the way to go. I just got a Hyundai Ioniq #windknife and now I really understand what efficiency means, the battery is smaller than my last electric car, but I get an extra 40 miles range, it charges twice as fast, goes much further but costs me less in electricity. You don't get faster charging by getting a bigger battery. You don't get greater efficiency by getting a bigger battery. Streamlining is the way to achieve what people want.
My ML320 costs up to 155p a mile if I do a low mileage and 97p a mile for 2000 miles a year... Petrol alone is 30p a mile. I'd like an Aptera, but it needs at least 600 mile range. Ideally I would have an EV that was self charging....
It would actually be $4050 if you evaluated the cost according to the value of the dollar from the year you started. You have to take into account that the dollar is depreciating by 10% year over year on average due to government counterfeiting euphemistically called "stimulus" AKA "quantitative easing (QE)" AKA "Federal Reserve market operations" AKA "central bank bail outs" AKA "foreign aid"... etc.
@@JasonCarmichael The founder Chris said Feb 2021, I just checked and it was was this month SMH. Update: Something is wrong with the website, it does not display the correct close of previous funding round, it was Dec 2020.
@@cortezforever From the stuff i've heard, I don't expect production any sooner than the end of 2021. I hope this succeeds because consumers can't afford a 50-60k car.
@@Enonymouse_ I think they will succeed, Aptera have help from the best, I think the first cars will be Q2 2021, simplified body construction. I couldn't drive this car where I live but it makes financial sense. Check out the Ami and Sondors EV.
@@cortezforever I know about Sondors, they too haven't made it to production stage either. I've seen plenty of contenders come into the EV/LEV arena with talent pulled from every major player in the industry. So far, 99 percent of them have failed. I couldn't drive a Citroen Ami here, assuming i'd even fit inside one.
I bought a 2015 Fiat 500e, and am very pleased. Fully charged, the range says 114 miles. I haven't got the battery down past 50% because I don't go very far. I'm an old retired guy and found the Fiat 500e to be a good fit for me. No gas fumes and I never worry about the price at the pump. Someone told me that the electricity coming from my plug to charge my car comes from fossil fuels, so it didn't matter if I'm not driving an ICE car. I countered with the fact that my state, New Mexico, is rapidly switching our electrical grid to solar and wind power. Maybe it is true that a percentage of the electricity for my car is generated by fossil fuels, but that percentage will get smaller as time goes by. Their anti-green argument may have been true in the past, but it is becoming less true all the time. I am impressed by the Aptera. I like the idea of having solar panels embedded into the body of the car. It looks cool too!
Yeah, and this one can go up to a thousand miles on a charge! I love the Fiat 500 and the electric version must be awesome. I'm waiting for my new e208 from Peugeot right now. Can't wait. It can get around a 200 mile range. Aptera has blown the lid off the range capability.
@@alaneddy4575, I could have used 1000 miles before I retired. I had to travel all over the US. Now I seldom drive, and not far either. I'm done driving if I can help it. Good luck.
I've had my eye on tiny EV's. This looks pretty promising. I keep hearing promises, and it always seems out of reach. I hope you folks make this the greatest competitor on the planet. Good luck to these folks.
Your perception of cars being "tiny" is also a product of legacy cars being huge. I have just decided to downsize from a Peugeot 308 (about the size of a Golf GTi) to the e208 which is a size smaller as I actually find my current car too large. Sounds nuts, but if you live in the UK for awhile you get a different perspective on scale.
@@alaneddy4575 Agreed. Most things are relative. I'm thinking more along the lines of my own needs. A one or two person vehicle is more compatible with my needs, and, even a motorcycle would be nice if it weren't a seasonal vehicle. And I prefer an enclosed compartment. Most vehicles are often four person occupancy, though. So, tiny did seem a good description. ^.=.^
So to be clear. Aptera solar provides 40 miles range at an average speed of 24 mph. If you drive an average of 60 mph you will get about 7 miles range from solar. The 1000 mile range also assumes an average speed of 24 mph.
You could make yourself a Solar panel trailer out of a composite of XPS foam + S-glass fiberglass or Balsa wood or Paulownia wood + S glass fiberglass, and make it super light and aerodynamic and radically increase your range. Actually, it would be so light that you would probably need a spoiler on the back to keep it down towards the ground. I would probably go the wood route, at least for the bottom, because then you could also use it as a light duty "regular" trailer to some extent as well. You could have the solar panels on a top panel that is the XPS foam + S fiberglass, and have a hinge towards the front (towards the car) so that you could turn it into a kind of quick and easy camper as well (with fabric sides and back) that velcro on, and use reinforced bamboo or carbon fiber poles to hold it up). I could build the structure myself pretty easily, but I don't know much about electronics and hooking it up to the battery system would be my main challenge.
It already has up to 1000 mile range plus 30-40 miles a day on solar. It also has a great little zip in tent accessory so you already have a super long range camper built right in. I don't know if this vehicle can tow. You'd need to find that out as many electric cars have their power trains finely tuned so they cannot tow. My new Peugeot electric 208 can't tow for example.
@@alaneddy4575 That 30 to 40 mi a day on Solar is not for the huge majority of people. That's for people that live under ideal conditions such as relatively near the equator, primarily sunny climate, etc. And battery wise, getting the thousand mi range puts it out of the affordable range of many people. Meanwhile, building such a trailer can be done for quite cheap, if one does it themselves. It would be so light weight, you wouldn't have to worry how finely tuned the power train is, no more than you would have to worry about having a passenger ride with you. Most of the weight would be in a combo of the solar panels and wheels.
@@justinw1765 I get that, but most people on average don't even drive that far per day. Personally I use my car every 2-3 days so even here in the UK I'd get a decent range and I can charge this in a regular household socket like my phone, soy you are not really stuck for charging options. Yes, the did state that you get that range in sunnier climates.
I don't think they put enough emphasis on the "nevercharge". This is a huge deal. There isn't a lot of technical detail on their website, but I believe they are using silicon-based solar cells. They should consider offering a "premium solar" package with more high-tech cells in the future. Getting 25% additional charge from the sun would make an enormous difference to some customers.
@bec collmar any stolen Aptera will stand out in any community for a long time. Most thieves would not even be able to break in - and if the did somehow and could move it there is such a thing as insurance. This is not an argument against Aptera. Even if all the gas stations were closed due to a wide spread power failure, for instance, the full solar versions could still provide significant travel.
You can not get 25% more charge with solar cells because the toy is to small. That's why they don't put solar cells on a Tesla. The weight of the cells would cancel out the extra energy they would produce.
The Aptera was at the Museum of Science and Industry in CHICAGO and I thought it looked cool. It's bigger than you think. For the REFUNDABLE reservation , you can't beat it. I put a $1000 non REFUNDABLE on a E@#O. Count Me in on this Aptera.
Do you know where the second crowdfunding will take place and how one can be updated in order not to miss it? Is it going to be on WeFounder again? Is it sufficient to watch Aptera on that platform or follow Aptera on Twitter? Do you plan to post an update as soon as the coordinates gets clear on the DI channel?
Yes, it will be on Wefunder/Aptera, probably in February. Best to sign up for an email notification there for when it goes live. The last one was oversubscribed by over 6 times.
I saw these cars 10 years ago and they were going to get 300 mpg as gas/electrics. The genius behind them is the design, they took the aerodynamics of an aircraft and incorporated it into a car. As was stated, a large percentage of energy used in cars is the wind drag. Simply outstanding American ingenuity in my opinion.
Ya, and how many did they make before they went out of business ?. Because they didn't work as described. Promise me you will not put that gun to your head after purchase.
Agreed. This is hands down the most advanced electric car ever built. The wind drag of the whole vehicle is less than the windshield wipers on a regular pickup truck.
Your points about BMW, I think, perhaps they should have gone back to the future and re-visited the Isetta or even the messerschmitt... maybe then the i3 would have looked something like the Aptera.
I live in Arizona, how is the Air conditioning in these things? I remember wanting one of these 10 years ago, and I will be watching closely now, but good AC is an absolute must for me.
Excellent AC combined with first class body thermal insulation. With full solar, A/C can be left on to prevent the cab from heat soaking in the AZ sun without running the batteries down.
