YES, I would go for and have ordered the 250 mile Aptera last August. A 220 mile would still be OK if the price is lower. I'm retired and live in the high desert. A 50 mile sun charge per day sounds even better.😎
Sodium or LFP based Aptera revision (maybe 1-2 years after start of production) would be amazing. Cheaper to make and still crazy efficient (about 2-3% less) than NCM and will last forever.
@@a5-30-31cts For me Aptera is a sports car and the smaller pack will not be powerful enough to feed the motors fully (even with FWD). This will likely mean way worse acceleration for the 250 mile unless they use more specialized cells. With a 45KWH pack a C rate of 2-3 can drive the motors at full power (generally for brief periods). 240wh/kg LFMP could theoretically be in the 800+ mile range which is massive overkill if sized the same (volume/weight) as the 1000 mile (even more overkill) with NMC. FYI: The model s plaid uses cells with an insane 7-8 c rate discharge rate peak.
Aptera's amazing efficiency will be in a league of its own, and it's just one of the things we love about the vehicle and the company! Loved your interview with Chris Anthony, and we appreciate you circling around to emphasize this point with it's own video. We went with the 400 mile range battery pack because we have longer distances to regularly travel, and the Aptera will be our daily driver when it arrives.
The biggest reason for me to want a high mileage version is winter driving. With less solar the longer range will help going longer between charges getting the maximum miles driven between charging. But because I want an Aptera ASAP the Launch Edition is the one I am going for.
@@Fairburne69 We need to be able to cover winter driving as well, southern Wisconsin gets hit pretty hard. We also switched to the Launch Edition for the same reasons.
Adding the option of easily removable packs would eliminate angst about the range-efficiency trade-off. For daily commuting use a 100 km pack and get great efficiency and acceleration. Rent several more packs for a long road trip.
At 70 years old, having owned well over 100 cars from 69 z28 camero to Datsun Z cars, to the original vw bug, pickup trucks, van and minivans. I have never been more in love with a car. Just as I am aging out of driving.
I crashed my car and had to buy a new one, down over $10k from where I was really wishing I was closer to affording an Aptera right about now, but I've got time... when it snows, slow the f down
I feel like the promotional videos don't really convey how big this thing is. The cargo space is 7 feet long, you can easily fit 2 adults without folding down the seats
Since I have 8.5kWh panels on my home plugging into the 110 outlet is a no-brainer, I have ordered the 250-mile range with the only add-on being the front solar. I am retired in Wyoming with close to 300 days of sun per year, I rarely leave town and then no more than a 150-mile round trip so the Aptera is perfect.🤠
I love the Aptera. It's really the only car I would buy anymore. I'm getting about 42 watt hours per mile efficiency on my electric unicycle. It goes 80 miles @ 30ish mph and I weigh 230lbs with gear. 3400wh battery, 2600w motor, tons of torque, $5 to refill on domestic power. Weighs 90 lbs and fits under my desk or between my legs on the bus or train. No parking, no registration, traverses parks, lawns, trails, roads, paths, beaches, hills, curbs, snow, mud, rain, dirt, gravel, under / over fences. #veteransherman #euc #pev
Aptera is a no brainer for me in Mesa AZ. It fits this way: Walking is for going less than a block or for exercise. Tern electric dual battery cargo bike gets me 1 mile to grocery store, 2 miles to the gym or longer for exercise and fun. Honda PCX scooter gets me to the 10 mile solo trips at 100mpg, so now I can get to Costco, the bakery and other places. Rav4 at 25 mpg can pick up people from the airport and get us on day trips to Flagstaff and the like. Dodge 2500 diesel with Lance 650 camper gets us very long trips and I have 3 different trailers to pull behind for versatility. Sports car and Suzuki Samurai for car shows and fun trips. Only thing missing is an Aptera: - less trips in RAV4 - tow behind Ram and Lance on an aluminum trailer so diesel fuel is only needed to get from A to B and then all the exploring around point B is free (no diesel fuel spent) - car shows until many people have them - replace scooter trips when it’s hot outside - less maintenance on my other vehicles as I replace their use - super cheap if I ever plug in at home because I have rooftop solar - free if I plug in at RV park when on trips - obviously drive less than 10,000 miles/year so I may never plug it in and it will last the remainder of my life - no brainer
Because the Aptera will have fast charging and solar power assist, lower battery capacity is fine. Efficiency is a virtuous circle: more efficiency means smaller batteries are needed for the same range, which leads to less mass, which leads to lower rolling resistance, which leads to even more efficiency.
You have some really good points. One of the reasons why I got my first (and second) plug-in hybrid was because the lease cost was the same as I had been paying for gasoline alone. The smaller battery pack Aptera definitely extends the advantages of a smaller pack size, weight, and cost. Realistically, I can easily cover my 65mi daily commute with an Aptera with 200 miles of total range. Especially considering that a sunny day will recharge more than half of my miles, and it would be easy to recoup the rest with a couple hour charge overnight. With that said, the 45kWh pack/400mi model only costs a few thousand more. And it will potentially have twice the range, which adds to the value for those times when I can only conveniently charge once a week, or it is really cold and I'm doing a lot of night driving over hills, or have some long trips. In other words 95% of the time, 200 miles of range is fine for me, but going with the added range is what I had chosen even before the Launch Edition included the bigger (45kWh) battery pack.
One other advantage to the onboard solar is the potential to eliminate range anxiety completely. If you are trying to find a charger and you arrive on electric fumes only to find the charger broken, you can stop, get some lunch, and wait for a few extra miles to appear. Then you can head to the next closest charger. If you have time, you have power. Drag along a 100 ft extension cord and you can plug in a lot more places.
I liked the gasoline Aptera. A release edition electric is on order. It seems to me that there is a net price point of 20k that others are touching for a 200 mile range car...or will soon reach. Aptera customers really need the federal purchase subsidy. Any all weather electric vehicle that can safely travel 60 mph with average or lower fatality rates and above average efficiency rates SHOULD be eligible. Efficiency has baked in impacts on everyone's health (death rates).
I reserved the 250 mile AWD model, but for reasons not commonly mentioned. The lighter battery pack, the heaviest component of an EV, will allow better handling and faster acceleration than heavier battery sizes. However, I want the 250 mile range for versatility, not a 200. Since costs are going up Aptera is probably considering a smaller battery to keep the base model at $26K. They will be competing with other low cost models that qualify for the $7500 tax rebate. That may not be an issue, since I recently discovered when trying to buy a Chevy Bolt that stealerships are now charging $3k - $7k OVER MSRP! Bolts are now selling at $32k to $39k, depending on model, and will be discontinued in November -- an end of life model.
My wife and I got to ride in the Luna alpha prototype in November of 2021, and the performance was insane for an "economy" car. We were planning on a 2WD model, but we have moved to Iowa, and switched to an LE edition since the AWD will be useful in the snow here (not to mention the fun of 4 second 0-60 times on occasion.)
180 miles and 40 miles a day from the sun would work for quite a bit of people, especially me. lately I don't drive that much as I use to. most of my driving is all city driving, which everything I do is within a 5 mile radius.
One of the groups you didn't mention is retirees. If I ever get mine, my Aptera will be my only, and likely my last vehicle. I don't have grandkids so a two seater works as my only vehicle. We like the idea of plenty of cargo room and especially a low entry price, low maintenance cost, and free "fuel."
