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Originally Posted by ShadeTreeMech
The best thing about a 3 wheeler would be a reduction of weight.
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But how much lighter will it really be ?
The single wheel needs to carry a bigger load and handle the power on its own, so it's going to be heavier and wider than any one of 4 wheels.
That bigger load is not spread over 2 points, but concentrated in 1 area, increasing the structural demands and weight.
Edison 2 VLC isn't even half the weight on 4 wheels.
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That and being able to be closer to the ideal tear drop drag reduction shape.
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The Aptera doesn't really use that, but remains wide at the rear instead (a thin, but wide edge).
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And less rolling resistance.
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RR is a function of weight, so you're not anywhere near to reducing RR by 1/4th by removing 1 out of 4 wheels.
The gains seem marginal compared to the issues a 3-wheeled lay-out brings along.