Fuel-Efficient-Vehicles.org

The Aptera EV – On The Road Next Year

Aptera 2e Production Version Unveiled

April 16, 2010
This Carlsbad, California, start-up company has unveiled the production version of its 3-wheel, 200+ mpg 2e and recently obtained private funding to move the project closer to dealerships.
The unusual aero form of the Aptera makes it a crowd-stopper. Still, the 2e is quite usable. You enter through butterfly-style doors that were part of the refining process for the production 2e. Not only do they now have conventional up-down windows, but the doors have been reshaped to make entry and exit easier.

The Aptera EV - lighter than steel, 10 times stronger!

November 18, 2009, 5:32 pm

EV Maker Aptera Motors "On the Road to Financial Stability": see April 14th 2010 article below

The company announced Wednesday that it was scaling down operations until more development money could be found. Aptera, which also stands for "wingless flight," had been seeking government help to get its three-wheeled vehicle, the 2e, off the ground. Such funds have been restricted to four-wheeled vehicles.

The Aptera 2e was to have gone on sale by the end of this year. Mr. Wilbur said the first vehicles would not be completed now until sometime in 2010. He said 4,000 fully refundable deposits have been received from eager would-be customers, even though the vehicle`s price still has not been disclosed.

Paul Wilbur, Aptera`s chief executive, said vehicle development "has been outpacing the rate of fund-raising." He added, "Aptera`s production and delivery will be tied directly to funding." Translation: No money, no car.

An undisclosed number of employees were laid off this week. Among the departures were the co-founders Steve Fambro and Chris Anthony.

"Anthony is stepping aside from day-to-day activities to concentrate on his two other companies, Epic Boats and Flux Power," Mr. Wilbur said. Mr. Fambro is "taking a short leave of absence and will re-engage with the company in the new year."

The airplane-like Aptera 2e is touted as being capable of the equivalent fuel economy of more than 200 miles per gallon. Startup funding has come from companies such as Google and IdeaLab.

March 12, 2009
Update: There are now over 4000 Aptera's on order.

Chris Woodyard, USA TODAY
CARLSBAD, Calif. aptera.com
March 27, 2008: 1100 people had put down a deposit to buy an Aptera

March 26, 2009, 12:12 pm
Another View of the Electric Future
By Lawrence Ulrich
Norman Mayersohn/The New York Times Lawrence Ulrich interviewing Paul Wilbur of Aptera, with the 2e in the background.

While its windswept shape recalls jet aircraft, the Aptera 2e could also be the silicon sister of Eve, the streamlined robot from the animated film "Wall-E." And as it glided silently through Lower Manhattan on Wednesday, the three-wheeled electric car seemed as futuristic and provocative as Wall-E`s icy-white object of desire. From children to usually stoic cops, onlookers pointed, grinned and gaped at this ultralight two-seater, which its backers said would go on sale later this year.

The Aptera took its star turn for the media, including a video I`m shooting for this Web site, at the Classic Car Club in SoHo. The car`s California-based backers discussed everything from the price -- $25,000 to $40,000 depending on the powertrain -- to its roughly 100-mile driving range, top speed of 90 miles an hour and eight-hour charge time on a normal household outlet.
Norman Mayersohn/The New York Times The face of the Aptera.

Paul Wilbur, Aptera`s chief executive, who used to work at Chrysler and Jeep, said the Aptera would be the world`s most energy-efficient car, in part because of its aerodynamics, which require only a modest electric motor to power the front wheels. The company plans to sell the electric model only in California at first and to roll it out nationally over the next year or two, while it develops plug-in hybrid and gasoline versions.

The Aptera was supposed to go on sale in late 2008, but Mr. Wilbur said he held up the car with demands to add power windows and other consumer-friendly gear. As with the electric Tesla Roadster, Mr. Wilbur said that some celebrities, including Tom Hanks, Shaquille O`Neal and Robin Williams, were among customers who had put down $500 deposits to reserve a place in line.
Norman Mayersohn/The New York Times The Aptera ventures onto the streets of New York.

"I`m not sure Shaquille would fit, but he`s interested," Mr. Wilbur noted.

