Aptera, Electric and Hybrid Aerodynamic Car
The Aptera three-wheeled motor vehicle is scheduled to go into production soon. This car looks like a wingless airplane. In fact, the name is Greek for “wingless flight.” There are two wheels in front inside fairings for steering and one wheel in back, with a belt drive much like a motorcycle.
The production model of the Aptera is said to have a top speed of 85 mph. The vehicle has a very aerodynamic shape and looks to have a low drag coefficient. There is an all electric model and a plugin hybrid gas-electric model. The hybrid is said to get 130 mpg in long-range highway travel.
The Aptera is supposed to have a reasonable price. The numbers on the website are between $26,000 and $30,000. The vehicle will only be for sale in California when production starts in late 2008.
Aptera is working on crash-testing this vehicle. It is supposed to be more safe than cars, in that it has improved strength and rollover ratings. The vehicle is totally enclosed and can carry two people, a child seat between them, and several articles of cargo in the hatch.
Looking at this vehicle, it seems to be of an efficient design. The range on electric power is limited to a little over 100 miles. I’m not entirely convinced that three-wheeled designs are optimum for a motor vehicle. It seems to be a common dodge for alternative vehicles to get around the stricter laws and standards for automobiles. Technically, a three-wheeled vehicle is considered to be a motorcycle, so the rules affecting it are different from the rules for cars.
It would be nice to see a car manufacturer pay this much attention to aerodynamics and efficiency. It seems the auto manufacturers have been in league with the oil companies to sell more gasoline. Perhaps if more emphasis were placed on efficiency and conservation of resources, as well as on alternative power sources for vehicles, energy would not be as expensive as it is these days.
