2010/9/21 - Tour stop in NJ photos - Someone's Facebook

[jcodeglia]

A Mr. Paul Dube posted this Facebook album from the New Jersey stop. The car actually looks GOOD in the last photo.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?ai...3&id=552976791

[Matthijs]

What's the price-tag?
Tuesday at 9:21pm ·
Paul Dube ‎$30-40k, depending on options. However, you get $7500 back from the feds and 30 states have an additional tax rebate for a total of up to $12k so a fully loaded vehicle is <$30k. www.aptera.com @aptera

Someone is misinformed here. Or is Paul telling this to his customers?

[eventhusiast]

You know I was wondering if they decided to register the vehicle as a car and not a motorcycle. They added enough safety features that they should be able to pass the crash testing and regulations. This also gets rid of the weight issue. If this is true they are probably building their crash test vehicles now. Timeline for late fall next year production sounds right in line with this scenario too.

[jcodeglia]

If it were a car, wouldn't we Californians have to put full-size license plates on back AND front? Man, would that suck or what?

[Antjel]

Originally Posted by jcodeglia

If it were a car, wouldn't we Californians have to put full-size license plates on back AND front? Man, would that suck or what?

If it is going to be registered as a car that means no carpool lane for me. Which in turn greatly diminishes my willingness to support a 3 wheel start up. I will most likely go with a name I can trust and 4 wheels even if I lose a little efficiency.

Cheers,
Antjel

[EVPedaler]

Originally Posted by Antjel

If it is going to be registered as a car that means no carpool lane for me. Which in turn greatly diminishes my willingness to support a 3 wheel start up. I will most likely go with a name I can trust and 4 wheels even if I lose a little efficiency.

Cheers,
Antjel

Leaf is getting access to HOV lanes in California. I don't see why Aptera 2E wouldn't qualify given it is also a pure EV.

[CyberBill]

Actually, California has short, very special list of vehicles and if your vehicle is on the list you can drive in the HOV regardless. The Prius and Insight, as well as a few others, are on the magical list.

[Cap'n Ron]

Originally Posted by CyberBill

Actually, California has short, very special list of vehicles and if your vehicle is on the list you can drive in the HOV regardless. The Prius and Insight, as well as a few others, are on the magical list.

That would be the first gen Honda Insight with the CVT transmission...NOT the manual transmission. How's that for specific? And how is that for logical since the 5-speed insight gets much better mileage than the CVT model?

Cap'n Ron. . .

[evmavin]

40K for a not so efficient car with compromises. They better hurry for the rebates and most will at best get the fed only. Even at $30K after rebates it's too high.

[NmGfan]

Originally Posted by eventhusiast

You know I was wondering if they decided to register the vehicle as a car and not a motorcycle. They added enough safety features that they should be able to pass the crash testing and regulations. This also gets rid of the weight issue. If this is true they are probably building their crash test vehicles now. Timeline for late fall next year production sounds right in line with this scenario too.

No can do. If it has three wheels on the pavement it is a motorcycle in CA, period. Thanks to some legislative work initiated by Aptera, fully enclosed motorcycles can weigh up to 1800lbs (previously 1500lbs) now. If it is ever produced, a 2e will always have access to HOV lanes in CA just like all other motorcycles. But... it is over the weight limit by more than 400lbs, so without a diet it won't be allowed on the road... Not enough wheels or supporting crash data for an automobile classification, too fat for a motorcycle classification. Great engineering there team B!