

Aptera motors pulls the plug - pg_bot
http://www.wired.com/autopia/2011/12/aptera-motors-closes/

======
erreon
I hope that some of the tech will be sold, opened or some how fall into other
peoples hands. They did a lot of neat things with their prototypes and I think
there is a chance that it can still help.

------
ricksta
It's a shame that a photo sharing iPhone app can raise more money than an EV
company...

------
quadform
I don't think it takes millions and federal loans to make an EV. Scratchbuilt
or otherwise. Enthusiasts have been converting small ICE cars ("internal
combustion engine" cars) into electrics for many years.

Electric cars are simple. For the most part, all they require is:

* batteries,

* a charge controller,

* power controller,

* some gauges, and

* a motor.

Car companies like to make them out to be more technologically advanced so
they can charge more and get more government financial assistance. And for
that matter preserve their existing ICE-based business. But EV's are
fundamentally _way_ simpler than ICE vehicles.

 _Edit_ : Yes, I realize that Aptera's 3-wheeled vehicle is amazing and is not
something that a couple of guys could probably put together in their garage.
I'd love to see Aptera or a company like them be able to employ engineers to
work on those sorts of futuristic spaceships. However, I'm saying that you
don't need to go all-out top-end to create an EV. Make a simple "VW Beetle-
style" economy EV for cheap instead. It won't require astronomical funding and
early adopters will go nuts for them.

~~~
asharp
Remember that there's a big difference between an aftermarket mod and setting
up a factory to build purpose built electric cars. You have lots of additional
regulatory/cap costs/etc. to bear.

Also keep in mind that they are making entirely (or mostly) new types of
vehicles, ie. the tricycle. And design doesn't come cheap.

------
sktrdie
What a shame. This was, by far, the most efficient and intelligent electric
vehicle ever made with its aerodynamic shape.

~~~
JoeAltmaier
I seriously doubt the aerodynamics mattered at the slow city speeds the thing
runs?

------
phil
Are there prototypes to be sold off? I thought these were neat little
vehicles. I still want one.

------
joshu
IIRC they were technically motorcycles and required a motorcycle license.
Probably didn't help.

~~~
quadform
To offset that though, it probably _helped_ in other ways. For example, if
it's a "motorcycle", you don't need big bumpers and crumplezones.

------
lukifer
Tragic. I was hoping this would be my next car.

------
buff-a
Still waiting for biodiesels.

~~~
phil
What are you waiting for? You can run almost any modern diesel on biodiesel,
and in most west coast cities (at least), B20, B80 and even B100 are
available.

~~~
buff-a
I'd like a ford F-150 sized truck that is diesel. I'd like a Ford Focus that
is diesel. I live in California. What are my options?

~~~
rdouble
You have to buy it used out of state with at least 7500 miles.

~~~
buff-a
Are you saying they exist in other states?

