Aptera moving from R&D to production
If you have been to the Aptera website in the past and signed up for their newsletter you will have probably received a nice e-mail message from them yesterday addressed to "Aptera Family" that had some great news and even featured a few videos. If you didn't, don't worry. I'll not only give you the skinny on what you missed, but after the jump you can watch the brand new video (we've already shown you the others) which is a guided tour of the Aptera Typ-1. But wait there's more, because I'm a nice guy, (if you don't believe me, ask my Mom): I'll even give you the special secret link to the newsletter hidden on their website.
We've been following the progress of the Typ-1 since the beginning and it has been great to watch the car move from an early drawing to rough prototype to pre-production thing of beauty. We've watched it being test driven by Popular Mechanics (we're still jealous) and the L.A.Times (our turn, hello!!!) and reported its appearances in a Touchstone Energy T.V. commercial as well as the Star Trek film set. Unlike the vapor that seems to fill the news wires, this thing is real and is on the way.
Hit the jump for news and video. And the secret link.
Gallery: Aptera at the Academy Awards
After months of long days and late nights teasing out all the details necessary to turn this dream machine into a reality, Aptera is announcing that they have completed the design phase for the Typ-1. They are now ready to get busy with the awesome task of manufacturing their aerodynamic vision. And busy they will be.
They already have the financing in place but there is still much that will need to be done before production can begin. First, and this may interest some of you, they need to hire "a bunch" of people. Next, they have to move into their new building (location undisclosed). They also want to do a little more advanced crash testing and refining of the manufacturing process. Then there are plans to build an Aptera store from which to conduct their sales and service. I expect that their showroom will be pretty empty for a while since more than a thousand vehicles have already been reserved.
A more regular flow of news and updates are being promised as well so if you haven't signed up for the newsletter yet you can do that at the top of any page on their website which, by the way, is also slated for an extensive re-making. Don't believe me? Sound too good to be true? Go ahead, read it for yourself!
[Source: Aptera]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Taser 1:27PM (3/27/2008)
It's a shame about this Cali-Centric production. Many people on the East coast would love to own one. Perhaps this is my Veruca Salt moment.
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Stephen 1:30PM (3/27/2008)
It's a beautiful car! I hope they can actually sell them for
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Stephen 1:37PM (3/27/2008)
[apparently less than signs are not legal in comment text]
It's a beautiful car! I hope they can actually sell them for less than $30K. Composite construction is the way to go for the flowing, streamlined shape, but it's very labor-intensive. I built a composite airplane and it took a lot of time. Using molds will help but I still have doubts about the prices they forecast.
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KarenRei 1:47PM (3/27/2008)
Who says you can't? :) I don't live in Cali, and I'm getting one. You just need a proxy. Shipping cross-country will cost you ~1k$, and it's not like there's any regular maintenance beyond what an ordinary mechanic could take care of (changing tires, brake pads, or the drive belt)
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Geoff de Ruiter 2:10PM (3/27/2008)
Tesla-Aptera 08!
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Charlie 2:29PM (3/27/2008)
I understand there is a loophole in regards to motorcycles needing to be equipped with rear view mirrors in CA that will allow Aptera to have cameras instead but what happens when you try to qualify for a registration in another state that doesn't have this loophole or you are driving there and get stopped by a curious police officer in another state?
Is this going to be a problem?
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KarenRei 2:59PM (3/27/2008)
Not just rear view -- side mirrors, too. Just to be on the safe side, if my state hasn't fixed the regulations by then, I plan to put little slivers of mirror near the side windows on the inside and on the ceiling. The law where I live doesn't go into a lot of detail about the mirrors; it just mandates their presence. So, I'd then be meeting both the letter of the law (with the added mirrors) and the spirit of the law (with the cameras).
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mycomya 3:10PM (3/27/2008)
I still don't see how the windows will roll down without a fairly significant design change... As it is, the window appears too large and the wrong shape to slip into the door below. I definitely want the window to open more than just a sliver at the top...
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KarenRei 4:30PM (3/27/2008)
mycomya: This is widely discussed over on the Aptera forum, and everyone is speculating on how it's going to be done (the other issue is that the windows are flush with the outside). All that we know for sure at this point is that Steve Fambro has stated that the windows *will* open all the way.
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mycomya 5:25PM (3/27/2008)
Thanks, KarenRei. I appreciate reading (and being informed) by your comments on this blog.
It seems only by a miracle could the visual design of the door be maintained while having a fully functional window...
But these guys do seem pretty clever... Guess we'll have to stay tuned, eh? Should be interesting!
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Kevin 7:42PM (3/27/2008)
I hope these new pioneers and people who want to create green cars make some money in the end.
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Furion 6:32PM (3/27/2008)
I always wondered why all car brands shift in incremental steps in the basically same direction in the looks department as years go by. You know, more round, aerodynamic etc, but there's no huge leaps in design language.
If this car is made, that's a leap.
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Cervus 6:54PM (3/27/2008)
Furion:
Cars change slowly because building and marketing cars is a massively capital-intensive business. It costs billions to create a new vehicle. And the more different the design, the greater the risk that the public won't accept it (See: Pontiac Aztek, Ford Edsel, Tucker). Therefore, if behooves most established auto companies to go the low-risk route and make small changes.
This car is a huge leap, but it also carries the risk that people won't buy it in enough numbers to make it profitable. Now, a small company may be able to take the risk, but not Ford or GM, especially hanging on a thread like they are.
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ooglek 6:56PM (3/27/2008)
KarenRei: you got a proxy? I want a proxy. I guess I should find the cash first. But I want one too. Sweet.
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jake 11:38PM (3/27/2008)
Wow, that thing is W-I-D-E. It looks like it won't even fit in a parking space. For a $30k "motorcycle", it really should.
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