3/17/08 - Carlsbad Manufacturer Preparing to Launch the Two-Seater Aptera - sdbj.com

[Prestadude]

Here is a short article in the San Diego Business Journal. They report that Aptera intends to fill all existing orders by the summer of 2009.

http://www.sdbj.com/industry_article.asp?aID=063159203.9719965.1599650 .0778271.9150594.376&aID2=123041

A Carlsbad-based startup called Aptera Motors Inc. said it has received 1,000 orders for its “ultragreen car” before even building a prototype.
The futuristic-looking vehicle, which will be available as a hybrid or electric, costs $30,000 and can get up to 300 miles to the gallon, according to Chris Anthony, chief operating officer.
Registered as a motorcycle, the two-seater can seat individuals as tall as 6 feet, 5 inches and carry up to 15 bags of groceries.
The private company was founded in 2006 by Anthony and Steve Frambo, Aperta’s chief executive officer and a former employee of San Diego biotech, Illumina Inc.
It recently secured its third round of financing and Anthony said the company expects to begin manufacturing in October, with the electric model going out in late 2008.
The 1,000 orders — each of which required a $500 deposit — are expected to be filled by the summer of 2009.
Although the company is not profitable, Anthony said that with the purchase of 300 vehicles, it should be.

[butter]

Only "1,000 orders"? I'm officially #1294, but perhaps they're giving an estimated number based on out-of-staters who managed to put in a deposit really early on, before the website form was updated to automatically ruled them out...?

No matter what, I'm just really excited at the prospect of TEST DRIVING these babies later this year!!!

[Dubito]

I believe the first sentence of the article is incorrect:

“A Carlsbad-based startup called Aptera Motors Inc. said it has received 1,000 orders for its “ultragreen car” before even building a prototype.”

I’ve got a production slot in the 800s and put a deposit down because I saw video of the prototype.

[davidrools]

"Although the company is not profitable, Anthony said that with the purchase of 300 vehicles, it should be."

That would imply that the cost of design, development, and production for the first 300 cars is a mere $8M (300 x $26,900 for the typ-1e's) or so. Anyway, that's great news since, with almost 1400 reservations (I'm 1360 something as of a week ago) I don't think they'll have any problem securing the fundraising necessary to complete their first 1000 vehicles.