From my perch in the passenger seat -- and despite its wobbly looking layout -- the Aptera felt as stable and responsive as any car, thanks in part to a low center of gravity, with roughly 500 pounds of lithium-ion batteries wedged below the cockpit. While the Aptera weighs barely 1,700 pounds, its backers said the composite body is six times stronger than steel and is designed to meet all federal crash standards.

The cockpit is surprisingly roomy for two large passengers, and there`s enough luggage space for three golf bags. Slick-looking digital readouts display everything from the remaining driving range to mileage, expressed here in miles per kilowatt hour.

After a 20-minute drive, Mr. Wilbur eased through the doors of Classic Car Club into a garage filled with members` exclusive rides: a BMW Z8, a Ford GT, a vintage Ferrari, a Porsche Speedster replica, Ducati motorcycles and even a Tesla Roadster. But passers-by seemed to look right through the exotics to focus on the Aptera`s one-of-a-kind shape. Wall-E would have understood.

Aptera is being developed in a tidy industrial park here, a few miles north of San Diego. CEO Fambro, 41, and COO Chris Anthony, 31, a former stockbroker who also runs a boat-making shop, have about 15 employees so far, mostly fabricators and engineers.
At present, Aptera has one working prototype of its electric car. A hybrid gas-electric version is being built. Production is scheduled for later this year.

Having received its start with an investment from company start-up incubator Idealab, Aptera is currently looking for another round of financing. Anthony, who spends most of his time on investment matters, says he has attracted interest. [see FAQ's]

They are drawn by the unique design. The prototype features high-tech touches such as rear and side cameras instead of rear-view side mirrors to further reduce wind drag. There's a solar panel on the roof to provide a bit of extra power. Making the car out of laminates slashes its weight to about 1,500 pounds, making it potentially one of the lightest cars on the road. Less weight means longer range. The company also hopes to use off-the-shelf lithium phosphate batteries that are proven and safe, Fambro says.

Even though there is a lot of work left to be done, Aptera has an advantage when it comes to development time. The three-wheel design - two in front, one in back - means the resulting vehicle will be classed as a motorcycle in many states, including California. The red tape required to market a motorcycle is less rigorous than for a four-wheel car. "It allows us to leapfrog into the market," Fambro says.

A motorcycle classification and Aptera's electric drivetrain also fulfill his dream of developing a car that's legal to drive solo in California carpool lanes.

But some involved with alternative-power vehicles warn that buyers could be dubious about the three-wheel arrangement. That worries some alternative-energy advocates. "Will consumers be able get their heads around driving something with only three wheels?"

Aptera will be crash tested by an independent lab using the same protocol as the one followed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, including a side, rear and 45-mile-per-hour frontal offset hit, Fambro says. The car has a special nose that absorbs a frontal impact, pushing the frame down and away from passengers. "We want to define the brand based on safety and efficiency," he says.

Even then, it could be a tough sell, says Ron Cogan, publisher of GreenCar.com, a website and journal devoted to environmentally friendly transportation.

"Consumers are hesitant to buy into new concepts until they prove themselves on the road," Cogan says. "The market for three-wheel vehicles has been slim to none, and I don`t see that changing in a significant way anytime soon."

There's also the prospect that major automakers could race ahead and make their own unique alternative-energy vehicles. General Motors for instance, has promised to have its Volt electric-gas vehicle in production in 2010.

Fambro says he isn`t worried because Aptera is more nimble than the giants. For example, when the company needed to choose low-rolling-resistance tires, it didn`t spend weeks or months quizzing manufacturers. The crew simply mounted each one they could find on a cart loaded with 400 pounds of sand, then rolled it down a hill and up the other side to see which tire would carry it the farthest. "You don`t need a six-month study to get good data," he says.

Before production starts, managers are being issued copies of books detailing how Toyota (TM) cuts waste and encourages quality on assembly lines.

The goal is to produce two or three cars a week once production begins. The company expects to become profitable once production hits 160 vehicles. [no problem with over 1000 on order!]

If nothing else, Fambro is confident that Aptera will be a hit on the beaches near headquarters."You can fold down the front (passenger) seat and put in a surf board," he likes to point out.

