[Big Dave]

Is it really a good idea to have the beautiful and efficient design held hostage by batteries? No matter how slick it is, the vehicle simply won’t go very far on a charge. As a practical matter that makes it a strictly urban car. Slow speeds, stop and go.

In such an environment, the Aptera’s excellent aerodynamics are nearly neutralized. An electric xBox or Smart would be just as good in an urban environment – if not better.

The Aptera would really shine at freeway speeds. But freeways are for the guys with the long commutes. 30-40 miles one-way. The Aptera simply would not go that far on one charge and batteries simply need to recharge overnight. People who buy them as commuter cars are gonna be really bummed when the thing is out of juice three quarters of the way home. Poor battery performance is what killed the EV1.

The beautiful and effective aerodynamics of the Aptera did not come without paying a price. The thing cannot be cheap to make. Bodywork repairs will be exorbitant. Everytime a Civic or xBox hits an Aptera, the Aptera is probably totaled. It is certainly not capacious.

Aptera should be pushing the ICE (preferably diesel) version first instead of the electric. If a diesel Aptera could routinely get 125 MPG in commuter service, I would think there is a hellacious market for cars that could handle a 50 mile one-way commute with four gallons a week.

An Aptera powered by an ICE would be the least expensive version, and the most versatile version.

An Aptera with an engine could have a heater and proper AC and you could sell to a much wider area.

I still wonder about calling it a motorcycle. Will Ohio buyers have to wear helmets while driving an Aptera?

As we’ve seen, the auto biz is a rough neighborhood. Totally Darwinian. You can prosper for a century and still disappear overnight. One mistake is too many for a startup.