Love this vehicle. Self repair, uncompromising effort to efficiency and what works (tesla chargers, css with adapter), solar panels. Takes a lot of guts to make such a different car. I’m rooting for this underdog
@The Program You should compare the Aptera to another BEV. And in this comparison it needs much more maintenance. Right to repair is useless in BEVs. What do you want to repair? The batteries? Electronics? motors?Inverters? All with 400V? A perfect possibility to roast yourself? Or set the battery on fire?
We are one of the leading 3d-printing companies in Europe. The would like to support the idea to bring the "self-repair" parts (in AAA-quality) closer to the customers here in Europe.
There's an advantage to R2R for small companies in that they don't need to develop their own repairer network. Sono Motors in Germany are developing a more conventional solar electric car and have also stated that they're taking R2R approach.
I'm praying that this vehicle is a success and the business takes off. The engineering and right to repair alone are fascinating, and I'd love to have a vehicle like this.
Thank you for this update. I plan to be both an investor and a buyer at the 1st opportunity. I'm an engineer and there is nothing I like better than awesome designs. Aptera is awesome!
So if I'm hearing correctly, Aptera will stick with the Tesla charge port and use an adapter for CCS and J1772. Considering that Tesla has just released its CCS adapter for North America, maybe that's an easily sourced solution. The more interesting part of this discussion is if Aptera is in talks with Tesla about using their Supercharger network for Aptera owners. That would easily give an edge to Aptera owners while Tesla figures out how to open their network to CCS capable EVs.
If they launch the vehicle like that in Europe, count me out. Not even Tesla is producing cars with their own, proprietary port anymore anywhere except in North America. For Aptera now pushing and betting on that port is simply betting on the wrong horse.
@@Hans-gb4mv An Aptera built for the Europena market will have to be vastly different for a myriad of reasons, width being the primary one. Changing the charging port will be the least of their concerns.
If they don’t get SuperCharger access I will probably cancel my pre-order. I will not use it often (1% of my charges) but when you need it you need it. Being able to use my Tesla friends and hotel level 2 charges is also important.
@@AstroStrongBox I'm wondering why this is a deal killer for you. I've had a Chevy Bolt since 2017 and used DC fast charge (non-Tesla) twice. With Aptera being so much more efficient, the charge requirements are substantially less, so why all the concern over charge speed? When you DO feel the need for speed, why wouldn't a non-Tesla fast charger work for you? There are lots of them and the number is growing all the time.
Nicki, Thank you very much for sharing the private viewing AND review with Chris Anthony. Pleased to see the seating position is more upright in Gamma, and the substantial build proportions. Inspired. Now, is it worth changing 600->400 to get to an earlier date ……. Thanks again!!
Very good interview with insight into the questions asked. Chris is the most knowledgeable and believable person in any of the EV companies that I’ve seen to date ( and one seen them all I believe) I really hope he is a smashing success and I hope to buy one of these as soon as they become available
I really appreciate the right-to-repair approach and the emphasis on efficiency; and hopefully the regulatory relaxation on side-view mirrors will be successful (might be worth a video on the progress/status of this). Living in wintery Canada, I would appreciate seeing the production Aptera's performance in the snow and ice.
I believe I heard in another video that the wheel covers will be user replacable. I imagine a winter kit will address your snow issues. Or do add I will do and take your need Aptera to my Caribbean Island of Dominican Republic. 😆
@@glennkelley6096 It looks like they could be a problem, but I'm not convinced they will be. Even my Subaru's generous wheel well fills up with snow at times, and it doesn't impact it much so I don't see too much of an issue on this car either. The only issue which I'm wondering about is in deep snow whether the wheel cover hitting the snow will part the snow or pack it under where the tire will roll. If the later, it could reduce ability to get traction. Only real world testing will tell though. Considering most folks driving in winter drive on plowed streets and highways I think at most it would impact you a few days a year - i.e. only during major snowstorms, when most people should stay off the roads anyway, regardless of what they drive.
Nikki in my opinion your performance was of your most cheerful and inspiring. Your pointed questions inspired Chris to his most confident and informative interview I've seen yet. This is the best interview I have seen of Chris's /Aptera's confidence. I think the Steve/Chris combo is unsurpassed in the CEO department.
I'm not much of a supporter of ev on the whole but, Aptera to me is the only company out there who truly intends to produce a vehicle that is a huge step forward to helping the planet. It's the only vehicle at present that I'd have on my own drive. Efficiency, lifespan, range, usability... the Aptera ticks every one of those boxes...it is the future. Personally for the UK market I actually think it could still be smaller and lighter but - I love it. Wish you the very best with getting these outthere.
This is the best overview of the Aptera vehicle I have seen on the Internet. Great job! The other thing worth exploring is the excellent people working on this car. They have a great staff.
Thank you for this update. It's good to hear good and thoughtful questions and answers. Too much about Aptera is repeating opinions instead of straightforward facts. Keep up the great work!
We are located in Germany. We ordered an Aptera. No problem in Europe, if there is an CCS-adapter. We (with our companies) would be happy to introduce the aptera in Europe. Let's go !!!!
Been very excited for this vehicle since I first heard about it. Early reservation holder & investor. Like everyone else I wanted this in my driveway yesterday, but realize this process takes time, especially when it's critical to get as much as possible "right" from the initial start of production. I know the wait is frustrating, but we need to all take a breath, relax and accept the fact they are doing their best to bring this magnificent concept to mass production. My suggestion to the impatient many reservation holders: go get yourself another EV in the interim if you don't have one already...the Aptera will definitely be worth the wait... personally so glad I took this route. And don't believe the bs, there are affordable used EVs out there, maybe not perfect but definitely good enough as a temporary alternative.
Intelligent people talking intelligently about everything that could be better done in the Automobile sector. All the right questions asked. All the right answers given and aspirations made. This will become a Folks' Wagon in quite the best way.
