A-to-Z Guide to Green: Out of this World
April 1, 2008
"This is the one we took to the desert and recorded 235 mpg," says Anthony as he slaps the lightweight composite shell roof of another prototype, this one a hybrid referred to as Mk-0. "The interior is more austere [than the Typ-1e]," he says. "It looks more like a moon landing craft than an actual car." With a rudimentary engine powered solely on diesel fuel with no electric assist, the Mk-0 proves Aptera is serious. In fact, the company attributes most of its success to the avant-garde design.
"We did all of our wind-tunnel testing with NASA," Anthony says. Everything from the hidden-wedge for the windshield wiper to the tapered tail end is built for aerodynamics, to reduce drag. However, this does not mean Aptera neglects other crucial concerns, like vehicle safety.
At the time of my visit, the company had just passed its 45-mph frontal impact crash tests with flying colors. "The front end crumples up against the firewall and the batteries are pushed under the vehicle thanks to its slanted design," Anthony says. And Aptera has also borrowed technology from Formula 1 with a virtually indestructible safety cell. "Every bit of this vehicle is tied into itself," he continues. "During a side impact, a door beam locks into a groove on the sidewall and transfers the load across the vehicle."
Aptera currently has 800 orders for the electric and hybrid models, which will both be available only in California during its first model year at a price of approximately $30,000. The company plans to build 3,000 for the 2009 model year, with the initial delivery scheduled for November 2008. "We have an aggressive test program set up for the next few months," says Anthony. "We want to get this thing into production."
Aptera, www.aptera.com
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