Gizmodo Australia » aptera

Aptera Electric Trikemobile Finds a Friend (and $2.75m) in Google

Gizmodo US Edition — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:52:52 +0000

Pre-orders for the awesome Aptera electric car opened up last year, but the company has been relatively quiet about their progress as of late. Google’s philanthropic arm has just thrown a cool US$2.75 million their way, and now they’re being a little more forthright: the Aptera Typ-1 is due this year, same specs, at about US$30,000. Both full electric and plug-in hybrid flavours will be available. Given electric car startups’ propensity for disappointing failure, it’s comforting to see this especially promising one get a vote of confidence from Papa Goog. [CNET]

Aptera Electric Car Works Great, Says Popular Mechanics

Jesus Diaz — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 12:33:52 +0000

Popular Mechanics test drove the Aptera Super-MPG Electric Typ-1 e. And despite its stupid stupid stupid name it looks like it works great. Capable of achieving three hundred miles per gallon in its hybrid version, the $US30,000 Aptera is a winner according to them: the electric-only version is stable, practical for daily transport and drives well, all while looking like a prop car from Woody Allen’s Sleeper or Logan’s Run, specially its 80s-retro-futurist interior:

For now Aptera is only going to sell their Typ-1 e and future hybrid version cars in California, where everyone is chic and cool, like Jason Chen. [Popular Mechanics]

Aptera Electric Three Wheeler Available for Pre-Order

Charlie White — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 19:51:04 +0000

We heard rumblings of the electric three-wheeled Aptera over a year ago but now the company has opened up an annoying and overwrought website soliciting “reservations,” meaning you can plunk down $500 and get the right to buy either the all-electric or plug-in diesel hybrid model. The good news is, there’s a working prototype with specs that are jaw-dropping.

How’s 230mpg while driving at 55mph? Yes, that’s short of the 330mpg first promised last year, but that’s a real world number demonstrated as the company rolled out the first working prototype of this diesel-electric car in March. Part of the secret to that great mpg number is its drag coefficient of 0.11, extremely slippery. The company’s also claiming a 0-60 time of 10 seconds.

It looks way-cool, too. We especially like the view from the rear of this car—it looks like a flying saucer, and the view from the side? Why, it’s a banana on wheels, and we mean that in the nicest way.

And the pricing? The company insists all this tech will cost around $20K, and say the first Apteras will be delivered in “approximately 12 months.” That’s a long time to lend someone $500 interest-free, but hey, this is an extraordinary design so maybe we’ll give ‘em a pass this time. [Aptera]