@@n.brucenelson5920 Thank you for the update; it sounds like you may have some unique insights on this. I certainly hope you are right. I would like to see a video showing evidence of a well working AC in the desert heat at some point.
@@damiangreen299 The design goal is for the Aptera climate systems to be effective from 120 to -20 F. These extremes will be tested when the beta vehicles are put through their test protocols. The gamma builds will be much closer to production intent vehicles and some will be placed in the hands of independent reviewers for evaluation. I have had some input to the Aptera engineering staff because I have considerable experience in EV air conditioning and other thermal design. I also designed and help build a samples freezer for the International Space Station.
What a great interview. How about bringing your Aptera to our country here in the Philippines? I think it will sell here with a low price. Pls. Sell it in our country.
Then you put some more solar panels on the doors and when you park it you leave the doors open. Maybe have a rain sensor that shuts them in case it starts raining.
I'm a survivor of a motorcycle crash and knowing its official classification is a motorcycle, that I do not need an endorsement for, if I understand correctly, my largest concern is safety and that is something that I have yet to hear anything about. Any info not shared so far? Thanks guys! Might look forward to crowd funding this.
The original Aptera had the highest roof crush rating of any car on the road when they tested it, and performed very well in side and frontal impacts as well. It’s design is very similar to the monocoque layouts F1 cars use, so this result makes sense. They intend to have it fully airbagged and tested to car standards.
Can we get a followup interview going? It would be really interesting to get a long interview what's currently going on with the company with potentials, like it being by far the most efficient EV designed, along with downsides, like it being a three-wheeled vehicle not qualifying for the $7,500 IRA tax credit.
Mechanical safety - where does the Aptera vehicle stand regarding crash testing. Aerodynamic shape and impact protection, in all areas, seems to be at odds with this design . . . As a motorcycle enthusiast, both two wheels and side cars, I have no issues with the design and thus the risks. Just wondering if this plays into the target market and demographics that is being contemplated.
From their web site: "We will not know Aptera's actual rating until we pass a production vehicle through the full safety test. But we are designing to exceed all passenger car standards and the previous version had the highest roof crush strength of all passenger cars on the road, and it performed exceedingly well in actual side and frontal crash tests. Aptera features a Formula One-inspired safety cell with advanced composites and metal structures for impact strength. Similar to aerospace and racing, these energy-absorbing methods are a core part of our safety strategy and have proven effective time and time again in high speed impacts. Aptera also makes use of today’s best forward and side airbag systems in case of an accident."
Lol Sure they have to say Something Like this.... Lets See the Crash tests once they are done in some years or month. I cant Imagine that this is supposed to be safer then a Car or similar safe
captainwho R, most makers of 3 wheel cars can't say this. Do you really think Polaris or Arcimoto made any attempt to meet automotive safety standards? Or do any crash testing?
The Aptera is great for someone who only need 2 seats, the Lightyear One is also solar electric and has 5 seats. These are 2 ground vehicles that are changing how people think.
Question 1. How much? Question 2. How far can it go? Question 3. At what speed? I worry that this thing (that looks exactly like those old solar racers….) would completely disintegrate in a car accident. Lightweight with wheels that look like they’d just snap off… I’m envisioning this thing at best skittering around on the highway like a soccer ball after the first crash…
Kind of wish I had invested in the first round of funding. Thought it was too risky but I'm starting to hear more praise and hype for this car. Would love to buy one if I can save the money in the near future.
Would have liked to hear more about the interior fit and finish. How do you see oncoming traffic? Is it an interior screen projection versus typical side view mirrors? Sound options, material options etc.
The car is constructed using resin vacuum injection, probably UV cured. The reinforcing materials may include E-glass, Kevlar, hemp, and carbon fiber, depending on what properties are needed at a given location in the vehicle. The batteries will be a structural component. There are four main body parts that can each be carried by two people and are self locating when they are fit together. The labor and tooling cost savings are part of the revolutionary nature of the car. No capital intensive gigapress needed.
They will be forced to attend to reliability, durability and construction (plus a lot of other questions) if they ever begin producing them and selling them. Just, things they never thought of or ideas they wanted to introduce (such as the wide front wheel track) which will certainly create problems for end users. Tesla has demonstrated this in several ways such as door handles failing or being hard to understand, rear bumper coming off in puddles, rain-sensing wipers taking years to work properly, touch-screen failures, memory chip failure. Introducing new ideas is bound to make it less reliable and more difficult to repair. One of the most difficult ideas Tesla tried to introduce was having no dealerships, then having no sales staff able to deal with Model 3 sales at the much-larger sales numbers than the Model S had. They were lucky to avoid disaster there.
@@ThoughtfulAl You are absolutely correct. Chris Anthony of Aptera has publicly said that they expect to experience the same kind of 'production hell' that Tesla did, and will have to be prepared to work through it. At least they are dealing with a far lower parts count and far less expensive tooling.
I want to start by saying that as an aerospace engineer & a pilot, I love the concept and i am very interested. Looking forward to try it. When comparing numbers, one must however be fair and compare apples to apples, i.e. consumption: no one would ever compare the fuel consumption of a 2 seats Miata to a 5 seat SUV without any notion of scale. It is expected that a two seater would use 1/2 less energy that a 5 pax car. What would be the numbers for a 4 or a 5 pax Aptera? I am also curious about looking at the whole picture: what about crash safety?, Will be certified as a '''motorcycle'' (like Campagna T-Rex) or a car?, how does it handles in the snow? (Can it go?, Does it compare to the Nobe)?
We won't know the numbers for the planned 5 passenger Aptera for quite a while yet. As far as crash safety, the present Aptera has been designed to excel on the standard automotive crash tests, and will be tested to those standards and the results published before production begins. Since this adds considerable cost to the vehicle and some risk to the company if the results happened to be poorer than expected, this is a big statement. As far as performance in snow, the AWD version, at least, is likely to be very good with snow tires, due in part to traction control superior to any ICE vehicle. We will have a lot more data on this when it is tested at the Elaphe cold weather test track next year. The Nobe is an interesting vehicle, especially for local driving. It will not have the same safety or long legs that the Aptera has.
@@n.brucenelson5920 A question was previously asked about the crash test dummy results. This was Aptera's answer: - "We went through full FMVSS testing years ago and did very well with the highest roof crush strength of ANY passenger car on the road. But we must now perform all those tests again."
@@theodorehaskins3756 It depends on buying and maintenance cost vs small fuell vehicle. Also, where I live, I would probably get no more than 10% of sun energy compared to california.....
@@goshky Well everything depends on something my friend! What I’m saying is you don’t have to imagine not going to a gas station, as that possibility already exists! So I don’t go to a gas station, except if I want to put gas in my ICE car! My other car is a Tesla Model 3 & except for going to a Tesla Super charger located at a gas station I don’t go to a gas station! So since I don’t have the option of charging the Model 3 at home, because I live in an apartment complex & they don’t have charging stations at this time, I suspect in the future, that none of this will be an issue, because every convenient store, shopping mall & hotel will have their own bank of chargers & some already do! So I can see that future housing developments to include Apartment complexes like the one I live in, will have this as part of their amenities, as more & more people will be driving EV’s versus ICE cars!
This also presents an opportunity for your employers to turn their sprawling carparks into a solar park, gives the driver better opportunity for a parking space contributing a positive impact to their transport plan with so very little effort, increasing their profitability by happenstance becoming part of the virtual grid. love it
I want it in Europe. Please. I will drive it in Germany for multiple hours at a time. If it is comfortable, this will be ideal vehicle for my work travel.
As a car in eu, us etc, it won't pass any safety standard, already regular cars are made assuming the driver will have a certain irresponsibility and add allot of steel to compensate, that imply efficiency loose, big ones... that efficient car do not offer any safety when is going on same street with big vehicles whose weight is measured in tons so require a separate infrastructure or a huge change in all vehicles on the street which is too much of a change to be possible. Hope it may be in motorcycle because assume you to be more responsible individually but since cars are pushed to AI drive... soon motorcycles may be called too dangerous and totally eliminated...
I have the 400 mile range model on order. With our Sunny days here in tge Phoenix area I will be able to go forever without plughing in. The 700 watt rear window will give mex30 to 50 mikes a day.