I’m glad you asked him about the charger, because now I understand his perspective a little bit more although I don’t totally agree with it. He wants this charger because he believes the better the charger works the more likely it’ll transition a lot more drivers to Aptera especially in California where Tesla Superchargers are almost everywhere now. At least that’s what I took from him saying his piece.
But he is also referring to go for an open philosophy. Open up their own design as much as possible, enabling you to repair it as much as possible, to upgrade it and to enable others to do as much work to it as possible. And then they go and adopt a proprietary charging standard... . No matter how you look at that, that just feels wrong. Even if you want to offer the Tesla chargeport, let the end user decide on something so important.
@@Hans-gb4mv When you say that the Tesla plug is proprietary what do you mean? Elon has said that he thinks others should use it, do you think Tesla would sue?
@@IIARROWS CCS is being promoted by SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) which is basically made up of a bunch of engineers that really don't want to promote EVs because they are stuck in the ICE age.
@@IIARROWS Anybody is free to use the Tesla plug, an EVGo station near me has one Chademo plug, 2 CCS plugs, and one Tesla plug. Also, several companies make charging equipment that use the Tesla plug.
I think it is brilliant that Aptera is going with the Tesla charge port adapter and is working with Tesla to allow us to access their supercharger network.
Most of the world is adopting open standards, even Tesla appears to be preparing for the switch in North America to CCS. And then Aptera is going to go for a Tesla charge port ... . I wouldn't call that brilliant.
I have two reservations with the original Aptera. Only one now as I’ve got my MS. I remember working on tooling estimates for their original offering. I was crushed when I got my refund for my two reservations. I am hoping I will be driving mine sometime next year. Godspeed Anthony.
@@vic321344 Such a comment reflects a serious lack of understanding of either the original vehicles or this one. Among things that are completely new on this vehicle are the drivetrain, the battery tech, the solar panels, the wiring harness topology, the suspension design and the safety systems. Even the size and shape of the body have changed, while still being based on the general Morelli body shape. This isn't even a complete list - if you check out the patents granted by the new company, you will see that I didn't even list some of the most important developments in the new design.
@@n.brucenelson5920 Such a comment reflects a serious lack of understanding of either the original vehicles or this one. The fundamental design is that of the Aptera 2. There are just a few patents from the new Aptera company, the old one had a lot more. And the new patents have next to nothing to do with the actual design. Only 2 of the 5 patents they applied for were granted.
Wow. This car is very impressive in a lot of ways. One of the most impressive to me personally is the fact that they want you to be able to get parts easily and fast and that you can work on it and fix it yourself if you want to. Just for that very fact alone is why I would never own a Tesla. I understand that most people that have Tesla's don't care about that. They just pay to have it fixed by a Tesla certified place. This company really has opened the market way open to so many more customers by just that. And the price. Very good and affordable to more people. The way the doors open is so cool. It's very sporty. The only thing I really don't care for is that there are only three tires. Besides the fact that three tires are not as stable as four, you would have so many more options to do with it if there were four tires. One being all wheel drive. I would definitely buy it if it had four tires. Maybe the y will have another model as time goes on. The other negative is the windows. I don't know for sure but the driver and passenger windows remind me a lot of the Lamborghini countach from the 80's. Those windows were a huge failure. Very annoying. Not sure why anyone would ever do that again. Maybe the whole window rolls down but it doesn't look like it. That makes it very difficult to do a lot of things and there is absolutely zero reason to have a half window for your driver and passenger. It is also classified as a safety hazzard. So hopefully it is not that half window and the whole window does roll down. But those are the only negatives I can see. I can really see this car being very successful. Very impressive.
Aptera offers AWD as an option and by test it is more stable than many 4 wheel cars sold in the US, including SUVs. It passes the moose test for instance. As far as the windows go, a more obvious example would be the Subaru Alcyone SVX. The reason for the design in Aptera is that it aids the aerodynamics. Thanks for your interest and comments!
A brilliant little interview. A very well informed interviewer and a respondent with fascinating things to say. Not your average EV, of course, but an amazing design and engineering achievement that is inexpensive enough to be a hit (with a little bit of luck).
I've been following the development progress of the Aptera for close to 15 years now. I'll never be able to afford one, but sure wish I could! Wonderful design.
I live in the boonies of Northern Nevada, and could drive into my nearest city every day in Summer, powered solely by the car's built-in PV panels. Just a game-changing thing, that is!
Aptera will be my 1st and hopefully last EV. By then we may have the carbon neutral Synthetic fuel at an affordable price, made by using electricity to bind Hydrogen and CO2 together. I'd use that in my GT-R. I'm preordered and invested. Aptera IS world changing!
Nice video. Chris you're looking and sounding great! Whatever you're doing keep it up. I'm another fan of Aptera's open book policy. Just genuinely good people solving transportation problems and being completely transparent in the process. Bodes well for their success.
Thanks for the absolutely fantastic informative video. It was truly easy to watch and listen to the entire thing. You both have a good rapport between you. I too am eagerly awaiting my first visual sighting of an in the wild Aptera.
So you and the Aptera over at the Fully Charged live show. That was great fun seeing it in person, getting to hop in and get a feel for it. It was honestly bigger inside then I thought, very comfortable. I wish I could have taken it for a short test drive, but that's awesome to know that the solar panels themselves already totally work, and it's just backend agreements for suppliers they're mainly focusing on!
It isn’t difficult to make even really badly designed solar panels “totally work”. After seeing expert critiques of Gamma’s solar, I’m convinced Aptera has a lot more to do than focusing on “backend agreements for suppliers”……
@@bobhilder1469 Perhaps you don't understand IP? I am personally familiar with the patent process in the US and what pre-mature release of details means regarding the success of one's applications.