Open disclosure; I’m currently in line (about 23kth) for the 400 mile, all-solar, all-wheel, Launch Edition (LE) trim- which is *almost identical to the same specs I chose before the LE was announced. *(I had a different interior picked but didn’t hate the rose gold enough if it meant keeping my place in line- possibly even sliding up a few slots. }:-) But after watching your post, you make such a an amazing case for the “less-gives-you-way-more” scenario, coupled w/… ~ I’ve worked from home since ‘98 ~ we put less than 10k miles on both cars combined per yr. ~ we drive well under the 40 miles per day ~ we live in less than sunny central Indiana ~ it’s just the 2 of us now that we’re empty-nesters. That I’m actually torn now between the smaller, most economical trim package and the LE. Well done Drew. Mission accomplished. The biggest factor tipping the scales away from this incredibly well made case you’ve presented is the final bullet point above; our being empty nesters. As such, we’re definitely are hitting the road more. And road-tripping in an #Aptera seems like it would be a total blast! If that’s the case, then wouldn’t the max 1k battery trim be better for such situations? Indeed it would. We could cover a lot of ground in 500 mile radius. Go out and back, and let it recharge itself once we returned home until our next road trip. If we remained a 2 car family I could almost see where owing the lowest range #Aptera for our daily drive as you so nicely argued for, AND also a 2nd max-range #Aptera for those extended weekend road-trips being the ideal combinations. This is where the suggestion/talk/request by some for a “swappable”battery larger battery pack (even if it could be rented) for those rare but extended longer trips would be the best of both worlds. I totally understand that it’s not that simple as swap-and-drive; the structural design for a battery pack 4x heavier is different enough that you’re talking different battery pans to say the least. Which is why #Aptera Motors is simplifying its production w/ a single trim LE. That makes total sense. So until they roll out the first 2k Advanced Vehicles out the door, and then make their way towards whatever place in line I happen to hold w/the LE, it looks like I will have so time to wrestle w/ the decision of getting 1.) the middle of the road 490 mile LE trim sooner vs. waiting for the lower range, super-economical trim model later- and perhaps adding a 2nd max-range version of the #Aptera in the driveway much, much later. Hmm. Something worth considering for sure. Come on #Aptera Motors, we all need you cross that finish line so as to make these theoretical dilemmas a reality and we actually have to wrestle w/ deciding not if we get an #Aptera, but how many we should get. Wouldn’t that be nice?
As an investor and reservation holder, I need this company successful. During production ramp-up, Aperta needs higher profits to offset major expenses. Generally accepted business practice is to produce the lowest margin version LAST. My preference is the 600 or 1000 mi version produced second.
Now, the question is why and how are Aptera charging $27k for a car with a 25kWh battery pack, while Chevy Bolt 2023 has a 65 kWh battery and starts at $26,500?
Been on the waiting list since last summer. I opted for the 600mi range with AWD since I wanted zero range anxiety, the option to take it on road trips, and have some additional battery headroom since I live in the Midwest where we deal with snow and ice during the winter months
@@StraddleyourSuccess I think the answer to that would be no. I believe that aptera has said the 600mi and 1000mi version will require changes to the subframe and overall suspension geometry, so the 400mi version will likely have slightly different geometry and thus be unable to be switched to a higher capacity version. Though that may be possible if you get the 250 mi version since the overall frame and structure for the 250 and 400 mi version are identical. tldr: may be possible to swap to a larger pack starting at the 250mi version up to the 400mi version, but not likely possible going from there.
Also, an advantage of the cheapest one is battery replacement cost. That battery won't last forever. An 18 KW battery will cost a fraction of what a Tesla battery will cost to replace. I think the longer range models make sense for someone who is able to use it as their only vehicle. Short range best for a commuter.
Chris Anthony's company Flux Power uses LFP batteries, so he is as familiar with what they can do as anyone. LFPs have issues in the cold, such as Iowa, where i live. I think they made the correct choice for the time being.
DUDE!!! I’ve been saying the EXACT same thing! I’m calling it the efficiency tweaked Aptera. With a lighter battery, FWD instead of AWD, motor timing optimized for lower power consumption, I’m quite confident they could get the consumption down to 85whr/mile , a 18kw pack should be able to get a little over 200mi range with that. Seems hard to imagine, but the numbers add up! Who wouldn’t want 50mi solar range at a price tag of $23,000. I’m thinking that for sure I’d want one of these after my 400mi range launch edition. Aptera should seriously consider this as the next variant. You also made some good points about how much range even a public lvl2 charge would add, and 110 charging at home, not to mention the cost per mile would be INSANELY cheap! It’s the advantages of a virtuous efficiency cycle. Thanks for bringing this idea up to the general public, I think that the virtuous efficiency cycle is lost on most. Jerry& Helen M. Investors, ambassadors, accelerator investors, and hopefully future efficiency tweaked Aptera owners. For us personally we’d almost NEVER charge an Aptera like that. A true never charge vehicle. Aptera ,,,, ARE YOU Listening??? 😮
Love this scenario. I would probably just buy that one. I don't have much range anxiety, because if I'm going on a road trip, I'm taking a 4wd SUV or compact RV. So the Aptera would be my daily driver, usually 30 or 40 miles per day, always less than 100 miles in any one direction. And with that degree of energy efficiency, I'll be able to charge it at my destination and have no trouble getting home even if it comes in at a 180-mile range. (Or just, you know, leave it parked in the sun...)
This is perfect for me I’m 60 and retired, I have a place in the country so I need my truck (that gets 14mpg) but I really only need it once a month. When I go to town I might drive 50 mile round trip, and a trip to the VA 120 miles round trip 3-4 times a year. An Aptera with a 180-200 mile range would never need charging. For the last 20 years I have rented cars when we take long trips for the convenience (if it breaks down they give me a new one) so I m not worried about finding charging stations on the road. Plus I guarantee that a bunch of other crotchety old farts that are absolutely convinced EVs are never going to work, you’ll freeze if stuck in the winter, they cost more to charge than filling a gas tank, or any of the other things they say, will line up once they see them on the road and in their neighbors driveway. Hell you after the first one shows up at the VFW within a month there will be 10.
You did an amazing job with your Aptera videos. You speak out of my heart. You are telling the people what I would, if I had your tallent in communication and would be a native English speaker. You really deserve more than a free Aptera. Thank you so much! 😊
Now over 600 and $9 million dollars, join in. Investing is never easy, particularly when the overall atmosphere is as it is now. That when new ideas, and innovation become more important. We have to carry this company to an IPO in 3 years.
I agree. Lighter battery, less weight then more range. Skip the stereo upgrade and the special charger at home saves money. One wheel drive (not an offering) would also make it less expensive, lighter and more efficient. I see tons of aftermarket opportunities including software to change pedal mapping for greater efficiency maybe? I think maintenance and fuel savings will be enormous. I invested in the accelerator program so hopefully in 14 months? I see these being more popular worldwide than the VW bug!
This would absolutely be my next vehicle if I needed to return to the office (50ish miles roundtrip). Currently working from home 10.5 months out of the year, and already own 3 vehicles, but have a kid heading off to college next year & will be taking my former commuter car with him. I would love to have a reason to buy one; I've been following them since Gen1 and really hope they kill it.
Well, I generally hate EV's... but... I'm a motorcyclist for most of the past 60 years (am over 75) and this is finally an EV that is beginning to make sense... the Aptera concept has some shortcomings for my application (I commute 160 miles two days a week to work and park in a covered parking garage), but it does have me thinking... which is more than any other of the mega-dollar wildebeests have... the fact that it looks sorta like a 3-wheeled bike is attractive to me at a visceral level, and that's never happened before... hmmmmm...