There is a great little start up in Germany doing a super mini car made of plastic that uses the same solar idea. The Aptera is way ahead of it though, but their car looks like a regular car which might help it in the short term.
I'm investing on next round held in February. Now that it seem obvious, that Aptera is allowed by Tesla to use their Supercharger network, wouldn't it be cool for them to license 4680-battery architecture to Aptera as well?
While this "may" happen, I don't see it as obvious. However, we know that the Aptera founders are reaching out to the entire community of EV companies to leverage the best technology available. It wouldn't be out of character for either one of these to happen. I was lucky enough to get an investment in in the last round and one of the first preorders. I have been working for decades to further environmental healing, and this is one of the most fun ways to do it.
Petri Hietanen I just saw the Aptera CEO s blog and my first thought was God is this thing is so efficient and what if they used Elons 4680 battery technology they would make the car even lighter and even more efficient👍
I have been saying for years that it is stupid that electric vehicles didn't have solar panels covering their top surfaces. You figure when you get to work, you are normally parked in a sunny parking lot. In your driveway, normally parked in the sun. Go shopping, parked in the sun. Driving down the road, in the sun. Even if your not getting a full charge you can always be charging your batteries except at night of course!
The full solar model has the back window covered with solar cells and gives you 700 peak watts. You could run the A/C all day while parked without losing range. The climate control is spec'd to be operate from -20 to 125 F. The foam filled composite structure is far more insulative from both sound and heat than the usual steel and glass build.
I love all you showed and talked about. The Aptera is the future. If i would still stay in Europe i would buy one. But i am in Thailand and after building our house there is no money left now. Many regards from Rainer from Phitsanulok.
I am really rooting for their success. One thing I worry about, though, is what'll happen in crash tests with this thing. What happens when it gets rear ended, T-boned, etc.
@@Airbender24B I'm reading that Aptera is 1800lbs--would be one of the lightest cars on the road. Safety must be high priority, since less weight means that it sees a bigger change in momentum during accidents. Sorry for being a wet blanket?
I love the concept from Tesla, and now Aptera. For me, the reason that Tesla is so successful compared to other OEMs, and with a far more advanced EV technology is because the traditional OEMs have to deal with their legacy part bins. Tesla, and now Aptera, as well as other EV car companies, don't have that behind, and they are starting with a complete new sheet of paper approach without looking back at old technologies. I hope they are able to get this vehicle to the market soon. The association with Sandy Munro is a very big thing because Sandy knows a lot, and has a lot of contacts that will help here.
Ran onto a video where jay Leno tested one out. It was one of the first models. Cameras were pointed in several directions on the front. When the frontal cams shown the front fenders they vibrated and looked rather flimsy. Then again it was a beta test model. Main concerns, Being a composite main structure with the suspension sub assemblies attached to it, (Fact: It cannot dodge pot holes in ana instant) Will any stress fracturing take place at attachment points? Then U.V light exposure. How well will it hold up to U.V light ? Over all I believe it will make an excellent vehicle for many applications.
This car is even more interesting in countries with high electricity cost. If you drive a lot, this will save you a ton of money in electricity compared to "normal" electric cars.
This car is also very appealing in countries with poor charger network infrastructure, or even in the vast countrysides of the countries that do have vast charger networks. Because if you live out in the sticks, nobody is going to put a charging station out in the sticks. And that is where the solar panels come to the rescue.
@@henryhill3778 lol You just wrote that like QAnon. XD I'll just call it a vehicle. My main concern is that it is enclosed (which will keep me out of the elements and will be safer than a motorcycle) and also that it has wheels, which will take me from point A to point B. And that would make me very happy even if they decided to call it a cyclops. lawlz
When this car was shown on Leno's Garage (Paul Wilbur) way back in Jan 2013, I thought it was an interesting design. To go no where for so long is not a sign of success. So far this has been nothing but a bucket to throw money in with no hope of getting anything back. If these guys can bring this project back from the dead without $100sM in debt then they should win some huge at-a-boy award. Zac & Jesse seem like very sharp successful guys - there is hope. maybe?
Paul Wilbur decided he didn't want to build the model he showed Jay and won a board fight to eject the founders. He couldn't get a loan to design a new car and liquidated the company instead. The original founders bought the rights out of liquidation in 2019 after founding and taking a lithium battery company public. Jay Leno has already filmed an episode with one of the new prototypes, which will air soon.
Aptera Motors is very cool. Ford also got creative and took a risk on the Mustang Mach-E. It is not as efficient but more room and only a bit more expensive. Maybe Aptera will be in my future too.
@@mrodon9842 Arcimoto does not support 1000 mile between charge trips--either in the passenger comfort or energy density realms. I see Arcimoto has about a 100 mile range.
I have a peddle trike with an electric wheelchair motor. Works great. A 500 Honda twin motorcycle setup would be great. 70 mpg.personal transport. 15 gallon tank, open roads.
this video interview seems really weird. Like, the questions being asked were spliced into the conversation after the fact. Would be nice to just have an un-edited version of the conversation.
Was in on Aptera beta 2010, back on the RSVP and invested, this time it looks like it will become a reality! There's too much momentum this time. Go Aptera!!!
I'm from Jamaica and I'm following up with you and I love the design of the car if I have the money I would get one down here trust me it is great that's why I'm giving you my idea to color with the company car Lucy Your Design is a great engineer it will go on for a long time great I love it everything about it!
From the FAQ; The original model had the highest roof crush strength of ANY passenger car and passed all the FMVSS tests. The present model has a far better design and will be submitted for testing and the results published before shipping.
EXACTLY the solar materials charge the vehicle WHILE you are shopping...while you are parked in the parking lot at work...YES...I told Tesla to put solar panels on the vehicles 5 years AGO... ABOUT TIME... FREEDOM MATTERS ALWAYS...not being dependent on FOREIGN OIL ANYMORE
With 2021 all fuel types in germany went up by ~7ct/liter, thats about ~28ct/gallon! Im planning to order this in q3 of 2021 depending on registration and ev laws here in germany!
I am looking forward to order one as well! Living in Finland, not sure on how Aptera will be registered here thou...? Anyway Aptera is working on EU homologation, so keeping my fingers crossed.
WOW I did a project on the Aptera my senior year in high school! 😳 So glad to see it's back! I live in Daytona Beach Florida I want to be involved with this company so bad. I feel like it's my destiny at this point!
I really like this even being a truck driver from Texas. The reservations I have are that it only seats two people, crash safety concerns, and repairs -parts availability/local technical ability.
This isn't designed to be a mass market car. The parts count is far smaller than most vehicles, and with Right to Repair granted, there will be a large aftermarket developing. Aptera is targeting 24 hour turnaround for parts shipment.
@@darylturcott It will be safer than many cars on the road. About half a million cars sold in the US each year have no publicly available crash test information. With Aptera, safety has been as big a design focus as aerodynamics. It will be crash tested when production intent vehicles are available towards the end of the year and the results will be published. Here is a comment from the Aptera FAQ: We will not know Aptera's actual rating until we pass a production vehicle through the full safety test. But we are designing to exceed all passenger car standards and the previous version had the highest roof crush strength of all passenger cars on the road, and it performed exceedingly well in actual side and frontal crash tests. Aptera features a Formula One-inspired safety cell with advanced composites and metal structures for impact strength. Similar to aerospace and racing, these energy-absorbing methods are a core part of our safety strategy and have proven effective time and time again in high speed impacts.
As I said I guess I'm from Jamaica and your idea is a brilliant idea which solar panel on the car it's a great idea so no you must combine and collab with the next car company they call Lucy they have a great drive chain and a great idea also
You should have asked them about the supercharger network. If they talked to Tesla about using the supercharger network. I'd love to see another manufacturer use the supercharger network because it's better. (Obviously they would need to contribute something back in order to use it.)
Apparently they'd have to give up a lot to use the Supercharger network: www.roadandtrack.com/news/a35030461/why-other-car-companies-dont-use-tesla-superchargers/
@@kkobayashi1 I read the article. While it does state that using Tesla's patents could be legally problematic, it does not address the point of using their superchargers. Those are two different issues. I can see why Aptera didn't bother though. A level 2 or CCS DC charger can probably add as much range as quickly as a supercharger because the Aptera vehicles are so efficient. But I'd still like to see other adapt superchargers. It's much better than CCS.