Fabulous... I was very interested in this vehicle at its first iteration 10 years back. Really thrilled to see it back and so close to production (I'm *almost* inclined to put down a deposit myself - but I already have 6 EVs!!). On the external mirror front, I'm significantly surprised that from a regulatory perspective, the issue of improvement in safety for pedestrians (in a collision scenario) would not pretty much completely outweigh whatever loss of utility the regulators believe having a video-based system would mean over having glass mirrors.
Since it has in wheel motors, how much? what the cost would be to replace one of those, if you got into an accident since those are sticking way out there. In a traditional vehicle, the motor is central and it uses drive shaft where you'd only be replacing drive shafts. Maybe suspension units and wheel hubs and things like that. Here you're going to have to replace a motor and that could be an expensive fix. Just curious, that was the one of the first things I thought about the motor being on the hub. Thank you for doing such a thorough interview. Thank you up Aptara for supporting self-repair.
So impressed with the potential of this vehicle!! Just a thought, since the Aptera has fantastic battery storage, would it be possible for it to be connect to a home to supply power to avoid power outage, such as Hurricanes or Big Storms? It would be just another reason to purchase an Aptera!
Great point! It is not yet included since V2G tech is not yet standardized, but it will very likely be an option, perhaps even a post sale add-on. It would be a very cost effective way to gain this functionality compared to present options, and might be a reason to justify a larger battery size - even the largest 99 kWh one.
Wish I had the need for one, these are so cool. I already have a M3LR, which does everything I need. Really rooting for these guys though, maybe someday I will get one.
Thank you Niki. Awesome video. I have a Cybertruck coming (approximately number 50,000 on the list). I also ordered a Cyberlandr (which will become my full time tiny house on wheels). I also reserved an Aptera. When carrying one passenger or less, the Aptera will be my transportation. The Aptera's solar panels will augment my tiny home's solar panels as well as provide redundancy. The Aptera's batteries will augment my tiny home's batteries as well as provide redundancy. I love your channel, and what you do, and I love you. Cheers, Calvin.
I want one sooo bad! It’s literally the best option for a “Second Car” for all your commuting and running around. The ideology of this company is nothing short of brilliant! 😊
Unfortunately, for my family it would have to be a third vehicle. Need the farm truck. Need a vehicle big enough to carry 3 grandkids. That makes this one a interesting idea but $26k for a third vehicle makes it unaffordable.
@@brentstarkes9682 This is the first do! Imagine if the 2nd do is even better? I could use a 3rd or 4th seat! But, perhaps an used ICE car for more passengers on long distances. My 2014 LEAF needs a new battery after 92K miles. I want an upgrade! But, Nissan won't hear of it! So I am looking for better! I think I have found it! I just need to talk to a live person at Aptera and then make a reservation!
Nice to see them make progress, I love the idea of having a significant number of efficient (meaning low-drag) vehicles on the road. Going with a single, center headlight for a car that's wider than many SUVs seems like an obvious bad idea for safety. I hope those yellow strips on the wheel covers are nice and bright.
Modern beamforming can very easily have a center light project even light across a wide area. I wouldn't be surprised if this had better illumination than some larger cars
@@Ryukachoo I'm not concerned about illumination. I'm concerned about making the outline of the vehicle clear to other road users, especially oncoming cars. The traditional way to do that is to have a powerful light in each corner.
@@Ryukachoo I hope so. The concerns are that the main light may wash out the orange markers and that many drivers don't accomodate for unfamiliar vehicle types.
To help convince legislators to allow side-view cameras, maybe have something where your required to carry slip-on/clip-on backup mirrors inside the car in case the cameras fail. Also, the Tesla connector won't be practical for large long-range vehicles unless it starts supplying much more than 400 volts.
With Munro's participation, I have no doubt that the engineering of this vehicle will be very high quality. I further believe that the engineering quality will really help a quirky looking car in an ever increasing sea of 'normal' looking EVs.
Unlike other EVs, the exterior styling will remain relevant (timeless) for many years to come so aggressive aftermarket offerings will make sense for suppliers to make the investment and and right to repair delivers great value proposition for the customer.
The high efficiency makes charging with a very simple home sourced solar charger (for more range/ higher miles than the built on panels can provide) easily doable. I'd like to see a low voltage port for additional direct input from outboard panels, which could be carried as folding panels inside the car that could be deployed while parked, separate from the high voltage Tesla or J-1772 type port.
Great Interview. I wish someone would talk to Chris about the HVAC air conditioning and heating. It MUST have heated seats if not heated and cooled.....
All 3 will be included. From their FAQ: "Where are the vents and capabilities of the HVAC system in Aptera? "For Delta production, our complete HVAC system will include the following- windshield and side window defrost, left and right under IP footwell vents, left and right outer corners of IP vents, and the main screen vent system, which will be fully controllable in both temperature and velocity of the airflow. The center venting system was born of our design process and philosophy with roots in intelligent efficiency and radical simplicity in that we had two needs fulfilled by one solution." And, "Will Aptera have heated or cooled seats? "We plan to equip the vehicle with seat heaters. We are designing this vehicle specifically for a lot of the cold countries that love electric vehicles. Our sandwich core composites body offers great insulation and a nice heater, it’s very comfortable driving in the winter. "Cooled seats are great for efficiency because if you cool the body, it’s actually more efficient. Unfortunately, cooled seats are pretty complex. We think those will eventually be an option. We’ll know closer to production whether or not seat cooling will be included. It’s a technical challenge for sure. "
@@fotoguru222 The heater I need in my Nissan leaf is for my foot rest in winter. It should not be much heat needed, but very needed heat, and would keep me from feeling very cold! in a car that basically has too little heat! The snow freezes my shoes before I step in the vehicle! fixing this would likely prevent needing to heat the rest of the cab so quickly!
Great interview. It's clear that Aptera is addressing the necessity that EV design becomes more efficient in order to reduce the need for large battery packs made from increasingly more expensive battery materials. I'm in. Thanks!
