A message to Aptera employees by Steve

[doug]

Yeah I think the window for small guys trying to go big has pretty much closed. (If you want to put a time stamp on it, I'd say it was the day Nissan announced their Leaf pricing.) However, there is space for niche players. I always saw the Aptera as a niche vehicle, but one I'd really like to see on the road. It could help influence the entire industry to embrace efficiency and progress from the bland designs of today.

[PatQ562]

Despite my "sobering assessment", a dead weight has been removed, the situation is once again fluid, we can move on, and there's some hope for progress from someone else. As long as we realize it's an uphill battle all the way.

Smart players attempting to enter a well-defended market look for a "beachhead" - a place to get a foothold that is neglected by the market leaders. A full frontal assault is a suicide mission. If there's hope for an Aptera 3.0, it needs to be a fun toy, that early adopters will value enough to spend some real money on, playing in an unregulated space, that happens to have remarkable performance and efficiency. Once there are some vehicles on the road, demonstrating (hopefully) good performance and reliability, there may be enough traction (pun intended) to go the next step.

This vision is, of course, much like the original Aptera, but I would issue a very pared down Mark 1. Even if development funds were to be miraculously available, the money is better spent getting some actual cars on the road, with as little as possible to go wrong, taken up by the small band of enthusiasts who don't care about (or even want) power door locks etc. With these cars as rolling sales demonstrators, demand can be assessed and any development funds can be spent on improving amenities.

Pat Q

[SEGsby]

No no no! GO BIG!!!! BIG BIG BIG!!!

Oh wait, that didn't work.

[IanO]

The best possible outcome would be for Chris Anthony to buy the remaining rights and assets and to launch an Aptera product line under his Epic brand. He could go back to his own patented composite construction methods. At this point, it would have to be priced and scaled for the small enthusiast market: say 100 a year for $100k each. There were plenty of celebs in the old reservation list who would go for a standout green vehicle at any price. Possibly a side market selling the uniquely efficient body at a cut rate as a glider for those who want to do their own drivetrain experimentation, like ecomodders, EV conversion shops, and universities.

[PatQ562]

Has there been a price set on Epic's Torq EV? The promised performance looks exotic enough. $100K is out of my interest range (I might as well buy a lightly used Tesla for that money), but $40K-$50K would be somewhat tempting.

The existing body style is not to my taste, nor do I want to wear a helmet and sit out in the weather, but if the basic platform is developed, other body shells could be envisioned. One wonders why the 2 seats are so far apart however.

Note to those proposing larger multi-passenger vehicles on a 3-wheel platform: There's a regulatory weight limit of 1800 lbs for 3-wheel electric motorcycles. The Torq skirts under that at 1700 lbs but there are spec gaps (ie "battery, 24-30kWh") that signal incomplete development.

Pat Q

[dfbvt]

PatQ562

Snip< Despite my "sobering assessment", a dead weight has been removed, the situation is once again fluid, we can move on, and there's some hope for progress from someone else. As long as we realize it's an uphill battle all the way. >snip

snip< Smart players attempting to enter a well-defended market look for a "beachhead" - a place to get a foothold that is neglected by the market leaders. A full frontal assault is a suicide mission. If there's hope for an Aptera 3.0, it needs to be a fun toy, that early adopters will value enough to spend some real money on, playing in an unregulated space, that happens to have remarkable performance and efficiency. snip>

I think you hit the nail on the head with your statement "Smart players attempting to enter a well-defended market look for a "beachhead" - a place to get a foothold that is neglected by the market leaders"

IanO

Snip< The best possible outcome would be for Chris Anthony to buy the remaining rights and assets and to launch an Aptera product line under his Epic brand. He could go back to his own patented composite construction methods. At this point, it would have to be priced and scaled for the small enthusiast market: say 100 a year for $100k each. There were plenty of celebs in the old reservation list who would go for a standout green vehicle at any price. >snip

An approach like this would probably work if he is up to it. He certiantly hasn't let the grass grow under his feet since his "Vacation started". I also sense some excitement in his recent "Epic" posts.

Possibly a side market selling the uniquely efficient body at a cut rate as a glider for those who want to do their own drivetrain experimentation, like ecomodders, EV conversion shops, and universities.

BING! Now you are talking my language!! While I do hope that Chris "or something like him" attempts to take on the narrow niche market at a high dollar point I also believe very strongly that the Kit builder, DIY crowd market would be nothing to sneeze at.

I grew up with a airplane being built in our basement and as a result I was deeply exposed to home building and the EAA (the Experimental Aircraft Association version, not the Electric Automotive Association). My family went to every Rockford fly-In and then the Oshkosh fly-Ins from 1963 onward.

