The Aptera

[Sapphire Dragon]

This is a new, aerodynamic all electric car that I would love to drive. I'm hoping it will be my first car. It has a very distinct design, almost like a bird, and it is coming out in around 2010. It can get around 300 mpg initially, but after it is driven for a while, it goes down to about 120. It's a very innovative car that, while it only has three wheels, its design is such that it can handle just like other cars without the extra wheel, and the extra weight. I think it's a beautiful car and I hope this company goes to the top for their ideas. What do you all think?

Pictures here

Info here

 

[NiobiumTragedy]

I think like every other piece of new technology, they will want more than it's worth. Plus, being that they are a new company, getting work done on it will be a nightmare. I'm also still not sold that it's a safe car in a collision. I would like to see the safety rating on it for crash tests.

I'd like to see some reviews on it by car reviewers who have actually driven it and torn it apart. None the less, I doubt these will be a success on the mass market. The look is something mediocre like you'd expect from a concept car and most people won't like that, plus with mileage going down like that after time, most people will be turned off by it.

Overall, once it hits the lines and they see how much mass producing will cost them, you'll probably be paying upwards of $40,000 - $60,000 for one. Really not saving any money there. And if you're an eco nut, I'd be checking into how many BTUs of energy it takes to make one rather than how many it uses on the road.

 

[Sapphire Dragon]

Well, since it's a new company and it hasn't started producing yet, there's still a lot to see from this company. It's still getting everything together and remodeling the design based on polls from people who have test driven the prototypes, so it's taking things slowly. The projected release date is somewhere around 2010, but that may change depending on when they believe is the best time to release the car. It has plenty of time to release standard car information for prospective buyers. There's also a brochure on its website if you want to know the specific spec's.
Right now, there's not enough information to figure out how many BTU's of energy it would take. And hopefully the price won't spike once they mass produce, but I'm sure they've already taken that into consideration. That's why the price range is as large as it is and not more specific.

 

[NiobiumTragedy]

Yah, that's what they thought about the Tesla Roadster as well and look how well that worked out for them.

 

[Sapphire Dragon]

Well, this isn't the Tesla Roadster now, is it? It deserves some time to prove itself. Plus, I'll still back the Aptera up even when it's not doing well... I think the design of this car is worth it. The Tesla doesn't have less drag than the Aptera does, I can promise you that. And we all know that less drag = better efficiency.

Tesla drag: 2.5
Aptera: 1.5

 

[NiobiumTragedy]

This thing doesn't sound very efficient to me. Apart from the things I mentioned above such as the lack of support and mechanics who can work on such a car, the first version, a 120mpg version, will have to plug in every night to the wall. How much will your electric bill jolt up every month from having to charge this? Especially with the cost of electricity going up in the next couple years thanks to new energy bills. You could be creating a much larger carbon footprint by going the route of an all electric car.

It's the same mentality of people who believe that Ethanol is an answer when it takes much more energy to make Ethanol than it saves the consumer who uses it. It looks good when you're missing information.

I'm not an optimist, as you are already aware of I'm sure, when it comes to things like this. I'll believe everything they say when the proof is in front of me from being tested and proven on the mass market. Too many companies, just like Tesla, promised much and delivered little and ended up huge disappointments. They may not be marketing to the same people, but it's the same business concept, and each time ends up in a large pile of fail. Especially when these companies start working out the cost of mass production and maintainability.

In any event, I'm more interested in that car developed by MIT that they drove across the country using (if I remember correctly) solar cells that store up enough energy that allows the car to run all day long.

 

[Sapphire Dragon]

Yes, your electric bill will rise- but your gas bill will be eliminated completely. The specific calculations depend on the individual person, but it can end up saving you more money. Think of it as a legitimate bundle.

And no car that I know of is perfectly and completely efficient that can leave a tiny or no carbon footprint at all that has a price that's viable to release to the public. Yes, there may be more efficient cars in terms of low carbon footprints and solar panels right now, but I wonder how much they cost? I think the Aptera can at least provide a way for others to support eco-friendliness while not dumping out their life savings on it. Not to mention, no car is perfect right now, so I think it's best to support the ones with the most potential.

Again, regarding the Tesla, it may be a similar marketing tactic but it's not identical. Which means, at least to me, that it needs a chance to prove itself before it's shot down by preconceptions.
That car does sound interesting, but do you have a price estimate on it? How much drag does it have? How long does it have to be out in the sun to get enough energy to run? What do you do if there is a storm and you don't get strong, direct sunlight for an extended period of time? What happens if you're in the north and there are blizzards that block the sun out for potentially days or even almost weeks?There are many potential complications with solar-celled power cars, as well. That car deserves a chance to prove itself, as well- but I'm not sure how a car with good solar panel technology could be released with a viable price tag.

 

[NiobiumTragedy]

Point being is this with the issue of fuel: this car will most likely require you to charge it nightly in order to hold the charge. I put gas in my car maybe twice to three times a week. After comparing a months worth of fuel for both, I won't be amazed if the Aptera actually costs more to keep running than a gas car, especially once the price of electric goes up.

I've not even brought up the point of how ugly and awkward the car is. It's long and the wheel wells I'm sure will make it a challenge to park. I also think that being that the wheels are so far out, you are also adding a new danger aspect. Of course, the look of the car is just opinion. The other stats on the body are the bigger issue.

I'm personally looking at talking to my dealer about importing a Ford ECOnetic Fiesta. It's a diesel car Ford refuses to release in the US that gets 76.3mpg. At the least, I won't have to replace an expensive LiIon battery system every 5 years.

 

[Sapphire Dragon]

We'll have to see those figures once they come out. But even then, if it turned out to be that way, I'd definitely pay a little bit more per month to keep it up in the support of eliminating the use of the gas we're using now. Electricity can continue to be produced. At some point, gas will run out. Then any cars that run on gas will be worthless outside of recycling or converting (probably expensive), essentially.

And yes, the style is a matter of opinion. I think the Aptera is beautiful. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I'm not completely familiar with the stats on the body, but as I said there is a brochure on their site with the full spec's of the car that they will release to the public so far. There is also this article, which Steve Fambro himself replied to to clear up some misconceptions: Interview with Steve Fambro from Aptera Motors - Autoblog Green(Edit- The discussion is not only the article, but also Steve Fambro's comment in the comments below it)

Well, every car is not for everyone. What's not right for some people may be a perfect fit for others. So this car may not be for you, then. And that's perfectly fine.

 

[NiobiumTragedy]

How do you think the electricity in your house is produced? Either way, you're using fossil fuels by either putting it in your gas tank or plugging it in a light socket. lol

 

[Sapphire Dragon]

Yes, but there's a difference. Putting fossil fuels directly into a car ensures you're using something that will run out in the long run. Electricity can be generated in many different ways- fossil fuels aren't required to generate electricity. I can show my support of changing to more of an eco-friendly attitude by getting an all-electric vehicle, but I can't change the way factories work on my own. That's the next thing on the list, and that's going to take community. The first step is to get away from directly using gas to indirectly, and then from indirectly to not at all.

Not to mention, it's much easier to just plug in your car at home than to have to stop on the road every time you need to fuel up your vehicle. ;p