Aptera Reserved
Arthur & I officially are number 1,717 in line to purchase an Aptera. The company announced it had entered the manufacturing stage this past week. Cars are rumored to start shipping to customers by the end of the year.
Arthur and I live in an apartment complex with no way to charge an electric car. We opted for the model that offers a moderate battery capacity and a gasoline electric generator to recharge the battery. The generator extends the range 130-300 miles per gallon. I call this a “smart hybrid”, as opposed to a “basic hybrid” that uses both an electric motor and combustion engine on the powertrain, like the Toyota Prius.
Pricing has not been finalized, but is expected to be around $30,000. We could certainly get a much larger, basic hybrid vehicle for the price. So why buy a funky, two (and a half) passenger, three wheeled, glorified motorcycle? It’s simple. We accept that the Aptera is not a mainstream car. It fits our personal transportation needs as a feature loaded everyday commuter car. Arthur and I will keep my Dodge Neon around for when we need to haul a crew of people or stuff.
Fiscally, the Aptera would require several years and gas prices to double (again…) before becoming economically cheaper than a Toyota Yaris at $14,000 and 32 MPG. This is where Arthur and I feeling morally compelled to put our money where our convictions lie. The Aptera’s carbon footprint is significantly lower than basic hybrids today and the climate crisis requires action now. Fortunately, Arthur and I live in the first state to benefit from the Aptera and we are in a financial position to take action in this manner.
Finally, the car is effin’ awesome. It looks gorgeous and is made in the USA with recycled materials. Expect a video blog sometime in the next few months from our tour of the manufacturing facility. Until then, let this wet your whistle.
Posted on Sunday, March 30th, 2008 at 21:21.