The base price of my Arcimoto is $7,000 less and it is extremely versatile with delivery box rear, EMS versions or flat bed rear design options. These light vehicles charge easily at home.
The Arcimoto, is a wonderful option and I wish them great success. However, there is not a lot of overlap in the mission of the respective vehicles, and it is likely that there will be a much larger market for the applications that Aptera addresses. In the end both are important, but niche vehicles.
@@n.brucenelson5920 There is room for both. One is a utility vehicle and the other is serving the obsolete unsustainable demand for high speed long distance personal vehicles in an age when all long distances should be done in public transportation. The Tesla is a far worse offender of this by pandering to selfish egotistical people who want status symbols that waste a huge amount of power. One Tesla has enough materials in it to make four Arcimotos or Apteras.
Thank heavens you gave Chris a clip on mic. for the interview! For all the other coverage on these recent events, the audio is terrible with their stick mics and karaoke box. You guys are the best!
With all the promised self repair and customization via 3rd party, why not make the charge port type selectable when someone orders the car? Not sure if this would require a huge amount of redesign etc. but from the outside, it doesn't seem like it'd be that difficult.
Aptera should market this vehicle to engineers and related people. Anyone who works for NASA, SpaceX, et al. would find this vehicle really cool. Anyone who is associated with aviation would also find it cool. Place an ad in Aviation Weekly, for example.
How does the battery and charging tech work in a cold snowy climate? My volt goes from 40 ev miles to 25-28 miles in the winter. Also snow covers solar panels, so what happens when you have to drive and the solar cells aren't charging the car
I live in Iowa and don't have many concerns. Range will be cut, but there is plenty for most needs even in cold weather. The Aptera can also be plugged into 110 or 220 home circuits to charge. The entire vehicle has been tested at -20 F and some sub systems down to -40. Also, it has a superior ABS/Traction control system.
Nice to see the vehicle has gotten bigger. Is that a 15” center screen? Having OTA updates and being able to upgrade the hardware might get me to buy...
I have decided that I must have this vehicle. UK roll out unclear. But they say they will do a RHD and international supply some time 2024. I want to fast forward in time.
I love the Aptera. I have ordered one and I am an investor. That being said, I just have to say: "Baby Shark doot doo do doot do do, Baby Shark doot doo to doot do do"
Great info. I'm interested in possibly getting one in the future. The charging port however, I hope Tesla is making it open for everyone to use it without some kind of "gotcha".
Yeh. An organization to standardize on ONE charge port for all future manufactured vehicles -- motorcycles, golf carts, three-wheelers, RVs, Teslas et al
Calling the existing EV vehicles "over engineered" appears to be an inversion of reality. Aptera appears to have done more bespoke engineering than most other EV companies.
I'm really curious if this car will ever become legal in Europe. A front license plate is already a challenge, but for the rear, when charging.. Hopefully the rear license plate will 'rise' above the charging port instead of flip open, so it's still visible.
Love this vehicle. Self repair, uncompromising effort to efficiency and what works (tesla chargers, css with adapter), solar panels. Takes a lot of guts to make such a different car. I’m rooting for this underdog
A motorcycle that repairs itself? Great underdog.
@@vic321344 better than every crash the car is "totaled" (Tesla).
@@gattaca5911 At least I climb out alive.
@@vic321344 lol....we are "alive" after a 5mph crash with a car that can be repaired....your car is garbage enjoying walking an losing 50k.
@The Program You should compare the Aptera to another BEV. And in this comparison it needs much more maintenance.
Right to repair is useless in BEVs. What do you want to repair? The batteries? Electronics? motors?Inverters? All with 400V? A perfect possibility to roast yourself? Or set the battery on fire?
Right to repair is a HUGE selling point for me. Thanks, Artera!
We are one of the leading 3d-printing companies in Europe. The would like to support the idea to bring the "self-repair" parts (in AAA-quality) closer to the customers here in Europe.
EXACTLY Lester !!!
@@Kunath-Group The Aptera cannot be registered in Europe.
There's an advantage to R2R for small companies in that they don't need to develop their own repairer network. Sono Motors in Germany are developing a more conventional solar electric car and have also stated that they're taking R2R approach.
Agreed!
I'm praying that this vehicle is a success and the business takes off. The engineering and right to repair alone are fascinating, and I'd love to have a vehicle like this.
Thank you for this update. I plan to be both an investor and a buyer at the 1st opportunity. I'm an engineer and there is nothing I like better than awesome designs. Aptera is awesome!
So if I'm hearing correctly, Aptera will stick with the Tesla charge port and use an adapter for CCS and J1772. Considering that Tesla has just released its CCS adapter for North America, maybe that's an easily sourced solution. The more interesting part of this discussion is if Aptera is in talks with Tesla about using their Supercharger network for Aptera owners. That would easily give an edge to Aptera owners while Tesla figures out how to open their network to CCS capable EVs.
If they launch the vehicle like that in Europe, count me out. Not even Tesla is producing cars with their own, proprietary port anymore anywhere except in North America. For Aptera now pushing and betting on that port is simply betting on the wrong horse.
@@Hans-gb4mv An Aptera built for the Europena market will have to be vastly different for a myriad of reasons, width being the primary one. Changing the charging port will be the least of their concerns.
If they don’t get SuperCharger access I will probably cancel my pre-order. I will not use it often (1% of my charges) but when you need it you need it.
Being able to use my Tesla friends and hotel level 2 charges is also important.
Yes keep the Tesla charge socket!
Also love the idea of a 500 watt induction charger 😘
@@AstroStrongBox I'm wondering why this is a deal killer for you. I've had a Chevy Bolt since 2017 and used DC fast charge (non-Tesla) twice. With Aptera being so much more efficient, the charge requirements are substantially less, so why all the concern over charge speed? When you DO feel the need for speed, why wouldn't a non-Tesla fast charger work for you? There are lots of them and the number is growing all the time.
