New Aptera 2e video demonstrates stability of three-wheeled platform
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Wondering how stable the Aptera 2e's three-wheeled configuration will be? Not having had the chance to slide behind the slinky machine's wheel just yet, we wonder as well. Fortunately, the topic is also on the minds of some of the lucky few testers who have gotten seat time in preproduction Apteras, and at least one person has captured his driving antics on video.
Jason H. Harper, writing for Bloomberg, recently took an Aptera 2e for a spin and he strapped a video camera inside while taking a number of tire-screechingly tight corners at speed. From the looks (and sounds) of things, the Aptera made good use of its twin front wheels and comparatively wide track to remain impressively stable throughout the exercise. We're also wondering about the 17 kWh battery as quoted in this writeup – could this be an optional high-capacity unit?
We still have questions as to how the 2e will perform in inclement weather and, until Aptera releases crash testing data at least, how well it will hold up in the unfortunate event of an accident. Regardless, footage like this makes us look forward to our own stint behind the wheel, whenever that may come.
[Source: Jason H. Harper via Green Car Reports]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
markf 10:05AM (3/19/2009)
Not certain about 'impressive' stability - it was not going that fast, and the tires are not built for handling so they'll whine at relatively low speeds compared to even small economy cars. Did you notice how much the car/camera bounced from left to right (not up & down or back & forth) on the straights of what looked like smooth residential streets - hopefully they'll work out the ride issues prior to final production. markf
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Chris M 1:55PM (3/19/2009)
Looked pretty fast to me, certainly faster than I'd normally take a right angle turn, I certainly wouldn't worry about stability under normal driving conditions. Now, I wouldn't go track racing in it, but I don't go track racing anyway.
As for the camera shake, that's the fault of the camera mounting, not the car.
Termin8r 10:26AM (3/19/2009)
Why would there be doubts about stability of a tricycle of this configuration? In the 20's and 30's of the previous century, three-wheeled Morgans (with two front wheels and a single rear wheel, like the Aptera) were very successful on racing circuits with many corners. Few four-wheeled cars of the day could touch them, even though the Morgans weren't particularly powerful.
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vfx 11:00AM (3/19/2009)
Ok so a wide track 3 wheeled car is stable. For the Government to consider a "trike" to be a "car' they need to specify a minimum ratio between front to back and width. And require the CG to hit a height.
Oh forgetit!
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Hank 12:30PM (3/19/2009)
I'm interested in what happens on a snowy, barely plowed road with four-wheel-created ruts when that third wheel is hitting the piles in the middle of the road. I live in upstate NY, and this is a definite reality I'd have to deal with.
I really like this car in concept, and hope it's successful.
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jpm 1:08PM (3/19/2009)
The designers live in San Diego, CA. I don't think they had unplowed, snowy dirt roads in mind.
NeilBlanchard 3:30PM (3/19/2009)
Hi,
It looks like they are going ~45mph, which is pretty darn fast for a parking lot turn.
I would love to own and drive an Aptera 2e or 2h, for sure.
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ryan 10:11PM (3/19/2009)
No plans to sell the Aptera 2e outside of California in the near future. Thus, snow WOULDN'T enter into the equation. If they keep the size of the company and its production capacity to a minimum, they could do just fine in the California market.
I say go for it. Instead of mass marketing a product, sell it in a single area to a single niche market. Learn that market well. This is a very sustainable business plan, compared to company's with global cars that pretend to understand entirely different markets and make a single product to satisfy them all.
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