Just wondering if you've looked at compliance in Australia as yet. Obviously we're a backwater in many ways, but we do have quite a bit of Solar exposure :-)
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Vehicle Certification in Australia. This process is administered by the Australian Government Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communication. The legislation is Road Vehicle Standards Act 2018 (RVSA) which comes into full implementation on 1 July 2021. A vehicle cannot be registered in Australia until it is approved under RVSA. Browsing through the Departments website I have 2 points to raise. Firstly vehicles can be approved as a (Specialist or Enthusiast Vehicle) SEV, very low numbers.
As Chris Anthony mentions above Australia is tracking at about 5%. I am guessing that represents about 500 orders. This implies that Aptera would go through a "vehicle type approval". This approval is for a manufacturer and allows for new models and variants to be added. The preorder process suggest a number of models already. Noir 3 wheel drive, Sol 2 wheel drive..... The application requires information about production processes and other technical information which Aptera may wish to keep private. I think any technical issues will be overcome during the approval process. As such Aptera needs to do the application themselves or appoint an agent. Furthermore some of the information required may not exist until production starts. I am resigned to the fact that I may not see my Aptera until 2023. Therefore the application process may not need to start until after the first US production vehicles are delivered. I am dreaming of a US Aptera road trip in 2022. If I hold a valid order and some shares, I will keep hoping?
I have read Vicroads Registration ,as I read it will be class as a motor car not an autocycle or a motor bike and will have to comply to Australia Standards. What do other Aussie think, I’m in Melbourne, Australia. I love the Aptera but I see problems with it being Registered here.
Regarding compliance for use on Australian roads, there’s a little challenge: at 88 inches (2235 mm) it's 9.2 inches (235 mm) too wide.
The Aptera will be classified as a “Motor Tricycle” which has a coded reference of LE throughout the legislative mumbo-jumbo. The maximum width of this vehicle classification must not exceed 2,000mm.
Here are extracted paragraphs from the definition documents…
Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule - Definitions and Vehicle Categories) 2005
- F2020C00937
4. VEHICLE CATEGORIES
4.1 A two-character vehicle category code is shown for each vehicle category. This code is used to designate the relevant vehicles in the vehicle standards, as represented by the ADRs, and in related documentation.
4.2 Two-Wheeled and Three-Wheeled Vehicles
4.2.8 MOTOR TRICYCLE (LE)
A motor vehicle with 3 wheels symmetrically arranged in relation to the longitudinal median axis, with a ‘Gross Vehicle Mass‘ not exceeding 1.0 tonne and either an engine cylinder capacity exceeding 50 ml or a ‘Maximum Motor cycle Speed‘ exceeding 50 km/h.
5 DETAILS OF SUB-CATEGORIES OF VEHICLE CATEGORIES
5.2 3 Wheeled L-group Vehicles (LE)
LEP2 the driver’s ‘Seat’ is not of a saddle type and/or
has more than two seating positions and/or
has a permanent structure to the rear of and
200 mm above the undeformed upper surface of the driver’s ‘Seat’ cushion and
@2021pjq awesome legal information. I will use that.
Roads in US seem wider than most of the world. Someone was talking about Aptera printing 10% smaller for international cars to address this width issue. I would just wait until Aptera addresses the concern for international, ETA 2022.
Hi @Abi Bellamkonda I'm planning to wait till this comes on the Aptera crew radar, they've got enough going on right now, it will be a while till they're contemplating exports to our neighbourhood of Asia.
Japan would be an absolute killer with some old area city streets being 2 metres wide for lanes in both directions plus pedestrians. Back streets of inner city Melbs are pretty tight too. You just don't see big US cars in these spots.
Oz legislation around vehicle compliance does shift and change every decade or so, but the lobbying to do so traditionally come from our, now defunct, auto industry. Post auto industry it took a good eight years of lobbying by enthusiast motor clubs to get the rules loosened up for importing vehicles. Changing this stuff is agonisingly slow.
I'm not an engineer, but the Aptera design seems optimised for its function and changing the rules would be better than compromising the Aptera design with a size trim.
If you’re importing 1 car yourself it can be left hand drive and registered here (after going through compliance and roadworthy checks).
If Aptera plan to send cars to Aus they will need to be right hand drive. There are other dispensations for low volume imports by manufacturers, new rules kicked-in Dec 2019. Previous laws were designed to protect local auto manufacturers... gone the way of the dinosaur.
Being three wheeled with a chassis under the driver, the Aptera would classify as a car, not a motor-trike – which is good – no motorbike license and helmet. It does mean there’ll be questions about bumpers front and rear, Anybody looking at that, as I think Aus rules have been guided by international quasi-standards for this stuff (could be wrong about this bit).