I am an Aptera investor and plan to get this low price variant when it comes out. It's going to have a tough time against the $25k Tesla that will come out next year or in 2025. Aptera will be selling solely on efficiency, solar recharge, and long-term DIY repairability. I honestly don't know if I will be able to buy my Aptera though, because I learned the total max weight + cargo is only 500 lbs. I weigh 220 and my wife is a bit more, meaning we're up at the limit without any luggage or cargo. I have to believe the low battery version will eventually come out with at least capability for 700 lbs considering less battery than the 400 mile range.
I'm hoping to be able to afford the 1000 mile range version. I only get 4.2 to 4.5 hours of sunlight hitting my house per day, so having the extra overhead would mean I could still drive it without having to plug it in. I'll still have my SUV for hauling things and going camping, but even then, using the Aptera would be a good way to go for areas where you don't need 4WD to access. Just the thought of being able to comfortably drive 400 miles, turning around and coming right back immediately without stopping for gas, and still having charge left over for the work commute, is so enticing.
This would be my secondary vehicle - the huge, heavy one. My primary vehicle is 5 times more efficient - an e-bike that uses around 20 WH/mile. My son has a 2-passenger recumbent e-bike that carries substantial cargo and uses 27WH/mile. We're working to improve that by about a factor of 2. His 1000W charger gives him 50 miles of range per hour.
I want these for my sales staff. I have a roofing and siding company and what a great way to get people to approach us. I have a launch edition ordered for myself to start with.
If you are driving 68 mph in the 400 mile AWD vehicle with a passenger weight of 380 lbs, the math works out to be 100Wh/mi. So if you are averaging 68 mph the idea is that you could get 400 miles before charging but that really is not the case as you would not want to drain the battery that far. Regardless, that is incredibly good. The thing is, unless you are on a road trip where you can actually average 68 mph, your average speed is much less. I do a great deal of highway driving and I only average 36 mph over a span of 400 miles. If we do the math for 36 mph instead of 68 mph, we get 57 Wh/mi which is incredible and a range with of 630 miles and a 6% battery reserve. (Note in a vehicle that is hyper efficient, little things like additional weight, will make a significant difference. 380 lbs was based on 2 people in the vehicle in my example.)
XD There is no spoon... Your skits are fantastic sir! Never change. Also, You bring up a lot of great points about where the market could go if Aptera is allowed to exist (and by existing thrive in my opinion). The possibility of never having to charge again hooked me instantly for the convenience factor, but everything you mentioned is probably the cake and the convenience factor is the icing.
I don't think the market will tolerate anything under the 230-mile range. I have already crossed over into the "Solar Powered" ev realm. The air is very thin here. I put 33.82 kWh into my car, this is to 80% charge with 227 miles range. $0.00 out of pocket. $5.07 if from my grid $10.48 if at a SuperCharger (31 cents per kWh), Tesla just raised prices to 35 cents per kWh, $11.84 My pickup: $53.35 to go 227 miles! (16 mpg at $3.76/gal)
Great, informative video! I could see buying two $23,000 Ateras, and it would end up costing less than one gasoline powered Toyota Camry, because you would not need to spend money on fuel, oil changes, etc.
Great video! I’ve been saying for a while that the 250 mile range will be a huge seller. I have a LE reserved AND a 250 mile range version for my kid when he graduates from college. The perfect starter vehicle.
If vehicle manufacturers made 'plug in' battery pack capability - having liability of battery fires if the pack fails on the battery pack manufacturer unless the cooling system fails - You could continually improve the vehicle's range.
I'm hoping to get to the point where I'm looking to replace the battery from a long service life with something absolutely amazing that transforms the vehicle into something else entirely, like 1500 miles of range and ultra-fast charging.
In Europe 200 miles would be enough… even 150 with the possibility to self recharge with solar panels. The price should be less than 20.000 € VAT included. Better a low mileage at an affordable price.
compelling arguments for the value of a less expensive, smaller battery, somewhat lighter vehicle, with shorter range between stops/charges, but with very fast charges that get you to your next coffee /pee stop in the time it takes to drink your coffee & pee
I have a 60 mi each way commute once a week...I reserved the 600mi so that I can leave it for a week to charge and make the commute weekly without further intervention. Plus the convenience of road trips occasionally on a full battery. 180/220mi would be cutting it close on my 120 mi return commute
I used to have a Nissan Leaf and let me tell you- 80 miles in an hour charge would make an ev WAY more useful than they currently are. whole game changed. also remote workers who dont commute daily could EASILY make these their only vehicle as long as they prove reliable
With reservation number 178 (and 180 and 181) I was hoping to get my Paradyme Apteras rather early. I am an investor at the early end (the pre-investor end) then again when they sought out investment (10 grand more) but cannot do the newer required investment... with another 10 grand. Thus, I guess that (if you say there will be another level before me and my 400 mile Paradyme reservations) I will wait even later to get my "Earliest" Aptera. I also had 2 reservations in 2008... and I have the Motorcycle License plate "Aptera". I have had it since 2008... and insured a junker 1973 honda 350 to have it properly registered renewing each year. I hope I get an Aptera before my Metasticized Prostate cancer in my Bones (stage 4) takes me away.... I really want to drive it around town! 😉
I have noticed progressively at ev clubs I've participated in, fewer $15k to $30k income ev owners are attending and more $60k a year and up ev owners (or childless retirees) are the only ones there. I look for China to answer the majority of people in the US's need for an electric car. (Statistically, the greatest number (the modal average) of households income hovers around $30,000.00 while the mean average is skewed because of extremes of income to around $65k) My i-miev was my main car travelling across the state to see family. I was Very appreciative of its ability to dcqc in 15-20 minutes, albeit 40 miles of leap frogging to the next charger made me hope for better. (Extreme hypermiling I was able to squeak out 93 miles on a charge from my i-miev.) The Aptera will be my future main car. I will hope real world range of the economical model with be in the area of 250 miles or better. Maybe this will be the car for everybody looking to super efficiently drive a car.
Yes, as long as you have an outlet nearby. Think of the solar panels as a supplemental “trickle charger” that helps whenever the vehicle’s in the sun. For many (depending on driving habits and location), that may be enough.
This vehicles range would cover all of my driving needs as is, at 180 miles of range 95 percent of the time. Which is enough for me. I would supplement the rest with my truck which would then rarely get used, ideally.
Proper ROFL beginning - well done! Now looking for a small bald cutlery merchant in the next scene... My Aptera reservation is 2WD and smallest battery, so probably the most efficient of the lot, (waiting for the EU/UK version in 2025 or so, hopefully by then they have a second facility producing them in CPC's facilty in Modena, Italy). I've already sorted out a factory collection trip over the Grossglockner High Alpine Pass (so after May, when it's snow-free), visiting friends in Germany, then back through Belgium and France to get to the north of the UK. Even on the current charger coverage along that route, it only needs 19 quick 10-15 minute charges on 40-60kW DCFC to cover the 1369-mile journey. Given it's going to take a couple of days, there will be fewer since the overnight stop will start day 2 on a full charge. Really looking forward to it!
Couldn't you carry some very lightweight mirrors to increase the solar cells efficiency when the Aptera is parked? Attach them to the sides to reflect sunlight onto the cells. Maybe you could double their output. Also, a question: Will the battery pack be changeable? What if a new battery tech comes along with multiple times the range with the same size?
I live near Oakland, CA.... How much for window replacement? Its a just a matter of time before they bip the new whip. A sad cost to calculate for future bay area ownership.
The Aptera would be more efficient than my electric moped 😱 I have notice that sitting flat with on hand on my back reduces energy use by about 30% because it makes me more aerodynamic 😜
I was only planning to get the 250mi range version, as it would cover 99% of my use....however, with the launch edition announcement, I switched up to the 400 mile version to get mine sooner. After playing around a bit with google maps, I realized some of my favorite vacation destinations are about 395mi away LOL...should have realized it before.