Nicki, Thank you very much for sharing the private viewing AND review with Chris Anthony. Pleased to see the seating position is more upright in Gamma, and the substantial build proportions. Inspired. Now, is it worth changing 600->400 to get to an earlier date ……. Thanks again!!
I'd say unless you have one of the 1st few thousand reservations, changing from a 600 to 400 mile range won't make any difference in delivery time.
Thank you! You’ve answered a myriad of questions. Some of which I didn’t know I didn’t know. Thanks again VERY informative. 👍
Very good interview with insight into the questions asked. Chris is the most knowledgeable and believable person in any of the EV companies that I’ve seen to date ( and one seen them all I believe) I really hope he is a smashing success and I hope to buy one of these as soon as they become available
The charging discussion was the best.
Aptera will be my next EV and my first EV at that! Love it 💕
I love you Stacy....🤩😍🥰😘
Simmer down son...don't be a creep ;)
@@yeahmkay2874 noooooooooo! 🤣
Sonny is dying of thirst.
@@Airbender24B 🤣
I really appreciate the right-to-repair approach and the emphasis on efficiency; and hopefully the regulatory relaxation on side-view mirrors will be successful (might be worth a video on the progress/status of this). Living in wintery Canada, I would appreciate seeing the production Aptera's performance in the snow and ice.
Those wheel covers will be a problem in snow .
I believe I heard in another video that the wheel covers will be user replacable. I imagine a winter kit will address your snow issues.
Or do add I will do and take your need Aptera to my Caribbean Island of Dominican Republic. 😆
@@glennkelley6096 It looks like they could be a problem, but I'm not convinced they will be. Even my Subaru's generous wheel well fills up with snow at times, and it doesn't impact it much so I don't see too much of an issue on this car either. The only issue which I'm wondering about is in deep snow whether the wheel cover hitting the snow will part the snow or pack it under where the tire will roll. If the later, it could reduce ability to get traction. Only real world testing will tell though. Considering most folks driving in winter drive on plowed streets and highways I think at most it would impact you a few days a year - i.e. only during major snowstorms, when most people should stay off the roads anyway, regardless of what they drive.
Honda E addressing same issue with aerodynamics /mirrors replaced with cameras~ so regulatory should be possible eventually
Greetings from Germany, still waiting for my Aptera Adventure.
This will probably be my next vehicle.
Nikki in my opinion your performance was of your most cheerful and inspiring. Your pointed questions inspired Chris to his most confident and informative interview I've seen yet. This is the best interview I have seen of Chris's /Aptera's confidence. I think the Steve/Chris combo is unsurpassed in the CEO department.
I'm not much of a supporter of ev on the whole but, Aptera to me is the only company out there who truly intends to produce a vehicle that is a huge step forward to helping the planet.
It's the only vehicle at present that I'd have on my own drive.
Efficiency, lifespan, range, usability... the Aptera ticks every one of those boxes...it is the future.
Personally for the UK market I actually think it could still be smaller and lighter but - I love it.
Wish you the very best with getting these outthere.
He said... making it wider actually DECREASED aerodynamic drag.... MORE EFFICIENT.
Outstanding update reporting my friend. There is yet hope for the world.
This is the best overview of the Aptera vehicle I have seen on the Internet. Great job! The other thing worth exploring is the excellent people working on this car. They have a great staff.
Good job interviewing, thanks for covering Aptera .
Thank you for this update. It's good to hear good and thoughtful questions and answers. Too much about Aptera is repeating opinions instead of straightforward facts. Keep up the great work!
Patiently waiting for my Aptera.
I can't wait to get my Aptera
This company sounds like a breath of fresh air. I wish them every success and would love to one day own an Aptera.
It's been that way for a decade... I hope this time the hype matches the reality.
Thanks!
Exciting and already wanting watching and waiting for the 4 seater….
Probably will be a 4 wheel 5 seater based on what we know now, but yes.
We are located in Germany. We ordered an Aptera. No problem in Europe, if there is an CCS-adapter. We (with our companies) would be happy to introduce the aptera in Europe. Let's go !!!!
The Aptera cannot be registered in german.
@@vic321344 It's near 2,20m in the width. No Problem in Europe. Could you tell me the facts on which your based your answer?
@@Kunath-Group Zulassung trikes. Max 2m breite. StVZO &32.9
Been very excited for this vehicle since I first heard about it. Early reservation holder & investor. Like everyone else I wanted this in my driveway yesterday, but realize this process takes time, especially when it's critical to get as much as possible "right" from the initial start of production. I know the wait is frustrating, but we need to all take a breath, relax and accept the fact they are doing their best to bring this magnificent concept to mass production. My suggestion to the impatient many reservation holders: go get yourself another EV in the interim if you don't have one already...the Aptera will definitely be worth the wait... personally so glad I took this route. And don't believe the bs, there are affordable used EVs out there, maybe not perfect but definitely good enough as a temporary alternative.
Intelligent people talking intelligently about everything that could be better done in the Automobile sector. All the right questions asked. All the right answers given and aspirations made.
This will become a Folks' Wagon in quite the best way.
Thanks Nikki. Another excellent non confrontational interview getting the most out of everyone.
I’m glad you asked him about the charger, because now I understand his perspective a little bit more although I don’t totally agree with it. He wants this charger because he believes the better the charger works the more likely it’ll transition a lot more drivers to Aptera especially in California where Tesla Superchargers are almost everywhere now.
At least that’s what I took from him saying his piece.
But he is also referring to go for an open philosophy. Open up their own design as much as possible, enabling you to repair it as much as possible, to upgrade it and to enable others to do as much work to it as possible. And then they go and adopt a proprietary charging standard... . No matter how you look at that, that just feels wrong. Even if you want to offer the Tesla chargeport, let the end user decide on something so important.
@@Hans-gb4mv When you say that the Tesla plug is proprietary what do you mean? Elon has said that he thinks others should use it, do you think Tesla would sue?
