Almost a youngtimer and yet at the forefront of innovation
03/03/2021
It's been many years since I came across a rather futuristic vehicle called the Aptera. I wrote a blog post about it in 2009. At that time, the company was already four years old and was selling an electrically powered three-wheeler that looked like a cross between an airplane and a fish (the pictures of the white car are from 2009, while the black car is the 2021 version).
At the time, the performance data was not overly inspiring; the range was estimated at 200 km and a range extender was under discussion. However, the company didn't get very far back then and went bankrupt in 2011. The first Aptera vehicles, some of which were sold, reached the age of classic cars in just a few years!
However, the original founders made a second attempt in 2019. Little has changed visually, but technically all the more. Thanks to modern battery technology, the range is now said to be 1600 km. The solar panel on the body should enable a range of around 60 km in the best weather conditions. The aerodynamically balanced shape naturally makes a major contribution to this. The company's approach is somewhat reminiscent of that of British sports car pioneers such as Lotus, TVR or Marcos in the fifties and sixties.
Apparently, the vehicle seems to be much better received the second time around than the first time around, with thousands of orders reportedly already having been received and the financing rounds for the company also seem to be going more smoothly. The announced prices are not a deterrent either, with prices ranging from USD 25,900 to 46,000+ depending on the model, which means you could sit in a base model for as little as 21,500 euros ...
Well, why not put one of these teardrop-shaped two-seaters (outside, because of the solar panel) next to an Austin-Healey Sprite or MG TC in front of the house? However, we will have to wait a little longer for this car of the future in this country, as the guys from Aptera are taking care of the American market first ...
