Has Aptera really made it to production?

[AeroWolf]

I saw this video and a mention of a listing on NASDAQ: SEV

Is Aptera no longer vaporware?

 

[motorolas]

I watched this video today from Youtuber "Tailosive EV" - 1ST Aptera Rolls Off Assembly Line!


Sounds like this is a validation unit of the assembly line.

Cool info on the Youtuber Andrew, I believe he works with Telo Trucks as well for social media.

It's an interesting looking vehicle. Reminded me of the Plymouth/Chrysler Prowler with the front wheels.

 

[AeroWolf]

The bubble wheel covers always looked a little odd. And I keep thinking they will be a constant source of irritating maintenance by collecting road debris on the inside of te covers.

 

[ScooterAsheville]

Every time I see one of these, I just have a vision of a decaptiated owner as it submarines under an F250 in a rear collision. And I had three Miatas. I always made sure my wife had great insurance when I drove those.

That said, as somebody who drove motorcycles in my youth, everyone has a right to drive what rocks their world.

 

[Doctors Do Little]

Every time I see one of these, I just have a vision of a decaptiated owner as it submarines under an F250 in a rear collision. And I had three Miatas. I always made sure my wife had great insurance when I drove those.

That said, as somebody who drove motorcycles in my youth, everyone has a right to drive what rocks their world.

You had decapitation insurance? Nice!

 

[KJRaven]

Every time I see one of these, I just have a vision of a decaptiated owner as it submarines under an F250 in a rear collision. And I had three Miatas. I always made sure my wife had great insurance when I drove those.

That said, as somebody who drove motorcycles in my youth, everyone has a right to drive what rocks their world.

They do have a steel roll cage, not saying that they would be safe in a crash like that but they would be better than a miata, or any other small convertible in that situation. It would still be a horrific accident though.

ZTT has a good video on them and shows the roll cage.

 

[Mad Mac]

It's deja Vu all over again.

Vehicle purgatory is littered
with rear drive three-wheelers,
albeit the Aptera is an electric one.

The Canadian T-Rex.
The Corbin Sparrow.
The Polaris Slingshot.
Elio Motors (I still have the t-shirt)
and others.

British ones in the past
were created to defeat the vehicle tax.
More recently here, the ones
ruled to be 3-wheeled motorcycles
could be ridden on HOV lanes.

If there is to be a solar powered vehicle
it seems to me that a large panel
the width and length of the vehicle
supported inches above the vehicle
where it would also shade
the whole vehicle and the windows
would be the most efficient.
Along the lines of the Solar Kiwi.

Solar Cars

Parked outside all day
while office drones toil
it should be fully charged
for the commute home and back.

 

[ElectricShitbox]

FWIW, the Aptera is FWD.
Although I'm old enough to remember when it was supposed to have hub motors, and start at $25k, lol.

 

[Yukon Cornelius]

That is production for testing, not for sales...

 

[Mad Mac]

FWD! That makes it even more puzzling
why it would be a 3-wheeler.

 

[ElectricShitbox]

FWD! That makes it even more puzzling
why it would be a 3-wheeler.

Cars have more regulations

Edit: BTW, there's a proposed bill that would kill Aptera by making it defined as a car because of its seating position/steering wheel.
https://www.hagerty.com/media/news/...ngshots-from-being-registered-as-motorcycles/

 

[KevinRS]

3 wheeled vehicles are classified as motorcycles, and there is a whole raft of regulations they can get around, and get the weight way down, increasing efficiency. I remember seeing an old magazine(70s popular mechanics or mother earth news?) claiming you could build your own and get over 200 mpg.

 

[E90400K]

3 wheeled vehicles are classified as motorcycles, and there is a whole raft of regulations they can get around, and get the weight way down, increasing efficiency. I remember seeing an old magazine(70s popular mechanics or mother earth news?) claiming you could build your own and get over 200 mpg.

I was all in with the Elio (never put up money though). It was to be my perfect commuter. At the time it was supposed to originally come out I was commuting 800 miles a week to my office and could use the fully-enclosed Elio "motorcycle" in the HOV lane and pull 78 MPG. AC and heat too!

 

[Mad Mac]

Here in Texas
an "autocycle" with three wheels
enclosed with seats and seatbelts
may use the HOV lane.

Autocycles are classified as motorcycles for registration and title purposes. As of 2023, operators in Texas generally require a Class M motorcycle license, and safety, insurance, and registration laws for motorcycles apply.

 

[KJRaven]

Here in Texas
an "autocycle" with three wheels
enclosed with seats and seatbelts
may use the HOV lane.

Autocycles are classified as motorcycles for registration and title purposes. As of 2023, operators in Texas generally require a Class M motorcycle license, and safety, insurance, and registration laws for motorcycles apply.

Where are there still HOV lanes, we just have express lanes in DFW now. They are basically pay to win highways that are demand driven prices o avoid traffic jams on the regular highways.