@@kkobayashi1 Not just a patent. The Superchargers verify the car is allowed to use the network when you plug in. That isn't true for Tesla's AC Destination chargers, but those offer much less power. The Supercharger network is Tesla's biggest advantage over other EV manufacturers, so if they're going to let non-Teslas plug in, it's gonna be expensive.
What are the safety features? Air bags , roll over . Will they be subject to crash testing to be subject to road ability etc And by the safety commission? Just asking.
The Aptera is in a class that doesn't require crash testing. However, the design focus is on safety just as much as efficiency. It will have air bags, front and rear crumple zones, and an F1 style safety cage. It will be crash tested before shipping begins and will do very well.
I love the Aptera's looks and concept. I am however worried about their ability to deliver. 10,000 cars ordered or reserved for $100 deposit? How are they going to deliver? The base model at $25,900.00-$7,500.00 Government incentive is a no brainer..... Everyone should have one. But can they deliver?
@@gmy33 Yeah, the off-road package will definitely be needed on Pennsylvania highways. lol Reminds me of a friend of mine who was in the midst of explaining to me why they preferred to live in Pennsylvania than in New Jersey because in Pennsylvania they had lower taxes ... until they hit one of its many crater-sized potholes and it threw their car out of alignment and blew out the tyre. I replied to them: Well, that's how you pay your taxes there. XD
Good Question. The ABS/traction control is more advanced than any vehicle out there. I live in Iowa and will be reporting on my experience in snow with an early example.
Hahaha, nothing compares to the disappointment of seeing the C5, driven as it was by a washing machine motor assembled in a former Hoover factory no less. Sinclair was hype far beyond the actual product. Aptera on the other hand is a game-changer and potentially life changing for many people. Without great economies of scale you can pick one up for $25k, imagine if they could churn these out with greater scales of economy?
Beautiful car. I do wish they would make a 4 wheel variant for just that much more stability. Yes, a small energy efficiency loss would be incurred. Sure is a beautiful design, very appealing. Aero and beauty..
Beautiful and sleek for sure. It manages to achieve this by not being a car. It can only seat 2 people and has only 3 wheels. I would love to see what the designers can come up with when they attempt to design their first car. I presume they will not attempt car design unless they can achieve success with this 3-wheeler project. Not sure what they would consider a success...but it has an awful long way to go yet
Jennifer WhiteWolf: This isn't the reliant Robin that you saw Mr Bean tipping over. The two wheels up front, one at the back is as stable as a 4 wheel vehicle. Except in reverse. When you're going slowly anyway.
I built a solar powered pickup truck (UMaine Solar Black Bear, Chevy S10) in 1999, ran it until 2006 going 25,000 miles on sunshine alone, about 15 miles of free driving per day. This was in Orono/Old Town Maine, driving it mostly between April and November. It could easily do highway speeds, could carry a 1000 lb load, 0 - 60 in 5 seconds, 100 mile range, had a carpenter’s rack with a 1.1 KW array, 1800 lb of lead acid batteries, total cost about $15,000.
Would you build for others?
@@jonburger1739 I wish I had time to build for others, but no, I hardly have time to build for myself these days. I have thought that I should offer a hand to Aptera after I retire from teaching at the university next summer though.
@@paulvansteenberghe4644Paul your comment caught my eyes. I’m working on solar vehicles in my yard and would really love to pick your brain !
I’m glad aptera came back, I love the design, I was an instant fan back then
And now it's like 100X better!
Me too !!
I was so bummed out that they didn’t get going .
Me too
the one thing you guys skipped is the point of the Right to Repair, this is my main issue with any new techonlogy like tesla who basically but a lock on that just denying a major part of the consumers
I just watched another video where they said they support right to repair for the customer.
@@Mark_Young05 What exactly does "right to repair mean"?
@@fanfare100 It means you have a right to repair anything you buy and companies (looking at you Tesla and Apple) can't legally block you or repair shops or force you to only get a repair at their shops. Phones with locked in batteries are purely there to get you to buy a new phone every year or two and are one of the huge complaints for right to repair. I have a cell phone I have had for 4 years and it still works, on third battery and will keep it forever. Even bought two spares just in case until companies realize that having forced obsolescence built into their products means no one will ever buy them again. It is up to the consumer to put pressure on and boycott companies that do this kind of crap and support the ones that support right to repair.
@@damaliamarsi2006 Wow! Thank you Damalia. Awesome explanation!
@@fanfare100 this is what really originally made cars available to the majority over a century ago: the 2nd-hand market. Tesla's actions against the right to repair have severely limited this
In my lifetime, I have not heard a more transparent, altruistic view of what a company should focus on. Wonderful show guys thanks.🙏🏻❤️
🥰😍
We need more entrepreneurs like these guys at Aptera. There are far too many companies, out to just make money, very few who actually want to help the "ordinary" person...
When can I buy some shares in their company ?
You can buy SAFEs at Wefunder/Aptera when the next round goes live in February. The last round was more than 6 times oversubscribed, so sign up for an email notification and act fast when it happens.
Well I’m sold. I already reserved one of these, the 400 mile range one, and opened a we-fund account in preparation before watching this. Thanks guys for this. Can’t wait to drive one of these.
What I love about this car is the way it looks like it could take off and fly. It looks like something straight out of Blade Runner.
Now we need REPLICANT Testing
with a strong gust of wind I'm sure that dream could become a reality :P
@@chrishayes5755 we hope the body is a up side down lifting body / wing
Maybe it can be made to fly
Kewlness factor !!... Self charging in a Florida parking lot is more kewlness
This is the way to go. I just got a Hyundai Ioniq #windknife and now I really understand what efficiency means, the battery is smaller than my last electric car, but I get an extra 40 miles range, it charges twice as fast, goes much further but costs me less in electricity. You don't get faster charging by getting a bigger battery. You don't get greater efficiency by getting a bigger battery. Streamlining is the way to achieve what people want.
I tracked my fuel expense for two years - I was shocked I'd spent over $5000 !!!
My ML320 costs up to 155p a mile if I do a low mileage and 97p a mile for 2000 miles a year... Petrol alone is 30p a mile. I'd like an Aptera, but it needs at least 600 mile range. Ideally I would have an EV that was self charging....
It would actually be $4050 if you evaluated the cost according to the value of the dollar from the year you started. You have to take into account that the dollar is depreciating by 10% year over year on average due to government counterfeiting euphemistically called "stimulus" AKA "quantitative easing (QE)" AKA "Federal Reserve market operations" AKA "central bank bail outs" AKA "foreign aid"... etc.
@@EnFuegoDuo spot on a decade more of the same and my retirement all retirement with be zilch may have to work till 85
I think a solar roof /tent foldout when it is parked make the most sense since it has such small surface area.
Awesome company. Can't wait for the crowd funding round...
wefunder.com/aptera/about
@@JasonCarmichael The founder Chris said Feb 2021, I just checked and it was was this month SMH. Update: Something is wrong with the website, it does not display the correct close of previous funding round, it was Dec 2020.
@@cortezforever From the stuff i've heard, I don't expect production any sooner than the end of 2021. I hope this succeeds because consumers can't afford a 50-60k car.
@@Enonymouse_ I think they will succeed, Aptera have help from the best, I think the first cars will be Q2 2021, simplified body construction. I couldn't drive this car where I live but it makes financial sense. Check out the Ami and Sondors EV.
@@cortezforever I know about Sondors, they too haven't made it to production stage either. I've seen plenty of contenders come into the EV/LEV arena with talent pulled from every major player in the industry. So far, 99 percent of them have failed. I couldn't drive a Citroen Ami here, assuming i'd even fit inside one.
I like these guys and what they have created. After 35 years of consulting IP developers and scientists, I don't say that every day I assure you. 😊
I bought a 2015 Fiat 500e, and am very pleased. Fully charged, the range says 114 miles. I haven't got the battery down past 50% because I don't go very far. I'm an old retired guy and found the Fiat 500e to be a good fit for me. No gas fumes and I never worry about the price at the pump. Someone told me that the electricity coming from my plug to charge my car comes from fossil fuels, so it didn't matter if I'm not driving an ICE car. I countered with the fact that my state, New Mexico, is rapidly switching our electrical grid to solar and wind power. Maybe it is true that a percentage of the electricity for my car is generated by fossil fuels, but that percentage will get smaller as time goes by. Their anti-green argument may have been true in the past, but it is becoming less true all the time.