Launch edition reserved, but will also be buying a Luna 1,000 mile version when available. They will eventually be building a 4 wheel version, but this get them off the ground.
I hope they have an optional folding solar panel external charger that plugs into the vehicle to provide a much larger solar charge per day that fits easily into the back and still leaves a lot of space for storage, in case you need it.
@@examinerian We don't know yet. Chris announced that the 600 mile pack is currently slated to use 4690 cells and the 1000 mile pack is slated for 46120 cells. This will necessitate a lowered belly pan.. If better chemistry cells are available in those form factors, I'm sure Aptera will consider them.
@@examinerian No, initially all will be using NMC chemistry. the 250 and 400 mile range will use 2170s, and the 600 and 1000 mile packs will use taller cells of the same diameter and chemistry
I love the idea of this car, just like I loved the idea of the Arcimoto (downsides being slow charging and limited range) but will it make it to market? Does range matter to me, yes. Do I need a 1000 mile range occasionally would be nice but the launch edition of 400 miles would cover 98+% of my driving and not requiring a recharge during the day. And then will it get to the Great White North? I love the idea of camping out in it. Over all the functionality of the ID Buzz is very attractive especially with the additional rows of seats removed and it would be even more attractive it it had solar panels instead of that glass roof.
It would probably be less expensive to trade it for another car. Due to the difference in weight the suspension would need to be changed, and perhaps even a recalibration of the air bags.
Could get by with smallest battery pack, but next step up is not that much more. Also, 400 mile version is about all the driving I would want to do in 1 day if visiting relatives. All boils down to convenience vs dollars. Drew, keep up the good work.
I haven't put my money where my mouth is. But I feel like this is speaking my language. My daily commute to work and back is 25 mi , and live in a spot in Texas where most days we get plenty of sun. Sounds like I'd be saying goodbye to refilling my car
Road tripping? Yeah, a couple times per year, sure. However, for myself living in the northern midwest where its not uncommon to have a couple of cold snaps -20 or so, I need bare minimum 40kw. Because I'd like to actually run the heat on the way to work. I can't precondition while plugged in at home, because I live in an apartment that won't allow me to install an EVSE, so it's all coming off the battery. So winter kind of demands that I have the 40kw variant, being able to road trip for summer vacation is just icing on the cake.
I love the idea of the more efficient model, but I personally can't use it. I'm getting a job with a 180 mile round trip. The pay is totally worth the pain of an hour and a half drive daily considering I'll be making around $700 a day. I really can't take anything less than the 400 mile model and really I only want the longest range model in case a home charger goes bad and didn't charge overnight every other drive. Though I know that model isn't coming for quite some time so I just got myself a 2023 prius. My old 97 camry just won't hold up long enough anymore for the Aptera. If it came out 2 years ago like I first heard I wouldn't be in the same situation now.
Imagine a vehicle with 0 maintenance and 0 fuel cost. Oh yeah , they make it in the same factory as a Formula One and it is supercar fast and every head will turn when you drive by too! I ordered two
Would be interested in a battery health mode that keeps the battery around between 40-60% charge during normal daily use. You can charge up for a road trip
Aptera is really invested in the "right to repair" for their vehicles I wonder how difficult it would be to say purchase the launch edition and then increase the batteries later to the one that I really want. That way I would get the vehicle sooner.
Maybe Aptera will design the car body to use the 20kWh, 40kWh and 60Wh batteries, so different sized batteries can be swapped in the same car body. However, I suspect that the first edition will be custom designed for just the 40kWh battery.
Don't think it would take too many solar panels at home to double your daily charge range. Their website says about 700 watts of solar on the vehicles. Two 350 watt panels at home and you get 80 miles per day.
The base model would easily be enough for my daily driving. For longer trips, I think having a sort of "solar trailer" with additional batteries that I could haul behind it would make road tripping to another state more that feasible.
Once you start calculating the cost of making a custom solar trailer and the amount that that trailer is going to cut down on your energy efficiency when driving, you are better off buying the longer range model. Also I don't see an easy way to attach a tow hitch to the current design. With 40 to 60 kW DC fast charging, I don''t see much point in having more than the 400 mile variant, but maybe you really like to get off the beaten path.
Just recognize that to maximize battery capacity lifespan with currrent Li NMC (532 or 622 polycrystalline) technology, you don't want to charge to 100% unless necessary, keep the battery cool, and use frequent shallow charge/discharge cycles, example 75% to 50%, instead of fewer deep discharge cycles, example 90% to 10%. Dr. Dahn presents research on Li ion battery chemistry and use relative to capacity lifespan. Issue is with cathode particle cracking which consumes available Li and reduces capacity. Monocrystalline cathode particles are much less prone to this issue. So Aptera with current polycrystalline Li NMC at ~400 mile range would maximize battery capacity lifespan with charging to 75% and about 100 miles of use before recharge to 75%.
YES, I would go for and have ordered the 250 mile Aptera last August. A 220 mile would still be OK if the price is lower. I'm retired and live in the high desert. A 50 mile sun charge per day sounds even better.😎
Sodium or LFP based Aptera revision (maybe 1-2 years after start of production) would be amazing. Cheaper to make and still crazy efficient (about 2-3% less) than NCM and will last forever.
That is the version I ordered originally but upgraded because I want mine as soon as possible.
@@ccibinel And now with maybe the LMFP (LFP with manganese) with greater range (240 Wh/Kg)... Hopefully this comes to reality.
@@a5-30-31cts For me Aptera is a sports car and the smaller pack will not be powerful enough to feed the motors fully (even with FWD). This will likely mean way worse acceleration for the 250 mile unless they use more specialized cells. With a 45KWH pack a C rate of 2-3 can drive the motors at full power (generally for brief periods). 240wh/kg LFMP could theoretically be in the 800+ mile range which is massive overkill if sized the same (volume/weight) as the 1000 mile (even more overkill) with NMC. FYI: The model s plaid uses cells with an insane 7-8 c rate discharge rate peak.
Aptera's amazing efficiency will be in a league of its own, and it's just one of the things we love about the vehicle and the company! Loved your interview with Chris Anthony, and we appreciate you circling around to emphasize this point with it's own video. We went with the 400 mile range battery pack because we have longer distances to regularly travel, and the Aptera will be our daily driver when it arrives.
Yeah, shame it can't offer removeable batteries. Would make it crime-proof in my area.
The biggest reason for me to want a high mileage version is winter driving. With less solar the longer range will help going longer between charges getting the maximum miles driven between charging. But because I want an Aptera ASAP the Launch Edition is the one I am going for.
@@Fairburne69 We need to be able to cover winter driving as well, southern Wisconsin gets hit pretty hard. We also switched to the Launch Edition for the same reasons.
Adding the option of easily removable packs would eliminate angst about the range-efficiency trade-off.
For daily commuting use a 100 km pack and get great efficiency and acceleration. Rent several more packs for a long road trip.
At 70 years old, having owned well over 100 cars from 69 z28 camero to Datsun Z cars, to the original vw bug, pickup trucks, van and minivans. I have never been more in love with a car. Just as I am aging out of driving.
My grandmother ran her farm and drove until she was 90.
