New Aptera
 

Hi,

Aptera has updated their web page with much more detailed images -- I'd say it definitely has driven front wheels!

Aptera

This is the 2e:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3151/...0d40e16a_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3214/...6ffa0c1e_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3031/...d47f1834_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3165/...932ce643_o.jpg

They start production this month! The cost will be the mid-$20K to the mid $40K range, depending on model (all-electric, serial hybrid, possibly fuel-only) and the options you choose. Sale to California residents only, for now, but all over the USA at some point fairly soon.

1,500-2,000 pounds (or so); again depending on the model and options. Dual air bags, front crumple zone, passenger safety cell with door beams, etc.

Thats great! Not that I could afford it even if it was sold here, but its nice to know it would be viable vehicle in a snowy area. That was previously my hang up with it.

Good news.

I surfed around their site a bit and was looking at their logo:

http://www.aptera.com/i/apteraLogo.png

What do you see there?

I see a simplified lower case a in the negative (white). It could be a teardrop shape as well. And a vicious green PacMan about to eat it...

MetroMPG -

Yes, and the green image is a (green) flower too, yes? Just saying the obvious (to me).

CarloSW2

Something about the 2e industrial design is bothering me...

1
http://www.foozoodesign.com/blog/ima...7/aptera01.jpg

2
http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1228244083

I think adding that rear window is forcing a longer feel... Which to me gives me thoughts of unbalanced proportions.

If I owned.... the first thing I'd do is streamline that camera winglet!

Notice some compromises... Larger handle inset, camera winglet, exposed rear view mirrors!

Other images show a more exposed rear wheel (back section) in addition to the wheel fairings having a more blunt rear (could just be the image perspective).


Here's an even older varient that made it's appearance at TED
http://blog.wired.com/cars/images/ap..._back_view.jpg
http://blog.wired.com/photos/uncateg...ont_view_2.jpg

Just to be clear... I'm not bashing :thumbup: I totally respect/understand the compromises necessary for manufacturing, sales, perception etc. It'd be cool to see an evolutionary map - starting with the first prototype (or donkey) and ending with the most recent version :)

When I think about Basjoos' accident, it seams these front wheels are a danger when (drunk...) people are overtaking you. This may be why the 2nd version has lights on them.

Denis.

NeilBlanchard -

I like the revised design. I like that it's lowered for COG (center of Gravity) and I like the running lights. I also like the side view mirrors. Video-cam side-views could be a pri$ey option or a DIY.

Mid $20K makes it an "acceptable" price for now. Down the line a mid $15K would make it a commuter-winner.

CarloSW2

Ditto

get the cost down without compromising safety

Reminds me of lights placed on trailer fenders. Makes perfect sense.


Wish I lived in CA. I would love to own one of these. Seems like it has great potential. Lets hope it doesn't fall into the tank like Tesla is doing.

I see lights on the Type 1 front wheels... :confused: Am I missing something?

http://www.foozoodesign.com/blog/ima...7/aptera01.jpg

I was drunk, or missing cafeine, or missing sleep, or...

But even with these lights, I think this is a dangerous configuration in daily commutes. This morning several people overtook me too closely. People from their SUV will see the main body of the aptera, but may not see/remember the front wheel... May be this is why I never saw side-cars on the left of a motorcycle.

Denis.

My experience riding recumbent bikes in the city tells me that it likely won't be too big of a problem. When drivers (people in general) see something that's "odd" (in this case, it's not an SUV and not a typical car, motorcycle, bicycle etc.) they give more attention. For me, on my 'bent, I have smaller visible area but I'm noticed much more than other bikes - which ultimately equates to larger clearance when a car is overtaking :thumbup:

Of course, if the car design becomes the norm, it then looks more transparent... But that would be a good problem to solve :D

As of mid November they had 4000 $500 deposits in California alone. The car has switched to FWD for several reasons. The production electric motor is much more powerful. They found that the single tire RWD created some traction and stability problems in the rain. An inexperienced driver could spin out really easily in the rain. Moving the whole drive train into the front (its extremely compact) also frees up more room in the trunk. Overall a win win.

Expect to see front, side and head airbags, ABS and traction control as either standard or optional equipment.

Good move, I say. A friend of mine found that getting his Corbin Sparrow (AKA "The Nose") moving on wet pavement could be a very, uhhh, "interesting" proposition.

-soD

Single rear drive surely isn't an insurmountable problem with an electronic traction control system. (Probably much easier to implement with electric drive as well.)

The single driven rear wheel was possibly more efficient though.

Anyhoo, they've confirmed the FWD change: Aptera switches to front-wheel drive - listing 6 reasons:

1. Better weight distribution, which, in turn, maximizes stability
2. Improved traction during acceleration and in inclement weather wet conditions
3. More efficiency at higher speeds
4. Increased durability during the life of the vehicle
5. Improved noise insulation
6. Increased rear cargo space (without sacrificing front legroom)

As well, they've announced production delays: Aptera likely to miss end-of-year delivery date - AutoblogGreen

subscribe :thumbup:

Saw an Aptera in a commercial on tv the other night for Great Lakes Energy here in Northern Michigan.

Headlights on the front wheel covers?
 

I think it would look cool with the headlights on the front wheel covers and it would make the lights turn with the wheels to give you better night visablilty.

I think the Aptera is a really neat design and I see no reason why they can not mass produce them for $12,000 to $15,000 and sell them by the millions. $30,000 to $40,000 it is really not worth that but at $12,500 it would be a good value and sell as many as they can build.

There is so many good things about this design, light wieght, aerodynamic and good mileage.

Does not matter to me if it is front wheel drive or rear wheel drive.

One of the things that strikes me as genius is the way that the car does not give up its aerodynamics, yet rides very high off of the ground.