I am impressed by the Aptera. I like the idea of having solar panels embedded into the body of the car. It looks cool too!
Yeah, and this one can go up to a thousand miles on a charge! I love the Fiat 500 and the electric version must be awesome. I'm waiting for my new e208 from Peugeot right now. Can't wait. It can get around a 200 mile range. Aptera has blown the lid off the range capability.
@@alaneddy4575, I could have used 1000 miles before I retired. I had to travel all over the US. Now I seldom drive, and not far either. I'm done driving if I can help it. Good luck.
I've had my eye on tiny EV's. This looks pretty promising. I keep hearing promises, and it always seems out of reach. I hope you folks make this the greatest competitor on the planet. Good luck to these folks.
yes agree god bless
Your perception of cars being "tiny" is also a product of legacy cars being huge. I have just decided to downsize from a Peugeot 308 (about the size of a Golf GTi) to the e208 which is a size smaller as I actually find my current car too large. Sounds nuts, but if you live in the UK for awhile you get a different perspective on scale.
Nothing is guaranteed, but this is one of the more promising EV startups in my opinion. They have a clear vision and path to production.
@@alaneddy4575 Agreed. Most things are relative. I'm thinking more along the lines of my own needs. A one or two person vehicle is more compatible with my needs, and, even a motorcycle would be nice if it weren't a seasonal vehicle. And I prefer an enclosed compartment. Most vehicles are often four person occupancy, though. So, tiny did seem a good description. ^.=.^
@@meatisomalley I think so as well. I think they have such a good vision, I worry others may regard it as a threat. We really need such a vision.
This car makes me nuts! "I'm efficient and optimal" makes me moved more than "I love you"!
So to be clear. Aptera solar provides 40 miles range at an average speed of 24 mph. If you drive an average of 60 mph you will get about 7 miles range from solar.
The 1000 mile range also assumes an average speed of 24 mph.
You could make yourself a Solar panel trailer out of a composite of XPS foam + S-glass fiberglass or Balsa wood or Paulownia wood + S glass fiberglass, and make it super light and aerodynamic and radically increase your range. Actually, it would be so light that you would probably need a spoiler on the back to keep it down towards the ground. I would probably go the wood route, at least for the bottom, because then you could also use it as a light duty "regular" trailer to some extent as well. You could have the solar panels on a top panel that is the XPS foam + S fiberglass, and have a hinge towards the front (towards the car) so that you could turn it into a kind of quick and easy camper as well (with fabric sides and back) that velcro on, and use reinforced bamboo or carbon fiber poles to hold it up).
I could build the structure myself pretty easily, but I don't know much about electronics and hooking it up to the battery system would be my main challenge.
It already has up to 1000 mile range plus 30-40 miles a day on solar. It also has a great little zip in tent accessory so you already have a super long range camper built right in. I don't know if this vehicle can tow. You'd need to find that out as many electric cars have their power trains finely tuned so they cannot tow. My new Peugeot electric 208 can't tow for example.
@@alaneddy4575 That 30 to 40 mi a day on Solar is not for the huge majority of people. That's for people that live under ideal conditions such as relatively near the equator, primarily sunny climate, etc.
And battery wise, getting the thousand mi range puts it out of the affordable range of many people. Meanwhile, building such a trailer can be done for quite cheap, if one does it themselves. It would be so light weight, you wouldn't have to worry how finely tuned the power train is, no more than you would have to worry about having a passenger ride with you. Most of the weight would be in a combo of the solar panels and wheels.
@@justinw1765 I get that, but most people on average don't even drive that far per day. Personally I use my car every 2-3 days so even here in the UK I'd get a decent range and I can charge this in a regular household socket like my phone, soy you are not really stuck for charging options. Yes, the did state that you get that range in sunnier climates.
I don't think they put enough emphasis on the "nevercharge". This is a huge deal.
There isn't a lot of technical detail on their website, but I believe they are using silicon-based solar cells. They should consider offering a "premium solar" package with more high-tech cells in the future. Getting 25% additional charge from the sun would make an enormous difference to some customers.
current cells are 22-23% efficient. They are designed to be easily changed in case of damage or new technology.
@bec collmar any stolen Aptera will stand out in any community for a long time. Most thieves would not even be able to break in - and if the did somehow and could move it there is such a thing as insurance. This is not an argument against Aptera. Even if all the gas stations were closed due to a wide spread power failure, for instance, the full solar versions could still provide significant travel.
I was going to ask if the solar cells are monocrystalline or if the cells could be swapped out for newer, more efficient solar cells.
@@GinaKayLandis They are designed to be swappable. I believe the cells are monocrystalline silicon but I don't know for sure.
You can not get 25% more charge with solar cells because the toy is to small. That's why they don't put solar cells on a Tesla. The weight of the cells would cancel out the extra energy they would produce.
Great, really hope it makes it, since this is finally an ECar as it should be. Thumbs up.
It's not a car. It doesn't have to pass the safety tests of a car.
The Aptera was at the Museum of Science and Industry in CHICAGO and I thought it looked cool. It's bigger than you think. For the REFUNDABLE reservation , you can't beat it. I put a $1000 non REFUNDABLE on a E@#O. Count Me in on this Aptera.
Looking forward to hearing more on the Investor's Club channel.
Happy to see you back. I was excited years ago when I first saw your vehicle.
I have been watching Aptera since near day one of when you started and am happy to see you moving forward with it.
I definitely would buy one of these!! I live in Florida so sunlight is plentiful. ...as long as the A/C can keep up.
The climate control is designed to perform over a range of -20 to 125 F. we will see....
@@n.brucenelson5920 - The range of sun brightness would be more important than outside air temperature, IMHO.
Do you know where the second crowdfunding will take place and how one can be updated in order not to miss it? Is it going to be on WeFounder again? Is it sufficient to watch Aptera on that platform or follow Aptera on Twitter? Do you plan to post an update as soon as the coordinates gets clear on the DI channel?
Yes, it will be on Wefunder/Aptera, probably in February. Best to sign up for an email notification there for when it goes live. The last one was oversubscribed by over 6 times.
@@n.brucenelson5920 please notify me when crowd funding is open and or any other stock offering.
I watch this video 3 Times. Went to the site and I am sold. An electric T-Rex😊. 👍🏾 well done aptera. Dido to the previous comment.... I am in.
I saw these cars 10 years ago and they were going to get 300 mpg as gas/electrics. The genius behind them is the design, they took the aerodynamics of an aircraft and incorporated it into a car. As was stated, a large percentage of energy used in cars is the wind drag. Simply outstanding American ingenuity in my opinion.
Ya, and how many did they make before they went out of business ?. Because they didn't work as described. Promise me you will not put that gun to your head after purchase.
Agreed. This is hands down the most advanced electric car ever built. The wind drag of the whole vehicle is less than the windshield wipers on a regular pickup truck.
Thank you for the interview but I hoped for a question regarding service and maintenance because we all know how challenging that could be!
Your points about BMW, I think, perhaps they should have gone back to the future and re-visited the Isetta or even the messerschmitt... maybe then the i3 would have looked something like the Aptera.
That's taking First Principles all the way to a brand new home-run. All the best APTERA.
This is the perfect car for people that want to live off the grid. The car be charged with a wind turbine or solar panels. Wow just wow
I live in Arizona, how is the Air conditioning in these things?
I remember wanting one of these 10 years ago, and I will be watching closely now, but good AC is an absolute must for me.
Excellent AC combined with first class body thermal insulation. With full solar, A/C can be left on to prevent the cab from heat soaking in the AZ sun without running the batteries down.
@@n.brucenelson5920 Thank you for the update; it sounds like you may have some unique insights on this. I certainly hope you are right. I would like to see a video showing evidence of a well working AC in the desert heat at some point.
@@damiangreen299 The design goal is for the Aptera climate systems to be effective from 120 to -20 F. These extremes will be tested when the beta vehicles are put through their test protocols.
