Mesh Seats

https://www.gordonmurraydesign.com/news-articles/gordon-murray-design-to-licence-istream-lightweight-seat.html

https://www.gordonmurraydesign.com/news-articles/gordon-murray-design-to-licence-istream-lightweight-seat.html

pre designed stuff

but their is good case for alternative deisgn (word search "seat"):

https://www.aptera.us/forum/main/comment/606a72fe8a8b0c001597cb78

4 point harnesses are not usually allowed anymore due to submarining. For safety, you would want a full 5-point harness or just stay with the standard 3-point harness plus airbag. But if you use a 5-point harness that firmly restrains your body, then you need something to protect your neck, but a Hans device requires a helmet. Hopefully, the seatbelt airbag they are considering works well

The real point with the Citroen 2cv seats is that if you know this car ... and I'm including an image below ... then you know it wasn't its style or power (I think the 2 in 2cv stands for two-cylinder engine.) that made it the French "Beetle". It was just a lot more comfortable than anyone could imagine. Even Jay Leno has one of these air-cooled two-cylinders in his garage. His does have leather seats, though.

Actually, if you listen to Leno's piece you see that the 2cv was, like the Aptera, a car designed for efficiency in production and use. The demands of the French market meant it was designed to ride over rough roads comfortably at speed so little old ladies could carry the eggs from their chicken coops to market in a basket on the seat. ... to hear Leno tell it.

One thing that bothers me partly because it seems slightly inconsistent is the choice of a standard lap/shoulder belt. Given the pitch regarding safety - i.e. a monocoque safety shell designed to protect the occupants like a formula 1 car.

It just seems that if there is anything to be gained in safety by providing a four-point harness, possibly as user choice no-cost option ... or with a more aggressive driving seat design.

OMG: That image is .. not so good ! Rather than my putting up a different image, go a quick search in your browser.

My problem with the Staples chairs was not the mesh, it was the underlaying frame. The head rest left me looking up at the ceiling. No or poor lumbar. The tilt adjustments were really bad. Short seats left pressure on the back side of the legs. Etc.

Design a good frame and and see how people like it.

I have a mesh office chair that I love for comfort in the hot weather. If Aptera can figure out how to make effective bolsters work with mesh primary cushions, I think that's a winner.

This Citroen seat looks pretty bad. I looked up the seats you mentioned in the Miata, and those are more of what I was thinking of. Mesh seats can look pretty cool, and there looks like there is an opportunity to use generative design to optimize the structure for safety, weight reduction and strength.

This is one of many styles of seat from the Citroen 2CV. I've never sat in one though my strong suspicion is that all seats from French cars are comfortable.

The current Miata uses a custom lightweight, low profile sling-style seat similar to a mesh seat. Some people like it and some people don't. I liked the stiffer leather version but not the cloth version. There is a Recaro option, but that is ~1" higher than the stock seats. I think Aptera is using a manual seat adjustment like the Miata where the seat rises as it moves forward with no separate height adjustment, since they are trying to reduce the seat height. A motorized seat would add several inches of height.

Since opening the topic, I've been thinking on it some more. Anywhere you can use it should lower weight and possibly costs.

Why Not also Mesh:

1: Side panels (btw: you can also put low level LEDS behind it for lighting affects)

2: Dash (they may be safer and absorb shock) No/less glare or reflection in the window. I hate seeing the dash reflection when driving.

3: Cargo cover: I'm thinking of something like a composite frame containing a net (mesh) which lowers to put some pressure on the contents of the cargo. Things wont come flying up from behind to endanger passengers. If not covering, at least it would separate passengers from the contents, much like a Pet barrier.

4: Sun visors ? This is a small item but every bit of weight loss helps. Obviously, they would need to block the sun shine. Same for slide up sun screens on the windows.

5: One going to far :-) Mesh air bag replacement. I seem to recall that air bags are a 1 time use thing and they are expensive. Maybe these could open up and then be just repacked, like a parachute.

I too have thought that a mesh seat might be a good solution. It conforms to a lot of different body shapes without the weight. Heated seats are generally required for leather or vinyl seats since they transfer heat to your skin so quickly. A mesh seat would not require any heating or cooling. I could also see the seats looking pretty cool with the right design. Durability and meeting safety standards would be the challenges.

I know nothing about car seats but it may be complicated because the seats have to be 1) comfortable, 2) lightweight 3) have some style 4) house the heating/ cooling plans ams 5) be safe/pass a crash test of a car and work with the seatbelt/airbag final decisions. I do not know if they will be electric our mechanical seats

Pilots have long hauls... I wonder if aircraft seats can offer an option?...

I know they would like to stay with. vegan / sustainable fabrics too where possible