I crashed my car and had to buy a new one, down over $10k from where I was
really wishing I was closer to affording an Aptera right about now, but I've got time...
when it snows, slow the f down
Design suggestion: Allow both front seats to be able to fold flat forward > allows camping mode for two adults laying flat
Damn if the front seats could go flat that would be incredible
I feel like the promotional videos don't really convey how big this thing is. The cargo space is 7 feet long, you can easily fit 2 adults without folding down the seats
Since I have 8.5kWh panels on my home plugging into the 110 outlet is a no-brainer, I have ordered the 250-mile range with the only add-on being the front solar. I am retired in Wyoming with close to 300 days of sun per year, I rarely leave town and then no more than a 150-mile round trip so the Aptera is perfect.🤠
I love the Aptera. It's really the only car I would buy anymore. I'm getting about 42 watt hours per mile efficiency on my electric unicycle. It goes 80 miles @ 30ish mph and I weigh 230lbs with gear. 3400wh battery, 2600w motor, tons of torque, $5 to refill on domestic power. Weighs 90 lbs and fits under my desk or between my legs on the bus or train. No parking, no registration, traverses parks, lawns, trails, roads, paths, beaches, hills, curbs, snow, mud, rain, dirt, gravel, under / over fences. #veteransherman #euc #pev
Aptera is a no brainer for me in Mesa AZ. It fits this way:
Walking is for going less than a block or for exercise.
Tern electric dual battery cargo bike gets me 1 mile to grocery store, 2 miles to the gym or longer for exercise and fun.
Honda PCX scooter gets me to the 10 mile solo trips at 100mpg, so now I can get to Costco, the bakery and other places.
Rav4 at 25 mpg can pick up people from the airport and get us on day trips to Flagstaff and the like.
Dodge 2500 diesel with Lance 650 camper gets us very long trips and I have 3 different trailers to pull behind for versatility.
Sports car and Suzuki Samurai for car shows and fun trips.
Only thing missing is an Aptera:
- less trips in RAV4
- tow behind Ram and Lance on an aluminum trailer so diesel fuel is only needed to get from A to B and then all the exploring around point B is free (no diesel fuel spent)
- car shows until many people have them
- replace scooter trips when it’s hot outside
- less maintenance on my other vehicles as I replace their use
- super cheap if I ever plug in at home because I have rooftop solar
- free if I plug in at RV park when on trips
- obviously drive less than 10,000 miles/year so I may never plug it in and it will last the remainder of my life
- no brainer
Because the Aptera will have fast charging and solar power assist, lower battery capacity is fine. Efficiency is a virtuous circle: more efficiency means smaller batteries are needed for the same range, which leads to less mass, which leads to lower rolling resistance, which leads to even more efficiency.
Functional standpoint Aptera is just like my Mazda pickup truck with a camper shell. That was my primary vehicle for many years.
You have some really good points. One of the reasons why I got my first (and second) plug-in hybrid was because the lease cost was the same as I had been paying for gasoline alone. The smaller battery pack Aptera definitely extends the advantages of a smaller pack size, weight, and cost. Realistically, I can easily cover my 65mi daily commute with an Aptera with 200 miles of total range. Especially considering that a sunny day will recharge more than half of my miles, and it would be easy to recoup the rest with a couple hour charge overnight. With that said, the 45kWh pack/400mi model only costs a few thousand more. And it will potentially have twice the range, which adds to the value for those times when I can only conveniently charge once a week, or it is really cold and I'm doing a lot of night driving over hills, or have some long trips. In other words 95% of the time, 200 miles of range is fine for me, but going with the added range is what I had chosen even before the Launch Edition included the bigger (45kWh) battery pack.
One other advantage to the onboard solar is the potential to eliminate range anxiety completely. If you are trying to find a charger and you arrive on electric fumes only to find the charger broken, you can stop, get some lunch, and wait for a few extra miles to appear. Then you can head to the next closest charger. If you have time, you have power. Drag along a 100 ft extension cord and you can plug in a lot more places.
I liked the gasoline Aptera. A release edition electric is on order. It seems to me that there is a net price point of 20k that others are touching for a 200 mile range car...or will soon reach. Aptera customers really need the federal purchase subsidy. Any all weather electric vehicle that can safely travel 60 mph with average or lower fatality rates and above average efficiency rates SHOULD be eligible. Efficiency has baked in impacts on everyone's health (death rates).
I reserved the 250 mile AWD model, but for reasons not commonly mentioned. The lighter battery pack, the heaviest component of an EV, will allow better handling and faster acceleration than heavier battery sizes. However, I want the 250 mile range for versatility, not a 200. Since costs are going up Aptera is probably considering a smaller battery to keep the base model at $26K. They will be competing with other low cost models that qualify for the $7500 tax rebate. That may not be an issue, since I recently discovered when trying to buy a Chevy Bolt that stealerships are now charging $3k - $7k OVER MSRP! Bolts are now selling at $32k to $39k, depending on model, and will be discontinued in November -- an end of life model.
My wife and I got to ride in the Luna alpha prototype in November of 2021, and the performance was insane for an "economy" car. We were planning on a 2WD model, but we have moved to Iowa, and switched to an LE edition since the AWD will be useful in the snow here (not to mention the fun of 4 second 0-60 times on occasion.)
180 miles and 40 miles a day from the sun would work for quite a bit of people, especially me. lately I don't drive that much as I use to. most of my driving is all city driving, which everything I do is within a 5 mile radius.
they should make it already
@@shaystern2453 The tooling is complete and the Production Intent models are being produced now.
One of the groups you didn't mention is retirees. If I ever get mine, my Aptera will be my only, and likely my last vehicle. I don't have grandkids so a two seater works as my only vehicle. We like the idea of plenty of cargo room and especially a low entry price, low maintenance cost, and free "fuel."
Same here, I have need for only one other person . Retired in the high desert, lots of sun and local driving.😎
Open disclosure; I’m currently in line (about 23kth) for the 400 mile, all-solar, all-wheel, Launch Edition (LE) trim- which is *almost identical to the same specs I chose before the LE was announced. *(I had a different interior picked but didn’t hate the rose gold enough if it meant keeping my place in line- possibly even sliding up a few slots. }:-) But after watching your post, you make such a an amazing case for the “less-gives-you-way-more” scenario, coupled w/…
~ I’ve worked from home since ‘98
~ we put less than 10k miles on both cars combined per yr.
~ we drive well under the 40 miles per day
~ we live in less than sunny central Indiana
~ it’s just the 2 of us now that we’re empty-nesters.
That I’m actually torn now between the smaller, most economical trim package and the LE. Well done Drew. Mission accomplished.
The biggest factor tipping the scales away from this incredibly well made case you’ve presented is the final bullet point above; our being empty nesters.
As such, we’re definitely are hitting the road more. And road-tripping in an #Aptera seems like it would be a total blast! If that’s the case, then wouldn’t the max 1k battery trim be better for such situations? Indeed it would. We could cover a lot of ground in 500 mile radius. Go out and back, and let it recharge itself once we returned home until our next road trip.
If we remained a 2 car family I could almost see where owing the lowest range #Aptera for our daily drive as you so nicely argued for, AND also a 2nd max-range #Aptera for those extended weekend road-trips being the ideal combinations.
This is where the suggestion/talk/request by some for a “swappable”battery larger battery pack (even if it could be rented) for those rare but extended longer trips would be the best of both worlds.
I totally understand that it’s not that simple as swap-and-drive; the structural design for a battery pack 4x heavier is different enough that you’re talking different battery pans to say the least. Which is why #Aptera Motors is simplifying its production w/ a single trim LE. That makes total sense.
So until they roll out the first 2k Advanced Vehicles out the door, and then make their way towards whatever place in line I happen to hold w/the LE, it looks like I will have so time to wrestle w/ the decision of getting 1.) the middle of the road 490 mile LE trim sooner vs. waiting for the lower range, super-economical trim model later- and perhaps adding a 2nd max-range version of the #Aptera in the driveway much, much later. Hmm. Something worth considering for sure.