The gamma builds will be much closer to production intent vehicles and some will be placed in the hands of independent reviewers for evaluation.
I have had some input to the Aptera engineering staff because I have considerable experience in EV air conditioning and other thermal design. I also designed and help build a samples freezer for the International Space Station.
What a great interview. Such dedicated and genuine guys. Thank you both for bringing your viewers such amazing content.
What a great interview. How about bringing your Aptera to our country here in the Philippines? I think it will sell here with a low price. Pls. Sell it in our country.
Now we getting somewhere now I can be happy towards where it's going, small car, fast, charge itself, lighweight, simple and modern.
How wonderful that these two guys are doing this work. It’s work for the good of the earth and mankind. I fancy nikola is smiling from heaven.
Then you put some more solar panels on the doors and when you park it you leave the doors open. Maybe have a rain sensor that shuts them in case it starts raining.
I'm a survivor of a motorcycle crash and knowing its official classification is a motorcycle, that I do not need an endorsement for, if I understand correctly, my largest concern is safety and that is something that I have yet to hear anything about. Any info not shared so far? Thanks guys! Might look forward to crowd funding this.
My thoughts exactly. Looks like a death trap
The original Aptera had the highest roof crush rating of any car on the road when they tested it, and performed very well in side and frontal impacts as well. It’s design is very similar to the monocoque layouts F1 cars use, so this result makes sense. They intend to have it fully airbagged and tested to car standards.
@@Rhynri thats great news Rhynri, thank you! I look forward to further testing results.
Can we get a followup interview going? It would be really interesting to get a long interview what's currently going on with the company with potentials, like it being by far the most efficient EV designed, along with downsides, like it being a three-wheeled vehicle not qualifying for the $7,500 IRA tax credit.
Mechanical safety - where does the Aptera vehicle stand regarding crash testing. Aerodynamic shape and impact protection, in all areas, seems to be at odds with this design . . .
As a motorcycle enthusiast, both two wheels and side cars, I have no issues with the design and thus the risks. Just wondering if this plays into the target market and demographics that is being contemplated.
From their web site: "We will not know Aptera's actual rating until we pass a production vehicle through the full safety test. But we are designing to exceed all passenger car standards and the previous version had the highest roof crush strength of all passenger cars on the road, and it performed exceedingly well in actual side and frontal crash tests. Aptera features a Formula One-inspired safety cell with advanced composites and metal structures for impact strength. Similar to aerospace and racing, these energy-absorbing methods are a core part of our safety strategy and have proven effective time and time again in high speed impacts. Aptera also makes use of today’s best forward and side airbag systems in case of an accident."
Lol Sure they have to say Something Like this....
Lets See the Crash tests once they are done in some years or month.
I cant Imagine that this is supposed to be safer then a Car or similar safe
captainwho R, most makers of 3 wheel cars can't say this. Do you really think Polaris or Arcimoto made any attempt to meet automotive safety standards? Or do any crash testing?
The Aptera is great for someone who only need 2 seats, the Lightyear One is also solar electric and has 5 seats. These are 2 ground vehicles that are changing how people think.
Question 1. How much?
Question 2. How far can it go?
Question 3. At what speed?
I worry that this thing (that looks exactly like those old solar racers….) would completely disintegrate in a car accident. Lightweight with wheels that look like they’d just snap off… I’m envisioning this thing at best skittering around on the highway like a soccer ball after the first crash…
Kind of wish I had invested in the first round of funding. Thought it was too risky but I'm starting to hear more praise and hype for this car. Would love to buy one if I can save the money in the near future.
lol
Would have liked to hear more about the interior fit and finish. How do you see oncoming traffic? Is it an interior screen projection versus typical side view mirrors? Sound options, material options etc.
A lot of focus on efficiency, technology and environment. Would like to see more on reliability, durabilty and construction.
The car is constructed using resin vacuum injection, probably UV cured. The reinforcing materials may include E-glass, Kevlar, hemp, and carbon fiber, depending on what properties are needed at a given location in the vehicle. The batteries will be a structural component. There are four main body parts that can each be carried by two people and are self locating when they are fit together. The labor and tooling cost savings are part of the revolutionary nature of the car. No capital intensive gigapress needed.
They will be forced to attend to reliability, durability and construction (plus a lot of other questions) if they ever begin producing them and selling them. Just, things they never thought of or ideas they wanted to introduce (such as the wide front wheel track) which will certainly create problems for end users.
Tesla has demonstrated this in several ways such as door handles failing or being hard to understand, rear bumper coming off in puddles, rain-sensing wipers taking years to work properly, touch-screen failures, memory chip failure. Introducing new ideas is bound to make it less reliable and more difficult to repair. One of the most difficult ideas Tesla tried to introduce was having no dealerships, then having no sales staff able to deal with Model 3 sales at the much-larger sales numbers than the Model S had. They were lucky to avoid disaster there.
@@ThoughtfulAl You are absolutely correct. Chris Anthony of Aptera has publicly said that they expect to experience the same kind of 'production hell' that Tesla did, and will have to be prepared to work through it. At least they are dealing with a far lower parts count and far less expensive tooling.
I dig this channel more than your main channel. I'll keep watching both. Thank you.
Cool car. It's good to see Steve & Chris and what they are doing.
wholy smoke.. im 10 min into the video.. n im fricking blown away!!! doubble frick!! fricking awsome!! both tumbs up!!
I want to start by saying that as an aerospace engineer & a pilot, I love the concept and i am very interested. Looking forward to try it.
When comparing numbers, one must however be fair and compare apples to apples, i.e. consumption: no one would ever compare the fuel consumption of a 2 seats Miata to a 5 seat SUV without any notion of scale. It is expected that a two seater would use 1/2 less energy that a 5 pax car. What would be the numbers for a 4 or a 5 pax Aptera?
I am also curious about looking at the whole picture: what about crash safety?, Will be certified as a '''motorcycle'' (like Campagna T-Rex) or a car?, how does it handles in the snow? (Can it go?, Does it compare to the Nobe)?
We won't know the numbers for the planned 5 passenger Aptera for quite a while yet. As far as crash safety, the present Aptera has been designed to excel on the standard automotive crash tests, and will be tested to those standards and the results published before production begins. Since this adds considerable cost to the vehicle and some risk to the company if the results happened to be poorer than expected, this is a big statement.
As far as performance in snow, the AWD version, at least, is likely to be very good with snow tires, due in part to traction control superior to any ICE vehicle. We will have a lot more data on this when it is tested at the Elaphe cold weather test track next year.
The Nobe is an interesting vehicle, especially for local driving. It will not have the same safety or long legs that the Aptera has.
@@n.brucenelson5920 A question was previously asked about the crash test dummy results. This was Aptera's answer: - "We went through full FMVSS testing years ago and did very well with the highest roof crush strength of ANY passenger car on the road. But we must now perform all those tests again."
Suppose you want to go camping in an Aptera. Is there room in the back to take a two-man tent, two sleeping bags, and cooking stuff?
Yes. They even have a factory camping option. The back is large enough for 2 7 ft people and a dog. I have preordered it.
imagine, going to your car and never going to a gas station, or as a small business using a vehicle in town or city and then think of the savings
Why imagine when you can actually have the real thing!
@@theodorehaskins3756 It depends on buying and maintenance cost vs small fuell vehicle.
Also, where I live, I would probably get no more than 10% of sun energy compared to california.....
@@goshky Well everything depends on something my friend! What I’m saying is you don’t have to imagine not going to a gas station, as that possibility already exists! So I don’t go to a gas station, except if I want to put gas in my ICE car! My other car is a Tesla Model 3 & except for going to a Tesla Super charger located at a gas station I don’t go to a gas station! So since I don’t have the option of charging the Model 3 at home, because I live in an apartment complex & they don’t have charging stations at this time, I suspect in the future, that none of this will be an issue, because every convenient store, shopping mall & hotel will have their own bank of chargers & some already do! So I can see that future housing developments to include Apartment complexes like the one I live in, will have this as part of their amenities, as more & more people will be driving EV’s versus ICE cars!
i ordered mine 2 wks ago.....YEAH !!!! 3/'21 EXPECT IT NTO BE READY 6 to 18 mos.. ...i am in no rush but eager i be.