The Aptera, with a range of 190 miles between charges, is intended to sell for around $30,000.

Riding in the Typ-1 is sort of like being in a high-tech fishbowl. There's incredible visibility from all sides except the back, which is equipped with a rear-view camera that displays whatever's happening behind the vehicle on a trio of computer screens.

formed from high-tech fiberglass that isn`t just lighter than steel but 10 times stronger, according to Fambro. The Typ-1 has yet to be crash tested, but Fambro says the crumple zone on the Typ-1 is longer than that of a typical car, and the crush strength of the roof and side doors is stronger than what's been mandated for a regular passenger vehicle.

Aptera: 230 mpg or 150 mi/charge on the highway!

Popular Science, September 2006

By far the most obvious approach to achieving ultra-high mileage is to dramatically cut weight and wind resistance, the chief enemies of highway mileage. ("70% of a car's energy goes to pushing air out of the way.") This is the gambit you see in student engineering competitions, in which teardrop-shaped micro-vehicles on bicycle wheels regularly achieve hundreds of miles to the gallon. But these vehicles are all expensive prototypes. The challenge is to make a light, highly aerodynamic vehicle that`s reliable, crash-worthy and, most important, inexpensive to mass-produce.

www.aptera.com

Steve Fambro may have tinkered his way into the solution. His Aptera, which he designed in his garage in Carlsbad, California, is a three-wheeled, bullet-shaped two-seater that minimizes drag and weighs only 850 pounds (the Toyota Prius weighs 2,890 pounds). He cut bulk by using a carbon composite frame, a race-inspired solution that should help with crash absorption.

Fambro`s company, Accelerated Composites, is drawing the attention of several venture capitalists, and he hopes to have the Aptera on the market in less than two years [early 2008]. "Everything I had been doing was with an eye toward manufacturability," he says. By using novel composite-construction techniques, including inexpensive molds and automated fabrication processes, Fambro says he can keep the cost per vehicle under $20,000. And when combined with a hybrid engine that burns diesel, the Aptera could break 300 mpg.

Steve Fambro's obsession with efficiency is born from his experience as an electrical engineer in the biotech and aerospace world. Before founding Aptera Motors he spent his days designing robots that made DNA and imaging systems for a small biotech startup, Illumina. He became an integral part of Illumina Inc.'s engineering dominance in the marketplace and is named in several patents regarding their DNA synthesis, optical validation and robotic automation. While at Illumina, Steve began his quest for an efficient vehicle that he could build himself and use in Southern California's carpool lane. After many months of number crunching, empirical research, and thinking that he could create something better than the hybrids that were offered, Steve came up with the shape and general design for his vehicle. Steve then involved his friends and expert associates by inviting them to analyze his creation.

One of those friends was Chris Anthony, whose hydrodynamic expertise in the marine world (he founded Epic Boats, Inc.) lent itself well to analyzing the vehicle's overall aerodynamic capabilities. Chris instantly recognized the world changing potential of this vehicle, and after Chris and Steve verified the Aptera would have amazing capabilities both in efficiency and road performance, they began the formation of Aptera Motors Inc. with the help and vision of Bill Gross of Idealab Inc., and later, other investors. Now Steve and Chris have assembled a team of some of the world's top engineers, aerodynamicists and world class automotive designers to bring Aptera Motors' dream of efficiency to a highway near you.

EV Maker Aptera Motors "On the Road to Financial Stability"

April 14, 2010 6:46 pm : Chuck Squatriglia, WIRED

Aptera Motors unveiled the production version of its funky three-wheeled electric car today and said it has “navigated some financial challenges” but is "on the road to financial stability" and the car should be on the road next year.

The Aptera 2e electric car already is several months behind schedule, as production was to start six months ago. Company CEO Paul Wilbur took the blame for that before saying things are back on track. He says Aptera Motors is getting an infusion of cash, it has lined up key suppliers and the extraordinarily aerodynamic two-seater is nearly ready to roll. The car is slated to compete in the Progressive Automotive X Prize.