In those years the home built and kit built designs evolved at an unbelievable pace to the point that to this day home built aircraft and kit aircraft can blow the doors off of ANYTHING manufactured. This was able to happen because the FAA Experimental Category created the needed loop hole for the bright designers to design better and better designs with out the horrendous governmental load placed on the air craft manufactures.

As a result of all of this, thousand of people now have awesome airplanes that they built at least 51% of.

I recently attended EVCON in Missouri put on by Jack Rickard and "Brain" Noto of EVTV. When they came up with the idea they where thinking that there might be 15-25 attendees and a few modified EVs showing up. Well, it was more like 150 attendees and 27 Home Conversions. Jack was totally amazed. The enthusiasm that was in the air was awesome. Jack is certainly bit of a prickly character but he was pretty gracious in person.

That type of response really showed that there is a pent up level of enthusiasm out there for EVs and there are many true believers ready to roll up there sleeves and head for the garage.

All that being said I really do believe that there are a few nitch markets for the Aptera. No Paul, there won't be tens of thousands of them but I think that there could be quite a few ending up on the road. And to me THAT IS VERY important since the average Joe thinks that cars should only be minor variations of the 4 wheel brick type shape that's been around forever. Very foresighted people like Steve or Oliver Kuttner NEED to get as many of these streamlined cars on the road as possible to show the way for people to move to much more efficient cars.

If Chris or some one like him can pull off a higher priced production Aptera 3.0 then I would be very interested in trying to expand the concept into the kit builder, DYI market using gliders or what ever. Neither approach will be easy but I think it could be done.

Dave Bowles

PS: This thread was started on a serious note from Steve to his former employees. I'd suggest that a moderator move the more recent posts to an more appropriate thread. Sorry Steve. I think we let our enthusiasm get in the way of proper etiquette.

[Tkaypro]

Below is an email to a past employee of Aptera, past as of about two years ago. Strange or perverse rather they thought it necessary to keep spreading their news of failure to past employees. Although it didn't paste here below, the letter had the mugshots of team B (found on the website) lined up on the bottom soliciting to be "linked-in". Oh brother! Are they desperate to build their profiles? They are unemployed after all. These guys know no bounds to spreading their ill-will, so un-linking them seems like a better option for your profile. I don't suppose I'll be receiving my thank you letter, LOL!

Aptera Motors Inc.
Friday December 2, 2011
Dear X,

We struggled for the right way to start this letter so we decided to start with a simple thank you. Aptera was founded for the purposes of defining a new standard of energy efficiency in the automotive market, but our true mission is greater than that. Our goal is to make a difference...

You helped us make a difference.
The goal of starting an auto company is a daunting one, but there are few challenges that seem out of reach when you are surrounded by great people. One thing that we know for certain is in our quest to bring Aptera to market, we have been truly been surrounded by greatness. You and your team have been with us through hills and valleys, successes and occasionally, failures. Through it all, you helped us stand. You took a chance on us, in many cases, on not much more than belief in us as individuals. For that we are grateful. You have truly been a part of our team.

It is amazing to consider that in the past 3 years, we have had a federal law changed, designed two vehicles, validated a 206 mile per gallon-equivalent vehicle at Argonne National Labs, and made it through a 2-year diligence process with the Department of Energy resulting in conditional commitment letter that could've ultimately led to a significant ATVM loan. In the end, however, all of that was not enough defeat the clock that wound down on us as we searched for the capital to meet our DOE matching requirements. Raising $80 million dollars is difficult, but adding in the headwinds from a slow economy, political instability and EV skepticism made our challenge of fundraising infinitely more difficult. Now, unfortunately, it is time to turn the page.

By the time you get this note, Aptera will no longer exist. What remains however is more important than any brand name, website, or office building. Tomorrow, just like every day for the past 3 years, there will still be a group of passionate people committed to making a difference. In that goal, we are proud to call you our friend and business partner.
Thank you for your support,
Click on the picture to find us


Aptera Marketing
Aptera Motors Inc.

[PatQ562]

...validated a 206 mile per gallon-equivalent vehicle at Argonne National Labs,..

I need hardly point out in these pages that Edison2 has calmly proceeded to blow away PW/Aptera's "do-over" 206 mpge claim with performance in the 350mpge range - ie the same 100wh/mi that Team-A Aptera was getting initially. This, with a 4-wheel vehicle able to carry up to 4 people.
Pat Q

[NeilBlanchard]

Pat, I may be mistaken, but the VLCe has a DC drivetrain. They are improving on this, and feel they can get ~20% better efficiency in the next VLCe.

[notooilateride]

If I could figure out how to get my deposit back I would reinvest in Steve Fambro's original design. Can anyone help?