Aptera motors pulls the plug

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2011/12/aptera-motors-closes/

by pg_bot • 15 years ago

28 18 15 years ago

joshu• 15 years ago

IIRC they were technically motorcycles and required a motorcycle license. Probably didn't help.

quadform2• 15 years ago

To offset that though, it probably helped in other ways. For example, if it's a "motorcycle", you don't need big bumpers and crumplezones.

quadform2• 15 years ago

I don't think it takes millions and federal loans to make an EV. Scratchbuilt or otherwise. Enthusiasts have been converting small ICE cars ("internal combustion engine" cars) into electrics for many years.

Electric cars are simple. For the most part, all they require is:

* batteries,

* a charge controller,

* power controller,

* some gauges, and

* a motor.

Car companies like to make them out to be more technologically advanced so they can charge more and get more government financial assistance. And for that matter preserve their existing ICE-based business. But EV's are fundamentally way simpler than ICE vehicles.

Edit: Yes, I realize that Aptera's 3-wheeled vehicle is amazing and is not something that a couple of guys could probably put together in their garage. I'd love to see Aptera or a company like them be able to employ engineers to work on those sorts of futuristic spaceships. However, I'm saying that you don't need to go all-out top-end to create an EV. Make a simple "VW Beetle-style" economy EV for cheap instead. It won't require astronomical funding and early adopters will go nuts for them.

asharp• 15 years ago

Remember that there's a big difference between an aftermarket mod and setting up a factory to build purpose built electric cars. You have lots of additional regulatory/cap costs/etc. to bear.

Also keep in mind that they are making entirely (or mostly) new types of vehicles, ie. the tricycle. And design doesn't come cheap.

VladRussian• 15 years ago

>I don't think it takes millions and federal loans to make an EV. ... Enthusiasts have been converting small ICE cars ("internal combustion engine" cars) into electrics for many years.

Musk for example converted Lotus. I completely share your opinion that it should be easy and cheap. If i had a large enough garage space, i see how i myself could produce the car under 50K using mostly COTS. On the other side, looking at the real examples - like the Tesla case - it is extremely expensive and complicated.

buff-a3• 15 years ago

Still waiting for biodiesels.

phil3• 15 years ago

What are you waiting for? You can run almost any modern diesel on biodiesel, and in most west coast cities (at least), B20, B80 and even B100 are available.

buff-a3• 15 years ago

I'd like a ford F-150 sized truck that is diesel. I'd like a Ford Focus that is diesel. I live in California. What are my options?

phil3• 15 years ago

Are there prototypes to be sold off? I thought these were neat little vehicles. I still want one.

erreon• 15 years ago

I hope that some of the tech will be sold, opened or some how fall into other peoples hands. They did a lot of neat things with their prototypes and I think there is a chance that it can still help.

ricksta• 15 years ago

It's a shame that a photo sharing iPhone app can raise more money than an EV company...

sktrdie• 15 years ago

What a shame. This was, by far, the most efficient and intelligent electric vehicle ever made with its aerodynamic shape.

JoeAltmaier• 15 years ago

I seriously doubt the aerodynamics mattered at the slow city speeds the thing runs?

lukifer• 15 years ago

Tragic. I was hoping this would be my next car.

Aptera motors pulls the plug

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