"We are behind our projected product-launch timing for the 2e and the ultimate responsibility for that is mine," Wilbur said in a statement issued after a press conference in Carlsbad, California. "But our team is deeply committed to putting the world's most efficient vehicle on the road."

Wilbur says the company completed the first close of its latest round of funding last month and is awaiting a decision on its application for a $184 million loan from the Department of Energy. But according to Autoblog, which attended the press conference, Wilbur concedes the company is not "fully funded."

"One more financing hurdle remains," he said in the statement. "When it’s complete, it will take about 11 months to start our full-volume launch next year."

That's assuming the DOE loan comes through, and soon. Several government officials attended the press conference, according to Autoblog, and Wilbur made it clear to them, "Aptera can only compete with government loans."

If everything goes off without a hitch and Aptera hits its goal - two big ifs in the auto business - the 2e will be coming to market at least several months after the Nissan Leaf, Chevrolet Volt and possibly the Coda from Southern California startup Coda Automotive. Those companies plan to have their electric cars on the road by the end of this year, and everything suggests they will. [But, they wont look futureistic or "turn heads" like the Aptera! -ed]

As if that weren't enough of a disadvantage for Aptera, the 2e is a highly unusual vehicle competing against more mainstream vehicles with four wheels, four doors and room for five passengers. It also offers roughly the same range and performance at roughly the same price. Aptera still hasn't pegged a price for the 2e, but everything we've heard suggests it's shooting for $25,000 to $45,000. That puts it in line with the rest of the competition.

Aptera had hoped to get the car on the road last October, which would have given the Southern California company a big jump on its competitors. But the car reportedly was delayed because Wilbur, who joined the company in September, 2008, and his management team didn’t think it was quite ready for prime time. That led to significant changes, the most obvious of which were windows that roll down. The doors are larger, the sills are lower and the front hood now opens. All of that required re-engineering of the body shell - which undoubtedly took a lot of time and a lot of money.

The irony is that Aptera spent time and money reworking the 2e to make it more appealing to the mainstream when it had little chance of appealing to the mainstream to begin with. The Aptera has always been a niche car.

That said, the production-ready version bears some striking differences to the prototype we drove last year. The windows roll down, and there are small triangular windows behind the doors, and the body is still futuristic, even though it seems to have lost some of its space-age aesthetic. The car's got a bigger battery, too. The 2e unveiled today is "what consumers can expect as the design-intent vehicle," chief engineer Tom Reichenbach said in a statement issued after the press conference.

Reichenbach said "90 percent of the materials cost" of the car will be sourced in the United States and the car will be assembled here. Wilbur said Aptera will employ 2,500 people at its headquarters in Southern California and “other facilities around the country.” The company is hiring 500 people and plans to move its HQ from Vista, California, to Oceanside, according to the North County Times. The paper also reports Aptera has raised $9.8 million.

The company says it has lined up 23 suppliers, including battery company A123 Systems and motor company Remy International. BorgWarner is supplying the transmissions, while Continental is providing the brake systems and chassis.

"The objective is to assure that the safety, quality and overall efficiency of our first production vehicle are correct," Wilbur said. "No compromises. We have to get this right the first time, and we’ve contracted with the best and brightest in the industry."

The 2e is about the length and height of a Honda Civic and a little more than a foot wider because the front wheels stick out so far. The car weighs 1,800 pounds, and the unusual three-wheeled design maximizes efficiency and minimizes rolling resistance.

Power comes from a 20-kwh lithium-ion nano-phosphate battery - the prototype we drove had a 13-kwh pack - and an 82-kilowatt (110-horsepower) motor turns the front wheels. Top speed is 90 mph, and the car will do zero to 60 in nine seconds, which is typical for a subcompact. Claimed range is 100 miles in city and highway driving, and the battery charges in 11 hours when it’s plugged into a typical 110-volt outlet. Plug it into a 220 and you’re looking at six hours.

The production model also will feature airbags, antilock brakes, traction control and other safety features. The doors feature side-impact beams, the front end is a crumple zone and the passenger compartment is made of composite material and aluminum. Although the 2e is classified as a motorcycle because it has three wheels, Aptera says it will meet all federal automotive safety regulations.