This is not only great for safety,( from jacked up SUVs crashing into you ) but it also would help to make people that are used to SUVs ( a huge percentage of the American population ) more comfortable in the car.

Anyone else feel this way ?

I'm hoping it is a success in California, because it is ideally suited for Florida. I would be the first to drop a deposit for one. Not because it is the cheapest alternative to saving fuel, but a true first step in the right direction.

Not to mention I would love to work for them ....

Cd -

Yes and no. I think that before the transition to FWD, the car was even *higher* off the ground. I don't think the previous ride-height was for "rider perception" concerns. From what I have read on other Ecomodder threads, this was probably done because an "airplane cigar body shape" performs better aerodynamically when it is higher off the ground.

From the latest pictures I am seeing, I think they lowered it. This implies to me that they compromised in the name of increased safety, i.e. lower Cd in the name of lower COG (Center Of Gravity). From my POV, these are the "trade-offs" that good engineers make.

Can someone prove/disprove my perception that the current Aptera design is now lower?

CarloSW2

I'm wondering how the Cd increased so much in the latest version.

I see that they added mirrors, and a shark fin style thing to the roof. Did these small changes really increase the drag this much ?

Maybe they finally did a "real" drag analysis?

Before, they were using a computer simulation and throwing that figure around like it was gospel. :rolleyes:

They got a bit, eager, trying to get investors IMO. I figure ~150-200mpg@55mph average speed in the gas hybrid is a realistic guesstimate.

I would love to get one for my wife if they sold them here and if she'd go for it. I won't buy new cars for myself, plus her commute is 3x what mine is. A wonderful car and I really hope they do well.

Hi,

The things that probably contributed to the increase in Cd:

*Side mirrors

*Front wheel drive shafts

*Raised the bottoms of the wheel skirts

*Opening side windows

*Rear camera fin

*The overall front was modified: the windshield was moved rearward, and the front wheels were moved back, as well -- and the whole vehicle was lowered ~4-5" so the interaction with the ground is increased

Here's a comparison of the profiles:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...omparisons.png

NeilBlanchard -

Thanks for 1,000 word shortcut!

CarloSW2

Hiya,

They have updated their rollout date: the first Aptera 2e will out on January 16th -- just over a week from now! it will not be a "retail" unit -- in other words, it will probably go to someone in the company; likely Steve Fambro. Reading between the lines (of the letter they wrote to depositors about a "Lock-in" option they are offering), I think they will start delivering to the depositors during this quarter (Q1 09), and volume production by the end of the year.

Also, here are some higher resolution (rendering) images -- presumably, we'll see actual photos on the 16th! The first one shows the front wheel drive shafts:

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1058/...3db05171_b.jpg
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1010/...cfe4bcc9_b.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3124/...cb06af96_b.jpg
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1057/...393dcf90_b.jpg
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1393/...6b548c23_b.jpg

The deviant in me asks if it is possible to buy one in California then resell it to someone outside the state?

Vehicle straw purchase?

Not really because a straw purchase is when 1 party buys the product and a second party uses it ...

Or if I had family in Cali, I could go through the trouble of changing my address then bringing the car back to my original state and "move" thereby changing the registration information.

Their Cd now isn't much below that of my car. Actually it might be fairly close now as I've made a few aero improvements to my car since I did the coast down tests that netted the 0.17 Cd figure.

I wonder if those front wheel driveshafts are rotating on the outside or if they are a non-rotating tube with a rotating shaft inside. If the latter, then you could mount fairings on the round tube to get some additional drag reduction. If the former, I wonder if it would be prone to catching and winding grass around it you drove across a field of tall grass.

Hi,

There are a few people who are using proxy buyers. Aptera is doing this so they can support/service their vehicle. Eventually (hopefully) they will have a dealer network, that will let them sell and support it all over the country.

I think the front drive shafts you see are rotating. The rubber CV boots are visible in several of the images. In the image looking down on the vehicle, you can see that the lower suspension arm is forward of the drive shaft, so it might deflect said tall grass, and prevent it from entangling on the drive shaft?

OKAY!

No why would you drive through tall grass with this car?!?

THAT IS SO RANDOM! HAHAHAHA

I bet the aptera engineers NEVER thought about that! lol

My criticism is the risk of severe body damage from very minor bumps i.e. on the rear corners of the taillights. If some moron hits and runs from parallel parking, I don't want over $500 in body repairs from what would be typically just a tiny scuff on the bumper. Hopefully the corners are tough and not really part of the taillight like it appears.

Sorry to bring bad news. Aptera is pushed back to October. Check the link over to ABG.
Aptera pushes back retail deliveries to October 2009, looks for cash - AutoblogGreen

The "looks for cash" part doesn't seem to be true since the deposits are still being held in escrow, but $1.50/gallon gas definitely has them reassessing their production estimates, and probably their contracts w/ suppliers.

jjackstone -

Sad news indeed, :( . The design is such a rule-breaker that it had the chance to redefine the meaning of a "car". Switching from RWD to FWD must have led to a ma$$ive uff-da inside Aptera.

CarloSW2

I was thinking they're taking another look at their business plan w/ $1.50/gallon gas instead of $3.50/gallon gas. Given the commodities crash I think they could get much better deals renegotiating w/ their suppliers and w/ the deposits they can get a much better idea of who really wants a car and who is just testing the water so they don't make too many and get hosed. There's no point rushing a car to market prematurely and going bankrupt when they can take it slow and cautious, hopefully building a successful business down the road.

I can see you've never had to attend a public event where unexpectantly high attendance rates filled up the paved lots and you were redirected to overflow parking in a nearby field where you were driving across a bumpy field to get to the parking.