I have read multiple times that the Aptera is designed for a maximum payload of 500 pounds. Why is this the case? It seems like a very low maximum. This seems like a very low limit. For example: According to healthline.com, the average American male over the age of 20 weighs 197.9 pounds. Observing this limit, if two average-sized mendrove an Aptera to a farmer's market, bought a bushel of apples, a peck of tomatoes, a 20-pound bag of potatoes, a 10-pound bag of onions, and a watermelon (average weights for the apples, tomatoes, and watermelon), the driver would be forced to leave his friend at the market to drive his relatively modest produce purchases home.
Also, the same two men could not travel with three average sized suitcases.
Is there any way to make accommodation for more than 500 pounds of payload? If not, what are the consequences of occasionally exceeding the limit?
One thing worth noting: getting the payload up to 600 lbs (maybe with a special model specifically for that market, or not offering the 100 kWh pack and using the reduced weight of the 25/40/60 kWh packs to allow the additional payload) would make the Aptera legal in Australia.
(I looked because of possible issues with the World Solar Challenge, which is held in Australia on public roads - basically, "motor tricycles" are only allowed 1.85 m of width (with Aptera being 2.235 m wide) and under 1000 kg gross mass, but "light goods vehicles" can have three wheels if they're over 1000 kg gross mass, and over half of their payload is cargo (with an assumption of each passenger seat being filled with 68 kg) - so as long as payload's over 272 kg (599.7 lbs), over half of the payload is cargo and therefore it's a truck legally and can be 2.5 m wide and over 1000 kg gross mass.)