@@wineberryred Then why isn't an open standard?
@@IIARROWS CCS is being promoted by SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) which is basically made up of a bunch of engineers that really don't want to promote EVs because they are stuck in the ICE age.
@@IIARROWS Anybody is free to use the Tesla plug, an EVGo station near me has one Chademo plug, 2 CCS plugs, and one Tesla plug. Also, several companies make charging equipment that use the Tesla plug.
I think it is brilliant that Aptera is going with the Tesla charge port adapter and is working with Tesla to allow us to access their supercharger network.
Most of the world is adopting open standards, even Tesla appears to be preparing for the switch in North America to CCS. And then Aptera is going to go for a Tesla charge port ... . I wouldn't call that brilliant.
I have two reservations with the original Aptera. Only one now as I’ve got my MS.
I remember working on tooling estimates for their original offering. I was crushed when I got my refund for my two reservations. I am hoping I will be driving mine sometime next year.
Godspeed Anthony.
Godspeed to you, too.
Love this company. Love this vehicle. Looking forward to owning one of these one day!
Being in production for 35yrs now and hearing the word efficiency so many times is symphonic.
I can’t wait to see the assembly line in motion.
The current company was formed in 2019. They have been making rapid progress with this design.
And I cant wait to see a production ready prototype in motion. Still far away.
@@n.brucenelson5920 Most of the work was already done in the first company from 2005 to 2011.
@@vic321344 Such a comment reflects a serious lack of understanding of either the original vehicles or this one.
Among things that are completely new on this vehicle are the drivetrain, the battery tech, the solar panels, the wiring harness topology, the suspension design and the safety systems. Even the size and shape of the body have changed, while still being based on the general Morelli body shape. This isn't even a complete list - if you check out the patents granted by the new company, you will see that I didn't even list some of the most important developments in the new design.
@@n.brucenelson5920 Such a comment reflects a serious lack of understanding of either the original vehicles or this one.
The fundamental design is that of the Aptera 2. There are just a few patents from the new Aptera company, the old one had a lot more. And the new patents have next to nothing to do with the actual design.
Only 2 of the 5 patents they applied for were granted.
Wow. This car is very impressive in a lot of ways. One of the most impressive to me personally is the fact that they want you to be able to get parts easily and fast and that you can work on it and fix it yourself if you want to. Just for that very fact alone is why I would never own a Tesla. I understand that most people that have Tesla's don't care about that. They just pay to have it fixed by a Tesla certified place. This company really has opened the market way open to so many more customers by just that. And the price. Very good and affordable to more people. The way the doors open is so cool. It's very sporty. The only thing I really don't care for is that there are only three tires. Besides the fact that three tires are not as stable as four, you would have so many more options to do with it if there were four tires. One being all wheel drive. I would definitely buy it if it had four tires. Maybe the y will have another model as time goes on. The other negative is the windows. I don't know for sure but the driver and passenger windows remind me a lot of the Lamborghini countach from the 80's. Those windows were a huge failure. Very annoying. Not sure why anyone would ever do that again. Maybe the whole window rolls down but it doesn't look like it. That makes it very difficult to do a lot of things and there is absolutely zero reason to have a half window for your driver and passenger. It is also classified as a safety hazzard. So hopefully it is not that half window and the whole window does roll down. But those are the only negatives I can see. I can really see this car being very successful. Very impressive.
Aptera offers AWD as an option and by test it is more stable than many 4 wheel cars sold in the US, including SUVs. It passes the moose test for instance. As far as the windows go, a more obvious example would be the Subaru Alcyone SVX. The reason for the design in Aptera is that it aids the aerodynamics.
Thanks for your interest and comments!
A brilliant little interview. A very well informed interviewer and a respondent with fascinating things to say. Not your average EV, of course, but an amazing design and engineering achievement that is inexpensive enough to be a hit (with a little bit of luck).
Great stuff, can't wait for mine.
All that AND he's a human being! Loved this car from the first time I saw it.
I've been following the development progress of the Aptera for close to 15 years now.
I'll never be able to afford one, but sure wish I could!
Wonderful design.
I live in the boonies of Northern Nevada, and could drive into my nearest city every day in Summer, powered solely by the car's built-in PV panels.
Just a game-changing thing, that is!
What agencies can we write to to get the Aptera defined as an automobile? - to get a pass on the side mirror requirement? I'd love to write to them.
This is the car I want to road trip in from Scotland to Spain, I have no doubts that it would be a blast.
Aptera will be my 1st and hopefully last EV. By then we may have the carbon neutral Synthetic fuel at an affordable price, made by using electricity to bind Hydrogen and CO2 together. I'd use that in my GT-R. I'm preordered and invested.
Aptera IS world changing!
love this video.....thank you
That induction charger idea is pretty good
Was cool to meet you and your team in San Diego keep up the great work Transport Evolved crew !
I LOVE his reasoning for the Tesla connector. Only non-Tesla EV I would buy!
Nice video. Chris you're looking and sounding great! Whatever you're doing keep it up. I'm another fan of Aptera's open book policy. Just genuinely good people solving transportation problems and being completely transparent in the process. Bodes well for their success.
WOW...SUPER...FUTURE OF EVS
Thanks for the absolutely fantastic informative video. It was truly easy to watch and listen to the entire thing. You both have a good rapport between you. I too am eagerly awaiting my first visual sighting of an in the wild Aptera.
Best video on the Aptera, and I have watched many.
So you and the Aptera over at the Fully Charged live show. That was great fun seeing it in person, getting to hop in and get a feel for it. It was honestly bigger inside then I thought, very comfortable. I wish I could have taken it for a short test drive, but that's awesome to know that the solar panels themselves already totally work, and it's just backend agreements for suppliers they're mainly focusing on!
