Shakeup at Aptera?

[JackMcCornack]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

I wonder why no one ever appreciates the fact that there are people out here who DON'T EFFING WANT more room and comfort - especially when "comfort" is equated to a bolt-upright seating posture in a car that handles like a waterbed.

Hear. hear! +1 to that! There are also people who don't want blistering acceleration, especially when "acceleration" is equated to buying, carrying, and feeding twice as much engine as you can use 99% of the time. I got into an e-mail exchange with the X Prize folks re how my pipsqueak diesel sports car was right in the performance mix with entry-level sports cars of the '60s (AH Sprite, MG Midget, Karman Ghia etc)--they said nobody would buy those cars today. Well they would if they got 100 mpg, I'll bet.

[jamesqf]

Forget the 100 mpg: I'd buy an upgraded version of my old A-H Sprite any day! (As a matter of fact, I think I got pretty close with the Insight. If only the top came off.) Or any other REAL sports car of the period. Add electronic fuel injection, an electrical system not by Lucas, and a few other tweaks.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

Forget the 100 mpg: I'd buy an upgraded version of my old A-H Sprite any day! (As a matter of fact, I think I got pretty close with the Insight. If only the top came off.) Or any other REAL sports car of the period. Add electronic fuel injection, an electrical system not by Lucas, and a few other tweaks.

As for nobody buying that kind of car today... well, how many Minis has BMW sold to date?

[NeilBlanchard]

Hi,

Here's the EVcast with the discussion about the Aptera "situation":

EVcast - The Podcast on Electric Vehicles 11/20/09 03:26PM, EVcast - The Podcast on Electric Vehicles 11/20/09 03:26PM igroops on USTREAM. Other Technology

[RobertSmalls]

Honda seems to think there's a market for a tiny, sporty car that's okay on gas. Why else would they be making the CR-Z?

[tjts1]

Originally Posted by RobertSmalls

Why else would they be making the CR-Z?

Because the new Insight is a miserable failure and and they need to recycle the drive train components into another model in order to recoup the development cost.

[RobertSmalls]

Which would only make sense if they thought the CR-Z would succeed. Besides, the Insight is recycled itself: It's just a teardropped Fit wagon with a HCH powertrain.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by tjts1

Because the new Insight is a miserable failure...

Where do you get that idea? US sales may not be all that were hoped for, but last I read it was doing very well in Japan. Besides, you're perhaps thinking like an American automaker, to whom long-term planning is anathema. The Japanese have different ideas: how long did it take for the Prius to catch on? Wait for the next big jump in gas prices before you count it a failure :-)

...and they need to recycle the drive train components into another model in order to recoup the development cost.

Wouldn't that be the long-term plan anyway, for any manufacturer? As costs come down, use the hybrid drive train (or fuel injection, turbochargers, air bags, etc) in more models?

[tjts1]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

Where do you get that idea? US sales may not be all that were hoped for, but last I read it was doing very well in Japan.

I don't think so.

In October, the Prius was Japan's number one best-seller for the sixth consecutive month. Toyota's third-generation model put 26,918 units on the board, while the Insight was down in ninth place with 7074 units.

Prius records strong Japan sales - Autocar.co.uk
Its not an American vs Japanese thing. Toyota just builds a better car than Honda and the Prius still dominates the Insight by a very wide margin even in Japan. Insight sales in the US are even worse. Honda really need to reassess their hybrid strategy.


Back on topic.
This news about Aptera makes me sad. I was really hoping they would shake up the auto industry in this country. I hope they can get their act together.

[Frank Lee]

They collected how much from investors for "R&D"? Their job is done!

Still listed as X Prize contestants though...