What range will Aptera be able to reach if it really tries?

I agree, that's interesting. Thanks for the link. Hopefully we can soon add Aptera's numbers to this 70 mph test. Since it is the slipperiest, I expect it to have the highest percentage of its EPA rated range at high speed.

@Harry Parker I know that FRP and SMC are good insulators - I wonder if they'd offer enough transmissivity to serve as "cooling plates"?

@Kerbe I'm no mechanical engineer. I had to google FRP and SMC. That led me to https://romeorim.com/commonly-used-composites-and-their-benefits-for-frp-rtm-smc-and-lfi/ where I learned that FRP is Fiber-Reinforced Plastic and SMC is Sheet Molding Compound. So I learned something. Thank you.

I did know that the fiber filler materials can greatly impact properties such as thermal conductivity. Perhaps the belly panels use carbon fiber filler just for that purpose?

I know that because when I worked at Xerox decades ago they were building their first big printing machines with many internal molded plastic rather than the usual machined metal parts, to save weight and costs. You may know that Xerox machines require very high voltages to operate. That turned out to be a problem because unlike metals, the plastics held those multi KV charges giving engineers and technicians some nasty shocks during tests. The problem was the supplier had not put enough carbon filler into the plastics to make them conductive. Oops!

@Harry Parker It happens... Yup, SMC is just jargon for what we laypersons call "fiberglass" - sheets of woven fiber soaked in resin. (It's also how carbon fiber panels are made.) FRP is, essentially, the same thing - just with chopped, non-woven fibers. My Honda Clarity has two large structural units made of FRP - the rear bumper beam and the frame stiffener surrounding the firewall.

Aptera's CEO, Chris Anthony, has mentioned thinking of offering versions with 400, 600 and 1000 miles, using 40, 60 and 100 KWH battery packs. I'm assuming those are their useable range numbers, as that's become the industry practice these last few years.

Yes, nothing has yet been fixed in stone, and these are calculated range numbers based on their detailed simulations and data from their earlier prototypes.

So, I wouldn't expect to get more than 400 miles for their base model at $34K, which you may be able to get for $30K depending on the incentives where you live. That's more than almost any car out theere and should be enough for most people.

I'm guessing that long range 1000 mile model will have close to the maximum price they've mentioned: $59K (minus incentives), although some of that high price may include other options you could leave out like the solar panels, or fancy colors, or auto pilot.