It isn’t difficult to make even really badly designed solar panels “totally work”. After seeing expert critiques of Gamma’s solar, I’m convinced Aptera has a lot more to do than focusing on “backend agreements for suppliers”……
@@bobhilder1469 Bob, they are further along than reports indicate. They have to be careful to protect considerable IP they are developing.
@@n.brucenelson5920 Not showing well engineered and well built solar on Gamma doesn’t “protect considerable IP they are developing.”
@@bobhilder1469 Perhaps you don't understand IP? I am personally familiar with the patent process in the US and what pre-mature release of details means regarding the success of one's applications.
@@n.brucenelson5920 Please feel free to try to add to my understanding of IP.
Fabulous... I was very interested in this vehicle at its first iteration 10 years back. Really thrilled to see it back and so close to production (I'm *almost* inclined to put down a deposit myself - but I already have 6 EVs!!).
On the external mirror front, I'm significantly surprised that from a regulatory perspective, the issue of improvement in safety for pedestrians (in a collision scenario) would not pretty much completely outweigh whatever loss of utility the regulators believe having a video-based system would mean over having glass mirrors.
Chris is right about CCS2 verses the Tesla charge adapters. CCS2 is Dr Frankenstein's monster in comparison to the Tesla standard.
Since it has in wheel motors, how much? what the cost would be to replace one of those, if you got into an accident since those are sticking way out there. In a traditional vehicle, the motor is central and it uses drive shaft where you'd only be replacing drive shafts. Maybe suspension units and wheel hubs and things like that. Here you're going to have to replace a motor and that could be an expensive fix. Just curious, that was the one of the first things I thought about the motor being on the hub. Thank you for doing such a thorough interview. Thank you up Aptara for supporting self-repair.
I heard it has 2 for front wheel drive and a 3rd one at the back for all wheel drive.
The cost of ordering a third motor is $2,500.
I really enjoyed this interview so relaxed . I enjoyed the company so far . Been following for years
So impressed with the potential of this vehicle!! Just a thought, since the Aptera has fantastic battery storage, would it be possible for it to be connect to a home to supply power to avoid power outage, such as Hurricanes or Big Storms? It would be just another reason to purchase an Aptera!
Great point! It is not yet included since V2G tech is not yet standardized, but it will very likely be an option, perhaps even a post sale add-on. It would be a very cost effective way to gain this functionality compared to present options, and might be a reason to justify a larger battery size - even the largest 99 kWh one.
Having a company SO dead set on right to repair is a big reason I want to buy one of these.
Wish I had the need for one, these are so cool. I already have a M3LR, which does everything I need. Really rooting for these guys though, maybe someday I will get one.
camera door mirrors are legal in the UK, our Honda Es have them.
What a great interview. Nice work!
Thank you Niki. Awesome video. I have a Cybertruck coming (approximately number 50,000 on the list). I also ordered a Cyberlandr (which will become my full time tiny house on wheels). I also reserved an Aptera. When carrying one passenger or less, the Aptera will be my transportation. The Aptera's solar panels will augment my tiny home's solar panels as well as provide redundancy. The Aptera's batteries will augment my tiny home's batteries as well as provide redundancy. I love your channel, and what you do, and I love you. Cheers, Calvin.
collecting good things. So we do.
it is attractive .its very true that repair / the shop is the profit in the new car dealerships.
I want one sooo bad! It’s literally the best option for a “Second Car” for all your commuting and running around. The ideology of this company is nothing short of brilliant! 😊
Unfortunately, for my family it would have to be a third vehicle. Need the farm truck. Need a vehicle big enough to carry 3 grandkids. That makes this one a interesting idea but $26k for a third vehicle makes it unaffordable.
@@fredbecker607 not sure whe they never made this a three seater!
@@brentstarkes9682 This is the first do! Imagine if the 2nd do is even better?
I could use a 3rd or 4th seat! But, perhaps an used ICE car for more passengers on long distances. My 2014 LEAF needs a new battery after 92K miles. I want an upgrade! But, Nissan won't hear of it! So I am looking for better! I think I have found it! I just need to talk to a live person at Aptera and then make a reservation!
VERY excited about the progress being made! Beautiful engineering.
Nice to see them make progress, I love the idea of having a significant number of efficient (meaning low-drag) vehicles on the road.
Going with a single, center headlight for a car that's wider than many SUVs seems like an obvious bad idea for safety. I hope those yellow strips on the wheel covers are nice and bright.
Modern beamforming can very easily have a center light project even light across a wide area. I wouldn't be surprised if this had better illumination than some larger cars
@@Ryukachoo I'm not concerned about illumination. I'm concerned about making the outline of the vehicle clear to other road users, especially oncoming cars. The traditional way to do that is to have a powerful light in each corner.
@@w0ttheh3ll oh, the bright as hell light bar and the big orange illumination on the wheel covers should be sufficient
@@Ryukachoo I hope so. The concerns are that the main light may wash out the orange markers and that many drivers don't accomodate for unfamiliar vehicle types.
Damn I like this guy man!
Aptera has got the right idea 💡.
To help convince legislators to allow side-view cameras, maybe have something where your required to carry slip-on/clip-on backup mirrors inside the car in case the cameras fail.
Also, the Tesla connector won't be practical for large long-range vehicles unless it starts supplying much more than 400 volts.
With Munro's participation, I have no doubt that the engineering of this vehicle will be very high quality. I further believe that the engineering quality will really help a quirky looking car in an ever increasing sea of 'normal' looking EVs.
Super! Excellent interview, hope you are feeling better.
This is simply amazing! I read that Munro & Associates are now working with Aptera, this was very very exciting news!
Unlike other EVs, the exterior styling will remain relevant (timeless) for many years to come so aggressive aftermarket offerings will make sense for suppliers to make the investment and and right to repair delivers great value proposition for the customer.
The high efficiency makes charging with a very simple home sourced solar charger (for more range/ higher miles than the built on panels can provide) easily doable. I'd like to see a low voltage port for additional direct input from outboard panels, which could be carried as folding panels inside the car that could be deployed while parked, separate from the high voltage Tesla or J-1772 type port.
