100,000 Apteras in 5 years?
It appears that a sizable chunk of the 32.7 million electric vehicles predicted to be roaming the streets in that report we told you about will be built by Aptera. 100,000 of them to be exact. That is, if the company's ambitious goals are reached. In their latest newsletter, the number was slipped in alongside mention of 1,500 jobs they plan on creating in that same time span. With a pool of customers over 4,000 deep, months before the first one hits the road, and a 4-wheeled sedan on the way as well, these targets may seem a little high-reaching but doable.
This latest dispatch is more content rich than those in the past and contains links to some of the press attention they've gotten since their high-profile TED appearance. It also reveals an expanded web presence. Yes, the flightless ones are now Twittering away about everything Aptera and even fielding some questions. Look back over their past tweets and find links to pics of their appearance at the Desert Classic Concours d'Elegance or learn what one of these birds looks like in colors other than white. Enjoy.
Gallery: Aptera 2e at TED
[Source: Aptera]
It appears that a sizable chunk of the 32.7 million electric vehicles predicted to be roaming the streets in that report we told you about will be built by Aptera. 100,000 of them to be exact. That is, if the company's ambitious goals are reached. In their latest newsletter, the number was slipped in alongside mention of 1,500 jobs they plan on creating in that same time span. With a pool of customers over 4,000 deep, months before the first one hits the road, and a 4-wheeled sedan on the way as well, these targets may seem a little high-reaching but doable.
This latest dispatch is more content rich than those in the past and contains links to some of the press attention they've gotten since their high-profile TED appearance. It also reveals an expanded web presence. Yes, the flightless ones are now Twittering away about everything Aptera and even fielding some questions. Look back over their past tweets and find links to pics of their appearance at the Desert Classic Concours d'Elegance or learn what one of these birds looks like in colors other than white. Enjoy.
Gallery: Aptera 2e at TED
[Source: Aptera]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
John Lee 4:06PM (3/04/2009)
I'm looking at the volkswagon beetle as the pattern for Aptera.
Electric cars are currently unfordable luxuries for the masses.
If aptera can keep the cost of the 2e near the cost of a ICE sedan, Aptera will be an unconventionally styled, but ubiquitous barrier breaking car.
The first "people's car" of the electric era.
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paulwesterberg 4:10PM (3/04/2009)
0.3% is a sizeable chunk?
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Domenick Yoney 4:18PM (3/04/2009)
The 32.7 million is a worldwide prediction. I'm not sure what America's share of that number will be ....ok, maybe "sizable chunk" is a bit of an overstatement. I didn't stop and do the math. I'm just a blogger. You be me for a while and I'll be you. ^_^
jharlan 8:11PM (3/04/2009)
It's kind of cost vs range. They are very cool and it would be a gas to drive one. They may just have a shot at it.
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Michael 4:49PM (3/04/2009)
Let's start with 1.
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Yanquetino 5:06PM (3/04/2009)
Let's see. Obama has set a goal of 1 million plug-ins by 2015, so 100,000 would amount to... 10% of that fleet. That is, indeed, a pretty good chunk for a startup company --if they can pull it off.
And another chunk to consider is how much C02 those Apteras could potentially save. If they are replacing cars like our current ICE, and driving the numbers of miles we travel each year, 100,000 of them would reduce the carbon footprint by... 745,750 tons per year. Well... if recharged exclusively with solar, wind, geothermal, etc. Not bad!
The real question is: can Aptera pull it off? I sure hope that they start hiring those 1,400 employees soon! Even if the Aptera is a simpler vehicle to manufacture and assemble, those workers will have their task cut out for them. Over a five year period, they would need to produce an average of 385 vehicles per week. Yow! Of course, the production numbers will be low at first, but that only means they will have to swell ever larger in ensuing years to reach their goal.
I can't help but wonder if 1,400 factory workers will suffice...? And if their part suppliers can ramp up sufficiently to meet those demands...?
Still, I hope they pull it off. I would love to see Aptera succeed: they truly have a unique, innovative, clean, green machine.
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why not the LS2LS7? 5:20PM (3/04/2009)
Not going to happen.
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fuel.shy 12:04AM (3/05/2009)
If only 15,000 some Insights were originally sold, I'm thinking no way, unfortunately.
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