This also presents an opportunity for your employers to turn their sprawling carparks into a solar park, gives the driver better opportunity for a parking space contributing a positive impact to their transport plan with so very little effort, increasing their profitability by happenstance becoming part of the virtual grid. love it
I'd love a second video when/of they hit OTC markets or the NYSE. Crowdfunding is rather elusive and expensive for me atm.
I want it in Europe. Please. I will drive it in Germany for multiple hours at a time. If it is comfortable, this will be ideal vehicle for my work travel.
There are German preorders and they have a German homologation expert working on certification issues.
Same here! Love to see Aptera in Europe as well. I think it will happen.
As a car in eu, us etc, it won't pass any safety standard, already regular cars are made assuming the driver will have a certain irresponsibility and add allot of steel to compensate, that imply efficiency loose, big ones... that efficient car do not offer any safety when is going on same street with big vehicles whose weight is measured in tons so require a separate infrastructure or a huge change in all vehicles on the street which is too much of a change to be possible. Hope it may be in motorcycle because assume you to be more responsible individually but since cars are pushed to AI drive... soon motorcycles may be called too dangerous and totally eliminated...
This car may or may not become popular, but the idea is a winner.
I have the 400 mile range model on order. With our Sunny days here in tge Phoenix area I will be able to go forever without plughing in. The 700 watt rear window will give mex30 to 50 mikes a day.
Bravo more than excellent move, my love of good weather and clean air thanks you
Great company, so glad someone came up with using solar for cars!
There is a great little start up in Germany doing a super mini car made of plastic that uses the same solar idea. The Aptera is way ahead of it though, but their car looks like a regular car which might help it in the short term.
I'm investing on next round held in February. Now that it seem obvious, that Aptera is allowed by Tesla to use their Supercharger network, wouldn't it be cool for them to license 4680-battery architecture to Aptera as well?
While this "may" happen, I don't see it as obvious. However, we know that the Aptera founders are reaching out to the entire community of EV companies to leverage the best technology available. It wouldn't be out of character for either one of these to happen. I was lucky enough to get an investment in in the last round and one of the first preorders.
I have been working for decades to further environmental healing, and this is one of the most fun ways to do it.
Petri Hietanen I just saw the Aptera CEO s blog and my first thought was God is this thing is so efficient and what if they used Elons 4680 battery technology they would make the car even lighter and even more efficient👍
@@iandawson9945 That would really be awesome. So who knows...
I have been saying for years that it is stupid that electric vehicles didn't have solar panels covering their top surfaces. You figure when you get to work, you are normally parked in a sunny parking lot. In your driveway, normally parked in the sun. Go shopping, parked in the sun. Driving down the road, in the sun. Even if your not getting a full charge you can always be charging your batteries except at night of course!
Great, but I'd FRY in this in Florida. If you replaced the back window with solar panels, that would be great!
The full solar model has the back window covered with solar cells and gives you 700 peak watts. You could run the A/C all day while parked without losing range. The climate control is spec'd to be operate from -20 to 125 F. The foam filled composite structure is far more insulative from both sound and heat than the usual steel and glass build.
I love all you showed and talked about. The Aptera is the future. If i would still stay in Europe i would buy one. But i am in Thailand and after building our house there is no money left now. Many regards from Rainer from Phitsanulok.
I am really rooting for their success. One thing I worry about, though, is what'll happen in crash tests with this thing. What happens when it gets rear ended, T-boned, etc.
It models very well, and we will have the actual test results shortly before production begins.
What happens to other vehicles when they get rear ended, t bones, etc?
@@Airbender24B I'm reading that Aptera is 1800lbs--would be one of the lightest cars on the road. Safety must be high priority, since less weight means that it sees a bigger change in momentum during accidents. Sorry for being a wet blanket?
@@ehhhhhhhhhh even worse for motorcycles.
@@Airbender24B Yes, precisely.
You guys are the best interviewers ever!
I love it. I have a Tesla cyber truck and an Aptrera ordered.
Me too
WHEN AMERICANS INNOVATE, THEY ARE AMAZING!!! BRAVO!!!
I love the concept from Tesla, and now Aptera. For me, the reason that Tesla is so successful compared to other OEMs, and with a far more advanced EV technology is because the traditional OEMs have to deal with their legacy part bins. Tesla, and now Aptera, as well as other EV car companies, don't have that behind, and they are starting with a complete new sheet of paper approach without looking back at old technologies. I hope they are able to get this vehicle to the market soon. The association with Sandy Munro is a very big thing because Sandy knows a lot, and has a lot of contacts that will help here.
You can not compare this toy to a Tesla.
Ran onto a video where jay Leno tested one out. It was one of the first models. Cameras were pointed in several directions on the front. When the frontal cams shown the front fenders they vibrated and looked rather flimsy. Then again it was a beta test model. Main concerns, Being a composite main structure with the suspension sub assemblies attached to it, (Fact: It cannot dodge pot holes in ana instant) Will any stress fracturing take place at attachment points? Then U.V light exposure. How well will it hold up to U.V light ? Over all I believe it will make an excellent vehicle for many applications.
The vehicle Jay Leno drove was an alpha model. Both the fenders and the attachment points were completely redesigned for the beta.
This car is even more interesting in countries with high electricity cost.
If you drive a lot, this will save you a ton of money in electricity compared to "normal" electric cars.
This car is also very appealing in countries with poor charger network infrastructure, or even in the vast countrysides of the countries that do have vast charger networks. Because if you live out in the sticks, nobody is going to put a charging station out in the sticks. And that is where the solar panels come to the rescue.
"THIS" is NOT a Car1 iT'S A mOTORCYCLE! WAKE UP.
@@henryhill3778 so what if it is a motorcycle to you? It's gonna be safer than most cars I've driven in the past, good enough for me.
@@henryhill3778 lol You just wrote that like QAnon. XD I'll just call it a vehicle. My main concern is that it is enclosed (which will keep me out of the elements and will be safer than a motorcycle) and also that it has wheels, which will take me from point A to point B. And that would make me very happy even if they decided to call it a cyclops. lawlz
@@henryhill3778 It’s not a motorcycle. It’s an autocycle. Most states with motorcycle helmet laws will not require helmets in this vehicle.
When this car was shown on Leno's Garage (Paul Wilbur) way back in Jan 2013, I thought it was an interesting design. To go no where for so long is not a sign of success. So far this has been nothing but a bucket to throw money in with no hope of getting anything back. If these guys can bring this project back from the dead without $100sM in debt then they should win some huge at-a-boy award. Zac & Jesse seem like very sharp successful guys - there is hope. maybe?
Paul Wilbur decided he didn't want to build the model he showed Jay and won a board fight to eject the founders. He couldn't get a loan to design a new car and liquidated the company instead. The original founders bought the rights out of liquidation in 2019 after founding and taking a lithium battery company public.
Jay Leno has already filmed an episode with one of the new prototypes, which will air soon.
I’m sold on the look alone😎
Aptera Motors is very cool. Ford also got creative and took a risk on the Mustang Mach-E. It is not as efficient but more room and only a bit more expensive. Maybe Aptera will be in my future too.
Excellent episode! Glad they’re back at it after 10 years, we’ve been waiting.
ITS Just a Hype Like 10 years ago. You will see. Arcimoto ist a way better Option.
@@mrodon9842 Arcimoto does not support 1000 mile between charge trips--either in the passenger comfort or energy density realms. I see Arcimoto has about a 100 mile range.
I have a peddle trike with an electric wheelchair motor. Works great. A 500 Honda twin motorcycle setup would be great. 70 mpg.personal transport. 15 gallon tank, open roads.
this video interview seems really weird. Like, the questions being asked were spliced into the conversation after the fact. Would be nice to just have an un-edited version of the conversation.
also the website is very similar to elio motors website
28:28 yes excess of resource use is what put us in this situation with climate change, every industry needs to start thinking different
Was in on Aptera beta 2010, back on the RSVP and invested, this time it looks like it will become a reality! There's too much momentum this time. Go Aptera!!!
Not as long as the government stands in your way. No way are they going to allow this car to interfere with them collecting those taxes per gallon
i have preordered and invested. i have little doubt at this point. They have signed a letter of intent for the factory space and things are moving.