Great Interview. I wish someone would talk to Chris about the HVAC air conditioning and heating. It MUST have heated seats if not heated and cooled.....
All 3 will be included. From their FAQ:
"Where are the vents and capabilities of the HVAC system in Aptera?
"For Delta production, our complete HVAC system will include the following- windshield and side window defrost, left and right under IP footwell vents, left and right outer corners of IP vents, and the main screen vent system, which will be fully controllable in both temperature and velocity of the airflow. The center venting system was born of our design process and philosophy with roots in intelligent efficiency and radical simplicity in that we had two needs fulfilled by one solution."
And,
"Will Aptera have heated or cooled seats?
"We plan to equip the vehicle with seat heaters. We are designing this vehicle specifically for a lot of the cold countries that love electric vehicles. Our sandwich core composites body offers great insulation and a nice heater, it’s very comfortable driving in the winter.
"Cooled seats are great for efficiency because if you cool the body, it’s actually more efficient. Unfortunately, cooled seats are pretty complex. We think those will eventually be an option. We’ll know closer to production whether or not seat cooling will be included. It’s a technical challenge for sure. "
@@fotoguru222 The heater I need in my Nissan leaf is for my foot rest in winter. It should not be much heat needed, but very needed heat, and would keep me from feeling very cold! in a car that basically has too little heat! The snow freezes my shoes before I step in the vehicle! fixing this would likely prevent needing to heat the rest of the cab so quickly!
Could the side mirrors replaceable with the camera mounts when the law changes?
Great interview. It's clear that Aptera is addressing the necessity that EV design becomes more efficient in order to reduce the need for large battery packs made from increasingly more expensive battery materials. I'm in. Thanks!
Aside from Tesla, Every other EV maker seems to deprioritize efficiency.
@@macrumpton Fortunately there are a few exceptions to this. Let's hope several of them catch on.
Good presentation. They are doing great things.
One of the very best Aptera interviews ever!
Awesome video as always!!!
The base price of my Arcimoto is $7,000 less and it is extremely versatile with delivery box rear, EMS versions or flat bed rear design options. These light vehicles charge easily at home.
The Arcimoto, is a wonderful option and I wish them great success. However, there is not a lot of overlap in the mission of the respective vehicles, and it is likely that there will be a much larger market for the applications that Aptera addresses. In the end both are important, but niche vehicles.
@@n.brucenelson5920 There is room for both. One is a utility vehicle and the other is serving the obsolete unsustainable demand for high speed long distance personal vehicles in an age when all long distances should be done in public transportation. The Tesla is a far worse offender of this by pandering to selfish egotistical people who want status symbols that waste a huge amount of power. One Tesla has enough materials in it to make four Arcimotos or Apteras.
PRODUCTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm so tempted to reserve one now.
The $100 (or $70 dollar with a code - which you can get on my UA-cam channel if you don't have one) is refundable at any time and for any reason.
"A thing of beauty is a joy forever ". I have reserved and invested. Aptera is uncommon sense in the automotive industry.
Thank heavens you gave Chris a clip on mic. for the interview! For all the other coverage on these recent events, the audio is terrible with their stick mics and karaoke box. You guys are the best!
San Diego event, cough cough. Haha
With all the promised self repair and customization via 3rd party, why not make the charge port type selectable when someone orders the car?
Not sure if this would require a huge amount of redesign etc. but from the outside, it doesn't seem like it'd be that difficult.
It is easier and as effective to simply make an already existing adapter available.
Aptera should market this vehicle to engineers and related people. Anyone who works for NASA, SpaceX, et al. would find this vehicle really cool. Anyone who is associated with aviation would also find it cool. Place an ad in Aviation Weekly, for example.
Really nice interview - thank you!
Interesting! When are you planning to manufacture this for Philippine market?
I absolutely cannot wait for my Aptera.
How does the battery and charging tech work in a cold snowy climate? My volt goes from 40 ev miles to 25-28 miles in the winter. Also snow covers solar panels, so what happens when you have to drive and the solar cells aren't charging the car
I live in Iowa and don't have many concerns. Range will be cut, but there is plenty for most needs even in cold weather. The Aptera can also be plugged into 110 or 220 home circuits to charge.
The entire vehicle has been tested at -20 F and some sub systems down to -40.
Also, it has a superior ABS/Traction control system.
Nice to see the vehicle has gotten bigger. Is that a 15” center screen? Having OTA updates and being able to upgrade the hardware might get me to buy...
I have decided that I must have this vehicle. UK roll out unclear. But they say they will do a RHD and international supply some time 2024. I want to fast forward in time.
I love the Aptera. I have ordered one and I am an investor. That being said, I just have to say: "Baby Shark doot doo do doot do do, Baby Shark doot doo to doot do do"
LOL!
One of the best Aptera interviews yet; a lot of good info.
Nikki, wonderful interview - so exciting. Would love to drive this in Ireland. Eamon
Another charging socket in the front would be a real improvement.
This way, you always have to drive backwards to the charging station.
Great info. I'm interested in possibly getting one in the future. The charging port however, I hope Tesla is making it open for everyone to use it without some kind of "gotcha".
Tesla has opened it up as NACS. Apteras can also be charged by other standards with an adapter.
Yeh. An organization to standardize on ONE charge port for all future manufactured vehicles -- motorcycles, golf carts, three-wheelers, RVs, Teslas et al
Calling the existing EV vehicles "over engineered" appears to be an inversion of reality. Aptera appears to have done more bespoke engineering than most other EV companies.
Aching for this to hit production. Want to give one of the 1k range to each of my nieces and nephews.
I'm really curious if this car will ever become legal in Europe. A front license plate is already a challenge, but for the rear, when charging..
Hopefully the rear license plate will 'rise' above the charging port instead of flip open, so it's still visible.