Come on #Aptera Motors, we all need you cross that finish line so as to make these theoretical dilemmas a reality and we actually have to wrestle w/ deciding not if we get an #Aptera, but how many we should get. Wouldn’t that be nice?
Man I really hope Apetera succeed. It'll be awesome next year with Cybertruck and Apetera on the roads in California.
As an investor and reservation holder, I need this company successful. During production ramp-up, Aperta needs higher profits to offset major expenses. Generally accepted business practice is to produce the lowest margin version LAST. My preference is the 600 or 1000 mi version produced second.
Now, the question is why and how are Aptera charging $27k for a car with a 25kWh battery pack, while Chevy Bolt 2023 has a 65 kWh battery and starts at $26,500?
Been on the waiting list since last summer. I opted for the 600mi range with AWD since I wanted zero range anxiety, the option to take it on road trips, and have some additional battery headroom since I live in the Midwest where we deal with snow and ice during the winter months
My long standing question is '"if you order a 400 mile range model, are you able to replace that battery with a larger one later" ?
@@StraddleyourSuccess I think the answer to that would be no. I believe that aptera has said the 600mi and 1000mi version will require changes to the subframe and overall suspension geometry, so the 400mi version will likely have slightly different geometry and thus be unable to be switched to a higher capacity version. Though that may be possible if you get the 250 mi version since the overall frame and structure for the 250 and 400 mi version are identical.
tldr: may be possible to swap to a larger pack starting at the 250mi version up to the 400mi version, but not likely possible going from there.
We also opted for the 600mi range AWD version since it will be our only car.
Also, an advantage of the cheapest one is battery replacement cost.
That battery won't last forever. An 18 KW battery will cost a fraction of what a Tesla battery will cost to replace.
I think the longer range models make sense for someone who is able to use it as their only vehicle. Short range best for a commuter.
Don't forget that insurance rates for autocycles is super cheap compared to regular cars.
They should use LFP batteries. LFP battteries don't mind being fully charged, can be charged many times more, are cheaper and safer.
Also I WANT mass in my Aptera for safety so an LFP being a bit heavier is fine
And LFP lasts foreeeeever
Chris Anthony's company Flux Power uses LFP batteries, so he is as familiar with what they can do as anyone. LFPs have issues in the cold, such as Iowa, where i live. I think they made the correct choice for the time being.
@@n.brucenelson5920 LFP batteries works great in winter as long as you keep them warm, which is easy to do.
DUDE!!! I’ve been saying the EXACT same thing! I’m calling it the efficiency tweaked Aptera. With a lighter battery, FWD instead of AWD, motor timing optimized for lower power consumption, I’m quite confident they could get the consumption down to 85whr/mile , a 18kw pack should be able to get a little over 200mi range with that. Seems hard to imagine, but the numbers add up! Who wouldn’t want 50mi solar range at a price tag of $23,000. I’m thinking that for sure I’d want one of these after my 400mi range launch edition. Aptera should seriously consider this as the next variant. You also made some good points about how much range even a public lvl2 charge would add, and 110 charging at home, not to mention the cost per mile would be INSANELY cheap! It’s the advantages of a virtuous efficiency cycle.
Thanks for bringing this idea up to the general public, I think that the virtuous efficiency cycle is lost on most.
Jerry& Helen M.
Investors, ambassadors, accelerator investors, and hopefully future efficiency tweaked Aptera owners.
For us personally we’d almost NEVER charge an Aptera like that. A true never charge vehicle.
Aptera ,,,, ARE YOU Listening??? 😮
Love this scenario. I would probably just buy that one. I don't have much range anxiety, because if I'm going on a road trip, I'm taking a 4wd SUV or compact RV. So the Aptera would be my daily driver, usually 30 or 40 miles per day, always less than 100 miles in any one direction. And with that degree of energy efficiency, I'll be able to charge it at my destination and have no trouble getting home even if it comes in at a 180-mile range.
(Or just, you know, leave it parked in the sun...)
220mi is 354km, which is pretty good! They say you're supposed to rest every couple of hours on road trips anyway.
This is perfect for me I’m 60 and retired, I have a place in the country so I need my truck (that gets 14mpg) but I really only need it once a month. When I go to town I might drive 50 mile round trip, and a trip to the VA 120 miles round trip 3-4 times a year. An Aptera with a 180-200 mile range would never need charging. For the last 20 years I have rented cars when we take long trips for the convenience (if it breaks down they give me a new one) so I m not worried about finding charging stations on the road.
Plus I guarantee that a bunch of other crotchety old farts that are absolutely convinced EVs are never going to work, you’ll freeze if stuck in the winter, they cost more to charge than filling a gas tank, or any of the other things they say, will line up once they see them on the road and in their neighbors driveway. Hell you after the first one shows up at the VFW within a month there will be 10.
I'm in line for a 250 Aptera for the exact reasons you state.
You did an amazing job with your Aptera videos. You speak out of my heart. You are telling the people what I would, if I had your tallent in communication and would be a native English speaker. You really deserve more than a free Aptera. Thank you so much! 😊
wonder why billionaires haven't funded it yet; GM,ford,toyota, nissan, honda could all buy stock
I'm considering becoming an Accelerator. The more that join, the more I want in.
Now over 600 and $9 million dollars, join in. Investing is never easy, particularly when the overall atmosphere is as it is now. That when new ideas, and innovation become more important. We have to carry this company to an IPO in 3 years.
@@chrisbarrett2512 The pace seems to be picking up.
People than can afford it DEFINITELY NEED to join accelerator! Let’s get this done!
The world NEEDS Aptera badly!
Don't do it. You'll lose all your money. Look into aptera CEOs. It's gonna be criminal. It's a sham!
Love this, a lighter more efficient Aptera will complement my driving behavior as a hypermiler 😄
I agree. Lighter battery, less weight then more range. Skip the stereo upgrade and the special charger at home saves money. One wheel drive (not an offering) would also make it less expensive, lighter and more efficient. I see tons of aftermarket opportunities including software to change pedal mapping for greater efficiency maybe? I think maintenance and fuel savings will be enormous. I invested in the accelerator program so hopefully in 14 months? I see these being more popular worldwide than the VW bug!
It could easily be my only vehicle seeing it holds at least two surfboards or my mountain bike.
Yes mine is on order, I also have invested and am on leader board to get first 2000 vehicles
This would absolutely be my next vehicle if I needed to return to the office (50ish miles roundtrip). Currently working from home 10.5 months out of the year, and already own 3 vehicles, but have a kid heading off to college next year & will be taking my former commuter car with him. I would love to have a reason to buy one; I've been following them since Gen1 and really hope they kill it.
Well, I generally hate EV's... but... I'm a motorcyclist for most of the past 60 years (am over 75) and this is finally an EV that is beginning to make sense... the Aptera concept has some shortcomings for my application (I commute 160 miles two days a week to work and park in a covered parking garage), but it does have me thinking... which is more than any other of the mega-dollar wildebeests have... the fact that it looks sorta like a 3-wheeled bike is attractive to me at a visceral level, and that's never happened before... hmmmmm...
A man after my own heart. I have around 1/2 million miles on 2 wheels, but at 74, those days are over for me.
I am an Aptera investor and plan to get this low price variant when it comes out. It's going to have a tough time against the $25k Tesla that will come out next year or in 2025. Aptera will be selling solely on efficiency, solar recharge, and long-term DIY repairability. I honestly don't know if I will be able to buy my Aptera though, because I learned the total max weight + cargo is only 500 lbs. I weigh 220 and my wife is a bit more, meaning we're up at the limit without any luggage or cargo. I have to believe the low battery version will eventually come out with at least capability for 700 lbs considering less battery than the 400 mile range.
