New Aptera update
- Thread starter glhs837
- Start date
The first run "production intent" vehicles are machined, but the production run vehicles will be poured/molded/cast/etc.
Do you have a delivery date for yours yet?
Not a hard date, hoping for 2026. First deliveries should start in 2025, they expect to be able to produce 20,000/year, and I'm 25580 on the wait list.
LightRoasted
If I may ...
For your consideration ...
For your consideration ...
A plastic body, or as they say, "ultra-lightweight composites." Whatever could go wrong there? If ever in a accident, could be total destruction. I'll wait to see what the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration say after they crash test these things.
For your consideration ...
A plastic body, or as they say, "ultra-lightweight composites." Whatever could go wrong there? If ever in a accident, could be total destruction. I'll wait to see what the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration say after they crash test these things.
glhs837
Power with Control
That cutover is what has me wondering. Very different processes requiring very expensive machinery. Which explains why they need another infusion of cash. The lack of an Amazon/Saudi sugar daddy like Rivian and Lucid have is showing.
So there is a steel safety cage inside the composites. But it wont ever be subjected to NHTSA or IIHS testing. That's part of the reason for three wheels vs four. Its not an automobile, its legally an "autocycle" like the Polaris Slingshot.
They have a series of crash tests planned and have redesigned based on 3D crash simulations.
If you follow along with the public media, they have talked in detail about the machining, testing, the PI1 thru PI4 (PI - production intent) builds, and costs/financing. Pretty open about everything. The only thing they weren't so open about until the last minute was the change from wheel hub motors to an internal motor with drive shafts. Caught many by surprise.
glhs837
Power with Control
So the crash tests will be based on all "applicable" standards. And that is the thing. No standards apply to three wheelers. I'm sure they will do crash testing, I'm looking forward to seeing how it goes. My main point was that the testing we see normal passenger cars go through will most likely not be the same you see the Aptera go through.
I've not said they have not been open. Just that road from where they are to where they want to be isn't going to be ab easy one.
I'm not surprised by the shift away from hub motors. Like rotary engines, they just sound so damn good on paper you cant help but want them to work.