Around 10 years ago they took over the old GM building in Shreveport,La! I remember while hiring the company skip town!
Elio Motors
This has to be the future of EVs. Never thought about main brand manufacturers being unable to change their image. Will the oil companies destroy you?
I'm from Jamaica and I'm following up with you and I love the design of the car if I have the money I would get one down here trust me it is great that's why I'm giving you my idea to color with the company car Lucy Your Design is a great engineer it will go on for a long time great I love it everything about it!
Fascinating company and car. Jesse, twice you referred to the car as a Paradigm, is that the model name?
The first limited edition models were called Paradigm and Paradigm +. They have sold out, and probably won't be offered again.
Not a car though.
What about the vehicle safety ratings? Can it pass all road safety requirements? No one asked any questions on that
From the FAQ; The original model had the highest roof crush strength of ANY passenger car and passed all the FMVSS tests.
The present model has a far better design and will be submitted for testing and the results published before shipping.
Whao, I love what you guys have done design wise and aerodynamically it creates a great desire to get into it go on long journey ❣️
What protects the solar panels? Can they be damaged by water, dirt, rocks, etc?
They are covered with a protective coating. There are some details in the patent filings, but obviously not detail protected by trade secret.
imagine solid state batteries. you could put in one module instead of four or use four and have 2000+ (3000?) miles of range. wow
And even faster charging and a smaller battery cooling system.
EXACTLY the solar materials charge the vehicle WHILE you are shopping...while you are parked in the parking lot at work...YES...I told Tesla to put solar panels on the vehicles 5 years AGO... ABOUT TIME... FREEDOM MATTERS ALWAYS...not being dependent on FOREIGN OIL ANYMORE
With 2021 all fuel types in germany went up by ~7ct/liter, thats about ~28ct/gallon! Im planning to order this in q3 of 2021 depending on registration and ev laws here in germany!
I am looking forward to order one as well! Living in Finland, not sure on how Aptera will be registered here thou...? Anyway Aptera is working on EU homologation, so keeping my fingers crossed.
@@petrihietanen1102 Great place to be - please vlog if you get one so the world can see the truth of the thing, sure it will be awsome
WOW I did a project on the Aptera my senior year in high school! 😳 So glad to see it's back! I live in Daytona Beach Florida I want to be involved with this company so bad. I feel like it's my destiny at this point!
I really like this even being a truck driver from Texas. The reservations I have are that it only seats two people, crash safety concerns, and repairs -parts availability/local technical ability.
This isn't designed to be a mass market car. The parts count is far smaller than most vehicles, and with Right to Repair granted, there will be a large aftermarket developing. Aptera is targeting 24 hour turnaround for parts shipment.
With 3 wheels it will be exempt from many safety regulations
@@darylturcott It will be safer than many cars on the road. About half a million cars sold in the US each year have no publicly available crash test information. With Aptera, safety has been as big a design focus as aerodynamics. It will be crash tested when production intent vehicles are available towards the end of the year and the results will be published. Here is a comment from the Aptera FAQ:
We will not know Aptera's actual rating until we pass a production vehicle through the full safety test. But we are designing to exceed all passenger car standards and the previous version had the highest roof crush strength of all passenger cars on the road, and it performed exceedingly well in actual side and frontal crash tests. Aptera features a Formula One-inspired safety cell with advanced composites and metal structures for impact strength. Similar to aerospace and racing, these energy-absorbing methods are a core part of our safety strategy and have proven effective time and time again in high speed impacts.
As I said I guess I'm from Jamaica and your idea is a brilliant idea which solar panel on the car it's a great idea so no you must combine and collab with the next car company they call Lucy they have a great drive chain and a great idea also
You should have asked them about the supercharger network. If they talked to Tesla about using the supercharger network. I'd love to see another manufacturer use the supercharger network because it's better. (Obviously they would need to contribute something back in order to use it.)
Apparently they'd have to give up a lot to use the Supercharger network: www.roadandtrack.com/news/a35030461/why-other-car-companies-dont-use-tesla-superchargers/
@@kkobayashi1 I read the article. While it does state that using Tesla's patents could be legally problematic, it does not address the point of using their superchargers. Those are two different issues. I can see why Aptera didn't bother though. A level 2 or CCS DC charger can probably add as much range as quickly as a supercharger because the Aptera vehicles are so efficient. But I'd still like to see other adapt superchargers. It's much better than CCS.
@@rolla2035 , the Supercharger design is patented by Tesla. Designing a car to use the Supercharger network means using a Tesla patent.
@@kkobayashi1 Not just a patent. The Superchargers verify the car is allowed to use the network when you plug in. That isn't true for Tesla's AC Destination chargers, but those offer much less power. The Supercharger network is Tesla's biggest advantage over other EV manufacturers, so if they're going to let non-Teslas plug in, it's gonna be expensive.
What are the safety features? Air bags , roll over . Will they be subject to crash testing to be subject to road ability etc And by the safety commission? Just asking.
The Aptera is in a class that doesn't require crash testing. However, the design focus is on safety just as much as efficiency. It will have air bags, front and rear crumple zones, and an F1 style safety cage. It will be crash tested before shipping begins and will do very well.
I plan to get one. It's very reasonable price.
It is amazingly priced in my opinion
It's practically free at this price.
I love the Aptera's looks and concept. I am however worried about their ability to deliver. 10,000 cars ordered or reserved for $100 deposit? How are they going to deliver? The base model at $25,900.00-$7,500.00 Government incentive is a no brainer..... Everyone should have one. But can they deliver?
As of the beginning of September over 30,000 pre-orders. One is mine.
Potholes will quickly crack those wheel covers, there to low to the road. I would like to see a real road test with potholes.
Lol I'm also curious I wanna see them test it
fascinating love your line of thinking curious now as well. simple question that anyone can forget when designing something.
we ll see .. jay leno was right when he said ..because of 3 wheel configuration ..you get every pothole some where
they have an offroad version ... with adapted covers already ..
@@gmy33 Yeah, the off-road package will definitely be needed on Pennsylvania highways. lol
Reminds me of a friend of mine who was in the midst of explaining to me why they preferred to live in Pennsylvania than in New Jersey because in Pennsylvania they had lower taxes ... until they hit one of its many crater-sized potholes and it threw their car out of alignment and blew out the tyre. I replied to them: Well, that's how you pay your taxes there. XD
How does this vehicle handle snow? Some winters can get rough here and I can't imagine this handling well in snow.
Good Question. The ABS/traction control is more advanced than any vehicle out there. I live in Iowa and will be reporting on my experience in snow with an early example.
Reminiscent of the Sinclair C5, hope this one has more success
Hahaha, nothing compares to the disappointment of seeing the C5, driven as it was by a washing machine motor assembled in a former Hoover factory no less. Sinclair was hype far beyond the actual product. Aptera on the other hand is a game-changer and potentially life changing for many people.
Without great economies of scale you can pick one up for $25k, imagine if they could churn these out with greater scales of economy?
I love it especially the tent feature. I’d live in it and do Uber Eats deliveries in it with a mattress in the back. I’d have it made!
U could also be a paid lover too?
You have to be impressed that they picked up the same name....think that takes courage.
Wow, the backstory ties it all together for me. I thought I remembered this company.
Amazing! Can these guys get us off the electric grid?
lol wut? Those batteries would be able to power AC if its hot. Maybe.
@@hagestad some of the replies further up state that the AC is more than good enough
Beautiful car. I do wish they would make a 4 wheel variant for just that much more stability. Yes, a small energy efficiency loss would be incurred. Sure is a beautiful design, very appealing. Aero and beauty..
Beautiful and sleek for sure. It manages to achieve this by not being a car. It can only seat 2 people and has only 3 wheels. I would love to see what the designers can come up with when they attempt to design their first car. I presume they will not attempt car design unless they can achieve success with this 3-wheeler project. Not sure what they would consider a success...but it has an awful long way to go yet
Jennifer WhiteWolf: This isn't the reliant Robin that you saw Mr Bean tipping over.
The two wheels up front, one at the back is as stable as a 4 wheel vehicle. Except in reverse. When you're going slowly anyway.