You'd probably get your Aptera sooner. A $25k Tesla will take forever to get.
$25k Tesla… color me skeptical and I’m a fan of Tesla haha
I'm hoping to be able to afford the 1000 mile range version. I only get 4.2 to 4.5 hours of sunlight hitting my house per day, so having the extra overhead would mean I could still drive it without having to plug it in. I'll still have my SUV for hauling things and going camping, but even then, using the Aptera would be a good way to go for areas where you don't need 4WD to access. Just the thought of being able to comfortably drive 400 miles, turning around and coming right back immediately without stopping for gas, and still having charge left over for the work commute, is so enticing.
This would be my secondary vehicle - the huge, heavy one. My primary vehicle is 5 times more efficient - an e-bike that uses around 20 WH/mile. My son has a 2-passenger recumbent e-bike that carries substantial cargo and uses 27WH/mile. We're working to improve that by about a factor of 2. His 1000W charger gives him 50 miles of range per hour.
I want these for my sales staff. I have a roofing and siding company and what a great way to get people to approach us. I have a launch edition ordered for myself to start with.
That is a really great idea! You'd get my attention
If you are driving 68 mph in the 400 mile AWD vehicle with a passenger weight of 380 lbs, the math works out to be 100Wh/mi. So if you are averaging 68 mph the idea is that you could get 400 miles before charging but that really is not the case as you would not want to drain the battery that far. Regardless, that is incredibly good. The thing is, unless you are on a road trip where you can actually average 68 mph, your average speed is much less. I do a great deal of highway driving and I only average 36 mph over a span of 400 miles. If we do the math for 36 mph instead of 68 mph, we get 57 Wh/mi which is incredible and a range with of 630 miles and a 6% battery reserve. (Note in a vehicle that is hyper efficient, little things like additional weight, will make a significant difference. 380 lbs was based on 2 people in the vehicle in my example.)
XD There is no spoon... Your skits are fantastic sir! Never change. Also, You bring up a lot of great points about where the market could go if Aptera is allowed to exist (and by existing thrive in my opinion). The possibility of never having to charge again hooked me instantly for the convenience factor, but everything you mentioned is probably the cake and the convenience factor is the icing.
I don't think the market will tolerate anything under the 230-mile range.
I have already crossed over into the "Solar Powered" ev realm. The air is very thin here.
I put 33.82 kWh into my car, this is to 80% charge with 227 miles range.
$0.00 out of pocket.
$5.07 if from my grid
$10.48 if at a SuperCharger (31 cents per kWh), Tesla just raised prices to 35 cents per kWh, $11.84
My pickup:
$53.35 to go 227 miles! (16 mpg at $3.76/gal)
Bravo California for supporting high efficiency transportation.
Great, informative video! I could see buying two $23,000 Ateras, and it would end up costing less than one gasoline powered Toyota Camry, because you would not need to spend money on fuel, oil changes, etc.
Friggin' awesome video, man! 🤘
Great video! I’ve been saying for a while that the 250 mile range will be a huge seller. I have a LE reserved AND a 250 mile range version for my kid when he graduates from college. The perfect starter vehicle.
If vehicle manufacturers made 'plug in' battery pack capability - having liability of battery fires if the pack fails on the battery pack manufacturer unless the cooling system fails - You could continually improve the vehicle's range.
I'm hoping to get to the point where I'm looking to replace the battery from a long service life with something absolutely amazing that transforms the vehicle into something else entirely, like 1500 miles of range and ultra-fast charging.
In Europe 200 miles would be enough… even 150 with the possibility to self recharge with solar panels. The price should be less than 20.000 € VAT included. Better a low mileage at an affordable price.
Thanks for the update. Ordered mine last year. I'm waiting and looking forward to it.
Don’t forget right to repair
These details are exactly why this trim is the one I reserved.
compelling arguments for the value of a less expensive, smaller battery, somewhat lighter vehicle, with shorter range between stops/charges, but with very fast charges that get you to your next coffee /pee stop in the time it takes to drink your coffee & pee
I have a 60 mi each way commute once a week...I reserved the 600mi so that I can leave it for a week to charge and make the commute weekly without further intervention. Plus the convenience of road trips occasionally on a full battery. 180/220mi would be cutting it close on my 120 mi return commute
Hi! 🙋🏻♂
Just a friendly fellow content creator, checking in to see if you're OK. I saw that crazy intro and got concerned. 😄
I used to have a Nissan Leaf and let me tell you- 80 miles in an hour charge would make an ev WAY more useful than they currently are. whole game changed. also remote workers who dont commute daily could EASILY make these their only vehicle as long as they prove reliable
With reservation number 178 (and 180 and 181) I was hoping to get my Paradyme Apteras rather early. I am an investor at the early end (the pre-investor end) then again when they sought out investment (10 grand more) but cannot do the newer required investment... with another 10 grand. Thus, I guess that (if you say there will be another level before me and my 400 mile Paradyme reservations) I will wait even later to get my "Earliest" Aptera. I also had 2 reservations in 2008... and I have the Motorcycle License plate "Aptera". I have had it since 2008... and insured a junker 1973 honda 350 to have it properly registered renewing each year. I hope I get an Aptera before my Metasticized Prostate cancer in my Bones (stage 4) takes me away.... I really want to drive it around town! 😉
I am reservation number 179!😄
Maybe do a kickstarter campaign ? Or wefunder?
Steve, all my best to you. I have reservation #42, but don't expect my Paradigm until 2025.
I have noticed progressively at ev clubs I've participated in, fewer $15k to $30k income ev owners are attending and more $60k a year and up ev owners (or childless retirees) are the only ones there. I look for China to answer the majority of people in the US's need for an electric car. (Statistically, the greatest number (the modal average) of households income hovers around $30,000.00 while the mean average is skewed because of extremes of income to around $65k)
My i-miev was my main car travelling across the state to see family. I was Very appreciative of its ability to dcqc in 15-20 minutes, albeit 40 miles of leap frogging to the next charger made me hope for better. (Extreme hypermiling I was able to squeak out 93 miles on a charge from my i-miev.) The Aptera will be my future main car. I will hope real world range of the economical model with be in the area of 250 miles or better. Maybe this will be the car for everybody looking to super efficiently drive a car.
There are no financials to analyze and no revenue stream. Billionaires don't fund startups much, they just pick the winners at the finish line.
@@robertd9850 there have been regular SEC reports, but they are still pre revenue. Aptera is getting its life from we crowdfunders.
Can you charge outside plugged in and with solar at the same time?
Yes, as long as you have an outlet nearby. Think of the solar panels as a supplemental “trickle charger” that helps whenever the vehicle’s in the sun. For many (depending on driving habits and location), that may be enough.
This vehicles range would cover all of my driving needs as is, at 180 miles of range 95 percent of the time. Which is enough for me. I would supplement the rest with my truck which would then rarely get used, ideally.
Great video. Can't wait for this car to come to market!
To work and back is 36 miles. This would work perfectly for my work car. Too bad it's not below $20K. lol
:)
Proper ROFL beginning - well done! Now looking for a small bald cutlery merchant in the next scene...
My Aptera reservation is 2WD and smallest battery, so probably the most efficient of the lot, (waiting for the EU/UK version in 2025 or so, hopefully by then they have a second facility producing them in CPC's facilty in Modena, Italy).
