Spaceship-like car to hit U.S. roads

[Joenavy85]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

What are the serious safety issues?

The morons driving on the roads today

[metroschultz]

I just got home from a 1000 mile trip.
I saw 2 (from the hundreds) SUVs pass me (I was going the posted limit) and then later down the road they were in the ditch.
One from an avoidance maneuver, (debris in the road) the other for no apparent reason.
The avoidance truck was upside down, you could see the 4 tire tracks that led from the debris, and the truck had gone left side first into the tree line, it was a total loss, (frame bent) and appeared as if there could be serious (or fatal) injuries. ( I hope that is wrong) The other was just tail side into the trees.
No small cars were harmed along the road, plenty of vehicles with flat tires or other problems. Only 2 wrecks were SUVs.
Just an observation. Not a contention. Nor, accusation.

Back on track;
the Aptera does look like a space ship on wheels. That is the nature of aerodynamics. I find them pleasing to my eye as well as functional. ---But--- it is not a reality yet.

What struck me most about this thread;
How far off topic it went, and,
It hasn't been closed yet.
Watch your finger pointing boys, we all have issues.

[laack]

deleted

[Frank Lee]

Originally Posted by Joenavy85

The morons driving on the roads today

Agreed. But I want conn to tell me why this thing is a deathtrap.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by metroschultz

the Aptera does look like a space ship on wheels. That is the nature of aerodynamics.

Which is ironic, since of course a real spaceship has absolutely no need for aerodynamics at all :-) http://maderpix.com/Desktops/LunarMo...M_1024_768.jpg

[UFO]

I already drive a "spaceship" on wheels. But I'd get an Aptera to replace it.

[ConnClark]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

Agreed. But I want conn to tell me why this thing is a deathtrap.

Sorry to take so long, I've been very busy.

Having 3 wheels it is less stable. This also means its more likely to roll than spin out. 4.1VisualAnalysisOfStability

Having its nose higher than most bumpers is going to deflect the thing up into the air in an accident. This is never a good thing in a crash. Especially in a car that is prone to being rolled over (not to mention one with gull wing doors). A hit from the rear to one side has a far greater likely hood of rolling it due to the way the rear end slopes up from the sides.


The choice of lithium Ion batteries poses a serious fire risk (if you have ever seen one of these batteries go you know what I'm talking about). The energy density of a battery system big enough for a car is scary.

[Frank Lee]

A properly designed trike is as stable as a quad. Some trikes are claimed to have superior handling to quads and I have every reason to believe it.

I've got a homemade trike, ridden a VW trike, had the old trike ATVs, and taxid tricycle gear aircraft. There is nothing scary about a trike.

As far as flying up through the air upon hitting something: you've been watching CHiPS reruns haven't you! I doubt that would be the behavior of it but even more importantly, how often do you engage in head-on collisions? Stay 3000 miles away from me, please.

Do you ever throw a leg over a bicycle or motorcycle? I guarantee you, in just about every traction-fail or impact situation, you will be better off on/in a trike than a bike.

That leaves the batteries, and I don't know much of anything about the spontaneous ignition of said l-ions. Were I hypothetically speaking an Aptera customer I probably would have wanted a gas or diesel version anyway (cold weather, long distance ops).

[Christopher Jordan]

I have had human-powered trikes/velomobile/3-wheel US Post Office van, registered City-EL 3-wheel car. I have 2 trikes now (one human power, one battery motor). They are after about 20 trikes since 1980.

I cannot say I like the Aptera, but it works. As do Zaps, Triacs, Cushmans, Westcoasters, et-c., that never quite make it due to "expert" opinions or financial reasons. Amusing that this thread is so long!

[jason1973tl]

Originally Posted by ConnClark

Sorry to take so long, I've been very busy.

Having 3 wheels it is less stable. This also means its more likely to roll than spin out. 4.1VisualAnalysisOfStability

Having its nose higher than most bumpers is going to deflect the thing up into the air in an accident. This is never a good thing in a crash. Especially in a car that is prone to being rolled over (not to mention one with gull wing doors). A hit from the rear to one side has a far greater likely hood of rolling it due to the way the rear end slopes up from the sides.


The choice of lithium Ion batteries poses a serious fire risk (if you have ever seen one of these batteries go you know what I'm talking about). The energy density of a battery system big enough for a car is scary.

O.K. first point. You need to watch a few vids on the Aptera. The shell is designed to be so strong an elephant could stand on it.

Second, I believe the reverse trike design makes it more stable than older tadpole designs, and I believe this design is much more likely to spin out than even a regular car. Just watch a few videos on the T Rex.

Third and most important. The Lithium battery that needs coolant are the lithium ions referred to as lithium cobalt oxide. Those are the thermal runaway batteries you are talking about. Anybody looking to use lithiums should look at Lithium Iron Phosphate. It is a much cooler running, much more stable and longer cycle battery chemistry than the others you are talking about. All of the home converted electric cars I know of using lithiums are using LiFePo batteries. You can find a dozen or more websites selling them now. They are the large format rectangular, yellow, blue or white batteries you may have seen pictures of.