Apparently right hand side drive, software settings and dash is part of the plan. Apparently 5% of the interest is from Australia, which is big given we are 25M.
Vehicle Certification in Australia. This process is administered by the Australian Government Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communication. The legislation is Road Vehicle Standards Act 2018 (RVSA) which comes into full implementation on 1 July 2021. A vehicle cannot be registered in Australia until it is approved under RVSA. Browsing through the Departments website I have 2 points to raise. Firstly vehicles can be approved as a (Specialist or Enthusiast Vehicle) SEV, very low numbers.
As Chris Anthony mentions above Australia is tracking at about 5%. I am guessing that represents about 500 orders. This implies that Aptera would go through a "vehicle type approval". This approval is for a manufacturer and allows for new models and variants to be added. The preorder process suggest a number of models already. Noir 3 wheel drive, Sol 2 wheel drive..... The application requires information about production processes and other technical information which Aptera may wish to keep private. I think any technical issues will be overcome during the approval process. As such Aptera needs to do the application themselves or appoint an agent. Furthermore some of the information required may not exist until production starts. I am resigned to the fact that I may not see my Aptera until 2023. Therefore the application process may not need to start until after the first US production vehicles are delivered. I am dreaming of a US Aptera road trip in 2022. If I hold a valid order and some shares, I will keep hoping?
I have read Vicroads Registration ,as I read it will be class as a motor car not an autocycle or a motor bike and will have to comply to Australia Standards. What do other Aussie think, I’m in Melbourne, Australia. I love the Aptera but I see problems with it being Registered here.
Regarding compliance for use on Australian roads, there’s a little challenge: at 88 inches (2235 mm) it's 9.2 inches (235 mm) too wide.
The Aptera will be classified as a “Motor Tricycle” which has a coded reference of LE throughout the legislative mumbo-jumbo. The maximum width of this vehicle classification must not exceed 2,000mm.
Here are extracted paragraphs from the definition documents…
Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule - Definitions and Vehicle Categories) 2005
- F2020C00937
4. VEHICLE CATEGORIES
4.1 A two-character vehicle category code is shown for each vehicle category. This code is used to designate the relevant vehicles in the vehicle standards, as represented by the ADRs, and in related documentation.
4.2 Two-Wheeled and Three-Wheeled Vehicles
4.2.8 MOTOR TRICYCLE (LE)
A motor vehicle with 3 wheels symmetrically arranged in relation to the longitudinal median axis, with a ‘Gross Vehicle Mass‘ not exceeding 1.0 tonne and either an engine cylinder capacity exceeding 50 ml or a ‘Maximum Motor cycle Speed‘ exceeding 50 km/h.
5 DETAILS OF SUB-CATEGORIES OF VEHICLE CATEGORIES
5.2 3 Wheeled L-group Vehicles (LE)
LEP2 the driver’s ‘Seat’ is not of a saddle type and/or
has more than two seating positions and/or
has a permanent structure to the rear of and
200 mm above the undeformed upper surface of the driver’s ‘Seat’ cushion and
2 wheels at front, one at rear.
Reference:
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2020C00937
Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule 43/04 - Vehicle Configuration and Dimensions) 2006
- F2016C00480
6. DIMENSIONS OF VEHICLES
6.1.5. ‘Overall Width’, including any ‘Equipment’
6.1.5.1. The ‘Overall Width’ of any motor vehicle (other than an L-Group vehicle) must not exceed 2,500 mm.
6.1.5.2.3. in the case of a three wheel vehicle (LB or LE) or a motorcycle with a side car (LD), the maximum width must not exceed 2,000 mm.
Reference:
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2016C00480
Hmmm, do I ask for a refund of the reserve deposit?
If you’re importing 1 car yourself it can be left hand drive and registered here (after going through compliance and roadworthy checks).
If Aptera plan to send cars to Aus they will need to be right hand drive. There are other dispensations for low volume imports by manufacturers, new rules kicked-in Dec 2019. Previous laws were designed to protect local auto manufacturers... gone the way of the dinosaur.
Being three wheeled with a chassis under the driver, the Aptera would classify as a car, not a motor-trike – which is good – no motorbike license and helmet. It does mean there’ll be questions about bumpers front and rear, Anybody looking at that, as I think Aus rules have been guided by international quasi-standards for this stuff (could be wrong about this bit).
Cheers,
PeteQ
Apparently right hand side drive, software settings and dash is part of the plan. Apparently 5% of the interest is from Australia, which is big given we are 25M.
Here is the VicRoads process, other states must have a similar process. We can always do to VicRoads together if you are buying - contact me directly.
They have right hand driving as a requirement since it is 3D printing Aptera should be able to do it.
Hi Peter, I am also keen to see the Aptera approved in Aus. What city e you in?