I've already sorted out a factory collection trip over the Grossglockner High Alpine Pass (so after May, when it's snow-free), visiting friends in Germany, then back through Belgium and France to get to the north of the UK. Even on the current charger coverage along that route, it only needs 19 quick 10-15 minute charges on 40-60kW DCFC to cover the 1369-mile journey. Given it's going to take a couple of days, there will be fewer since the overnight stop will start day 2 on a full charge.
Really looking forward to it!
Couldn't you carry some very lightweight mirrors to increase the solar cells efficiency when the Aptera is parked? Attach them to the sides to reflect sunlight onto the cells. Maybe you could double their output.
Also, a question: Will the battery pack be changeable? What if a new battery tech comes along with multiple times the range with the same size?
I live near Oakland, CA.... How much for window replacement? Its a just a matter of time before they bip the new whip. A sad cost to calculate for future bay area ownership.
The Aptera would be more efficient than my electric moped 😱
I have notice that sitting flat with on hand on my back reduces energy use by about 30% because it makes me more aerodynamic 😜
some velomobile riders (without any motor) can ride faster than mopeds, just because the velomobiles are very light and aerodynamic.
Great sequel! The 18 kWh Aptera may be my second one! For my first, I’m opting for a little more range.
I’m a road tripper. I would have preferred the 600 mile range, but 400 with solar will work. Thank you for the enjoyable and informative videos :-)
I was only planning to get the 250mi range version, as it would cover 99% of my use....however, with the launch edition announcement, I switched up to the 400 mile version to get mine sooner. After playing around a bit with google maps, I realized some of my favorite vacation destinations are about 395mi away LOL...should have realized it before.
Great info and as (almost) always hilarious intro! 👍
Launch edition reserved, but will also be buying a Luna 1,000 mile version when available. They will eventually be building a 4 wheel version, but this get them off the ground.
Can't wait until I get the notification that my Aptera is ready for pickup!
I hope they have an optional folding solar panel external charger that plugs into the vehicle to provide a much larger solar charge per day that fits easily into the back and still leaves a lot of space for storage, in case you need it.
I hope the 250 does well as long as it doesn't delay the developmant of the 600 mile range variant since that's what I need and have ordered.
It "will" they're doing 400, 250 then 6 and 1k in that order.
Aren't the 600 and 1k versions using a different battery chemistry? That could be the reason why Aptera are going with the lower range versions first.
@@examinerian We don't know yet. Chris announced that the 600 mile pack is currently slated to use 4690 cells and the 1000 mile pack is slated for 46120 cells. This will necessitate a lowered belly pan.. If better chemistry cells are available in those form factors, I'm sure Aptera will consider them.
@@examinerian No, initially all will be using NMC chemistry. the 250 and 400 mile range will use 2170s, and the 600 and 1000 mile packs will use taller cells of the same diameter and chemistry
I reserved a long time ago and even invested in. I plan to use it mostly as a commuter vehicle because I live in a sunny climate.
I love the idea of this car, just like I loved the idea of the Arcimoto (downsides being slow charging and limited range) but will it make it to market? Does range matter to me, yes. Do I need a 1000 mile range occasionally would be nice but the launch edition of 400 miles would cover 98+% of my driving and not requiring a recharge during the day. And then will it get to the Great White North? I love the idea of camping out in it. Over all the functionality of the ID Buzz is very attractive especially with the additional rows of seats removed and it would be even more attractive it it had solar panels instead of that glass roof.
Just waiting for them to bring the damn thing to the real market!
....Never happen... it's All about RUclips Money!
will it possible to upgrade the battery later?
It would probably be less expensive to trade it for another car. Due to the difference in weight the suspension would need to be changed, and perhaps even a recalibration of the air bags.
Could get by with smallest battery pack, but next step up is not that much more. Also, 400 mile version is about all the driving I would want to do in 1 day if visiting relatives. All boils down to convenience vs dollars. Drew, keep up the good work.
I haven't put my money where my mouth is. But I feel like this is speaking my language. My daily commute to work and back is 25 mi , and live in a spot in Texas where most days we get plenty of sun. Sounds like I'd be saying goodbye to refilling my car
Road tripping? Yeah, a couple times per year, sure. However, for myself living in the northern midwest where its not uncommon to have a couple of cold snaps -20 or so, I need bare minimum 40kw. Because I'd like to actually run the heat on the way to work. I can't precondition while plugged in at home, because I live in an apartment that won't allow me to install an EVSE, so it's all coming off the battery. So winter kind of demands that I have the 40kw variant, being able to road trip for summer vacation is just icing on the cake.
I love the idea of the more efficient model, but I personally can't use it. I'm getting a job with a 180 mile round trip. The pay is totally worth the pain of an hour and a half drive daily considering I'll be making around $700 a day. I really can't take anything less than the 400 mile model and really I only want the longest range model in case a home charger goes bad and didn't charge overnight every other drive.
Though I know that model isn't coming for quite some time so I just got myself a 2023 prius. My old 97 camry just won't hold up long enough anymore for the Aptera. If it came out 2 years ago like I first heard I wouldn't be in the same situation now.
Love that Sting is hanging on the wall.
Imagine a vehicle with 0 maintenance and 0 fuel cost. Oh yeah , they make it in the same factory as a Formula One and it is supercar fast and every head will turn when you drive by too! I ordered two
Holding out for the 600 mile version, but great points!
I'd love a 22k Aptera with 180 mi of range even without DC fast charging if it got 90wh/mi. Love the efficiency!
I drive alot and am waiting for the 1000 mile range. My son has the 400 mile vehicle on order.
I love it….Aptera😍👏🏽🥳
Would be interested in a battery health mode that keeps the battery around between 40-60% charge during normal daily use. You can charge up for a road trip
I believe it when I see it in built and delivered
I am not waiting around. I am doing anything I can to see that it actually happens. And together, we are making the difference.
1,000 mile range. I hate being limited by charge times during road trips.
Aptera is really invested in the "right to repair" for their vehicles I wonder how difficult it would be to say purchase the launch edition and then increase the batteries later to the one that I really want. That way I would get the vehicle sooner.
Maybe Aptera will design the car body to use the 20kWh, 40kWh and 60Wh batteries, so different sized batteries can be swapped in the same car body. However, I suspect that the first edition will be custom designed for just the 40kWh battery.
Don't think it would take too many solar panels at home to double your daily charge range. Their website says about 700 watts of solar on the vehicles. Two 350 watt panels at home and you get 80 miles per day.
The base model would easily be enough for my daily driving. For longer trips, I think having a sort of "solar trailer" with additional batteries that I could haul behind it would make road tripping to another state more that feasible.
Once you start calculating the cost of making a custom solar trailer and the amount that that trailer is going to cut down on your energy efficiency when driving, you are better off buying the longer range model. Also I don't see an easy way to attach a tow hitch to the current design. With 40 to 60 kW DC fast charging, I don''t see much point in having more than the 400 mile variant, but maybe you really like to get off the beaten path.
Just recognize that to maximize battery capacity lifespan with currrent Li NMC (532 or 622 polycrystalline) technology, you don't want to charge to 100% unless necessary, keep the battery cool, and use frequent shallow charge/discharge cycles, example 75% to 50%, instead of fewer deep discharge cycles, example 90% to 10%. Dr. Dahn presents research on Li ion battery chemistry and use relative to capacity lifespan. Issue is with cathode particle cracking which consumes available Li and reduces capacity. Monocrystalline cathode particles are much less prone to this issue. So Aptera with current polycrystalline Li NMC at ~400 mile range would maximize battery capacity lifespan with charging to 75% and about 100 miles of use before recharge to 75%.
best skit yet i didn't even skip it and that means something
I agree! I did the same thing!
Great ideas, I need 400 miles living way out in the desert....in the sun !!!