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Edited: Dec 11, 2020

Motorcycle trailer hitch, then custom trailer

Motorcycle trailer hitch; since they can't tow much anyway.

We need to haul things a short distance; like leaves to the county compost for or some items from a store, or bicycles, skiis, or even a tiny boat... all things I've seen motorcycles pull.

Later, you can design a custom trailer which specifically shaped that can handle bicycles, leaves, some 2x4s or even a few sheets of plywood etc. with data about the trailer you can change range estimates when YOURS is in use..

Even smarter, you can have the trailer provide POWER (cover it in panels, or generators, or more batteries... whatever the customer gets to charge it. Be a little open and people will invent things for you.)

9 comments

9 Comments

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gauv.fred

Dec 21, 2020

iL serait souhaitable l’adjonction d’une remorque profilé et légère mais pourquoi pas elle aussi motorisé pour permettre du 5x5 en tout terrain et un franchissement amélioré ou tout simplement conserver une grande autonomie grâce à l’aide à la propulsion de la remorque. 😊caméra de recul, prise électrique, panneau solaire,ainsi l'esprit aptera sera conservé.

john3c

Dec 21, 2020

Replying to

We had a mostly similar idea back for the 1st Aptera; an engineer friend of mine and I. He had a plywood car that was similar to Aptera made at his university back in the 90s.

Many problems come up when you get into reliable custom sensors on the hitch to track car speed to control the trailer motors... and there has to be 2 motors since turning requires different speeds. You also need to detect this turning situation which is tricky to do at the hitch alone because vibrations happen. Pushing the car any becomes a whole other can of worms and with only 1 wheel in the back you do NOT want to destabilize it.

You end up with a trailer too heavy, expensive, and complex vs a simple one. Now, if you want to go big and heavy; that is another approach:

You make a semi-truck like attachment which fills out the 1 wheel in the back with 1-2 more wheels and a big hitch on that. The attachment supplements the 1 wheel and syncs to it; has a differential etc. and battery and motor. Then you'd cover it to make it more aerodynamic. You have to perfectly sync the Aptera wheel so there is no fighting between the added wheels. Actually, I see this as a viable option and with a cheap trailer not overly expensive. It could even be made to handle massive hauling... If you think this is over the top, it's much more simple than Volvo Trucks' Vera robot which almost would fit under/behind an Aptera.

Rhynri

Dec 20, 2020

Honestly, don't even really need to make a new trailer. BRP/Can-Am already makes a pretty aero trailer for the Spyders. [Link redacted, see @john3c 's post below]

Harry Parker

Dec 20, 2020

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Replying to

WHOA! My browser gave me a warning when I tried to go to that link for fredrau.com. Something about a bad security certificate for the site and the site may thus be fraudulent and trying to steal my information.

john3c

Dec 20, 2020

Replying to

The great looking small trailer mentioned; but needs top mounts or a little bigger size to handle a few bicycles or skiis etc. It's more like a 2nd trunk. Maybe somebody can find variations on these Spyder trailers? maybe they have more than cool custom paint jobs?

Wow they are expensive and surprisingly heavy... but I still think I'd make something.

Rhynri

Dec 21, 2020

Replying to

@Harry Parker It's the pic on the left John3C posted. Spyder trailers in general seem pretty aero and cool looking. Didn't really pay attention to the cert issue on the site, since I wasn't intending to enter data. Usually it's just they forgot to renew it. I'll take the link down though.

john3c

Dec 19, 2020

Somebody could make a tiny version of this: aerovault or similar to a Luxe Ryder (pictured.)

Some Motorcycle trailers look ok as well even though they are for hauling a motorcycle... but a lighter smaller version of that would be nice.

I'm already thinking of a half sized Harbor Freight trailer with me making a wooden top for it (like making a wooden canoe, but upside down.)

john3c

Dec 11, 2020

Oh, people with the 1000 range model could afford to go quite a distance with a heavier trailer... say it cuts the range by 80% that is still plenty. It's more likely a heat issue with a tough load that is the current limitation. one should be able to measure the load increase and warn the user before they get out of the driveway... (or make a little test mode which uses short jerking motions to measure inertia and estimate weight increase.)

my_discord_number_is_0328

Dec 20, 2020

Replying to

the jerking motion computer calculation can be used to test the limits of a new pair of tire, and software can calculate what the 0-60 time would be based on that, in case temporary tires are used, especially if tyre type is not the same on both sides and especially given that most people wont be able to figure out that their new temporary tires cant take away the immediacy of toruqe they may be used to with normal tires. allowing for abnormal tires is useful for if a tire blows, and teh covering over teh Apteras tires may need to be removable to allow for a temporary tire change on the side of the road.