Keep it Simple - to deliver

I'd rather have no additional features. In fact rather less features but have them build, sell and deliver it. More features makes it just more complicated to build.

I would even buy it with traditional mirrors and NO screen (bring your own like the Citroen Ami).

The best aptera is the one delivered.

8 comments

8 Comments

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DanQ

Apr 05, 2021

I think they are pretty locked down on the design or I at least hope they are. If they don't deliver on time (end of the year), they will face many more competitors. A year from now, people will be free to compare a $36,000 Aptera to more established manufacturers (VW, Ford, Nissan, Chevy, Volvo, Tesla, etc) with more conventional offerings and they won't choose a three wheeler with no gov't rebates, even if it does have better range. We (Aptera reservation-ists?) like the design, but how many of us are there every year? 10-20,000? I bet an ID 4 sells more than that. The microbus even more!

Aptera's 4 wheel car and suv offerings may already be late to the party.

Andrew

Apr 06, 2021

Replying to

I hope they’re locked down too! The way I see it, Aptera have three key primary product differentiators (in what I think their order of value is ...)

(1) High efficiency (extremely low CD, low friction, low weight)
(2) Striking design. Many of the folks who follow the “Form follows function“ philosophy will put (1) and (2) in the same category.
(3) Designed and made in the US (Much of the competition will be made in the Far East, and ‘buy American’ is a strong brand, even in the Far East)
(4) Three wheeler.

These then enable the key secondary product differentiators ...

(A) Self charging convenience for small trips (Largely enabled by (1))
(B) Very long range (Enabled by (1) )
(C) Intrinsically low cost of ownership. This is enabled by (1) ... a substantial cost in n EV is the batteries, and if fewer batteries are needed for a given range, then capital costs are minimised, (4) I’m guessing registration costs for three wheelers are generally lower? Also lower homologation costs. (A) re-charging costs will be minimal, because of solar and relatively lower battery capacity, and also reasonably positive pre-sales are a good sign for the second-hand car holding its value (as much as can be reasonably guessed at this very early stage). This point of ‘low cost of ownership’ is probably not so much as a key product differentiator, but rather allows small-volume startup Aptera to be price competitive with the large-volume established auto makers.

Whilst there is Intense EV competition appearing on the horizon. None of them that I’ve seen offer anything like this combination of value proposition. I can see people grappling with the decision “Should I buy a Ford EV or a Chevy EV?” but I don’t see people scratching their head over “Should I buy a Ford Mustang Mach 1 or an Aptera?” (Or “an eGolf or Aptera?“, or even “a Nobe or an Aptera?”) the answer will be very obvious to buyers in their respective markets.

#20116

Apr 07, 2021

Replying to

@Andrew "Designed and made in the US" It will be interesting to see how much of this will be true - a big chunk of the cost is the in hub motor which is designed by a Slovenian company who I think makes the motors in China.

Unknown member

Apr 04, 2021

The KISS (Keep it Simple Stupid) philosophy is the best way around murphy's law.

Andrew

Apr 04, 2021

Agree 100% with this.

For me, it looks like the car has been specified by some corporate marketing guru who is trying to address the full spectrum of potential customers’ willingness-to-pay, and to up-sell on options, etc, etc. Established big corporates can get away with that strategy, but for startups all it does is over-complicate getting the product to market, and burden their already extreme risk profile.

IMO they should focus on a singular / small number of addressable markets. An example of that might be city dwellers who live in apartments and don’t have easy access to charging stations. Realistically what options does that market have for electric vehicles apart from Aptera? Eg: start by selling only the solar 250km option, get that singular product through internal testing, through whatever homologation a three wheeler needs to go through, get it tooled up on the production line, get logistics sorted out, and then ensure that customers are happy. Even a singular product is a massive undertaking. And once all that’s done then evolve the product to have another battery option, then another motor option, etc, etc.

kiteboarder

Jan 21, 2021

Fully functional, high quality & safe, but simpler & quicker to get produced (& also cheaper), I would PREFER to buy it with:

- Traditional mirrors*

- No solar**

- No wheel covers, front or rear*.

* My US-average 40-mile daily drive does NOT require Aptera's maximum aero efficiency.

** I can plug into my garage/work &/or many free public chargers, all of which charge it 60% faster than any other EV.

WraüSak

Jan 20, 2021

Correction The Best Aptera its the One delivered in Full Functional Status, with the High quality offered since the Beginning, its a Real Vehicle not a Cheap Toy for Kids to build at home, and then risk your life at the road.

normbarrett

Jan 20, 2021

I totally agree. Simple, get it out there!