Aptera Electric Car Closer to Production After Cash Infusion
In its latest round of funding, Aptera has raised more than $24 million to begin production of both its Typ-1 electric car and Typ-1 plug-in hybrid. Major venture partners include Google and Idealab.
Aptera also plans to use the new funds to construct a manufacturing facility in Vista, CA, close to the company’s present headquarters in Carlsbad.
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Steve Fambro, Aptera founder and CEO had this to say about it:
We’re excited that the tremendous demand that we’ve received from the thousands of individuals who have pre-ordered their Aptera Typ-1 has been matched with a strong endorsement from our investment partners. The vehicle is exciting, the timing seems perfect and the market is eager to buy one of these first built units. These new funds will be instrumental as we pursue our goal of bringing the Typ-1 to market later this year.
Initially only available in California, Aptera’s business plan calls for production of its Typ-1 fully electric vehicle (EV) to begin this December. The Typ-1 EV will cost around $27,000 and get 120 miles per charge. Each charge should cost under $3, depending on electricity rates.
The Typ-1 EV will be followed 12 months later by the introduction of the $30,000 Typ-1 plug-in electric hybrid vehicle (PHEV), which Aptera claims can get 300 miles per gallon. However, the company readily admits that with a PHEV fuel economy is difficult to describe with one number.
For example, the Typ-1 PHEV can drive 40 miles on electric power alone, but as soon as you get over that threshold, you start using fuel. As such, on a 50 mile trip the Typ-1 PHEV would have a fuel economy of 1000 miles per gallon.
As you drive further the battery energy is depleted and the engine is turned on with increasing frequency, which uses more and more fuel. The result is that on a 75 mile trip, the fuel economy of the Typ-1 PHEV is around 400 miles per gallon and on a trip of 120 miles, fuel economy is around 300 miles per gallon.
After 350-400 miles at highway speeds the fuel economy settles in at around 130 MPG, where it stays until it is charged up again. See the graph to the right for more detail. Aptera has chosen the 300 mpg/120 mile range number because they say that a 120 mile range covers the typical daily driving needs of 99% of the US population.
Aptera has received over 3,300 deposits from buyers eager to be among the first to drive this new vehicle. California residents can reserve a vehicle by placing a fully refundable $500 deposit on the Aptera website.
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Image Credits: Aptera Motors
Kerry, I ride a motorcycle, and compared to a normal, well-maintained two-wheeler driven by an incredibly risk-averse rider (that’d be me), that thing’s God’s gift to safety. I commute 90 miles/day on my bike (to keep the costs down and avoid bridge tolls), and if I could afford to put down for the “sleazy” Aptera I’d do it in a heartbeat. I’ve even almost got my wife convinced (She’s concerned about who’ll be able to service it, which is a valid point).
Can somebody explain why “battery packs” are not used instead of home charging? It would be so much smarter to just go to a filling station and swap your battery pack with a new one. Seems like a no brainer. This way the recharging downtime is eliminated.
after going to aptera’s website i found all my questions answered. check it out. http://www.soundclick.com/eriksmith
Read about KB’s agenda here:
http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/off-topic/672-ken-kent-kerry-beauchrt-beuchert-beuchrt-biker-rider-krider.html
While the idea of such extreme fuel efficiency over 120 miles in a small vehicle is admirable, my lifestyle is in the remaining 1%. We have more than 2.5 kids and have travelled up to 500 miles in a day as part of my job with my wife and all my kids in tow. The H1 is too small … not enough seats. Aptera won’t work for me. As for crash worthiness, DOT statistics show that SUV/SUV & small car/small car collisions are more likely than SUV/small car collisions. Odd but true.
This is definitely a step in the right direction. There will be many small steps before electric vehicles are commonplace on the roads. There is already a very active community of people converting their own vehicles to be 100% electric. The weak link right now is the cost of high performance batteries - that cost will surely decrease as the big automakers get into the game production of these batteries is increased.
I am currently converting a vehicle to be an all electric vehicle. I’m estimating the final cost to be about $7000. You can view the project at http://www.ZeroGasoline.com.
I sure hopes these Apteras work and are cleared quickly for use in ALL states. We need as much help with this type of vechile here on the East coast as you folks out west. The traffic on Routes 15 and 80 here are murder in the morning rush east. Thank you
One nice thing about it being classified as a motorcycle is that it allows you to use the HOV lanes in most states. So even though the Aptera is as long and as wide as a passenger car, it still is classified as a motorcycle. Carbon fiber is pretty amazing stuff. I’ve seen demonstrations of it’s rigidity and I’d rather be in something built of carbon fiber than steel, assuming crumple zones in the design. Too much rigidity is bad for passengers in accidents, something has to dissipate the kinetic energy. The Smart car design assumes that what you hit (or hits you) will have crumple zones.
The main advantage to 3 wheels is that you can reduce the weight and increase range. It is also easier for small companies to get started. My worry is that with all these new 3 wheel EV’s coming out, the regulators will get pressure from people like Bradshaw and impose many new safety standards that will increase the weight and void the advantage of 3 wheels. It will also make it hard for the little guys to get started with inovative ideas like Aptera.
It’s interesting intellectually, but who knows when and if I could ever consider one. I live on the east coast with hills, rain and snow and this vehicle isn’t even available in So. California yet.
$30K for a 2 seater trike has to compete with the practicalities of a Prius or GM volt. A 4 seat Volt with a 40 mile electric range would mean I still don’t burn gas for most trips and still maintain significant passenger and cargo capacity. Price for that is vaguely $40k, plus or minus $10k. Makes Aptera seem like less bang for the buck.
Aptera is maybe Dad’s commuter car and toy in a multi-vehicle family or maybe the retired couple’s car the tow behind the RV. Maybe a single guy’s car.
Until it’s available to see and touch in the showroom it’s hard to get that excited here.